Wow, 02/12/2009 was my RAI treatment to get rid of all the cancer that may have been left in my body. I remember up until that point everyone kept saying the worst part was over. That was not true by a long shot. I am happy to report that other than some low vitamin d levels I am super healthy and every day getting stronger and healthier since the radiation. I had not idea the toll radiation would take on me or that 3 years later I would say that my body was just now getting over all the effects of it, but I am so happy that the thyroid cancer is gone and has a super low chance of coming back!
Those who know me know how organized I am when it comes to my life and the kids, I may have told some the RAI day of story. I want to document it just for me.
I had to be on a special diet 3 weeks prior to the radiation and off of my thyroid meds. I could not have anything pre made with salt! In addition I could only have 3 oz of meat a day, veggies, and a few other things. Try not eating Milk, Eggs, Soy and Salt. I had to make Almond Milk (since the packaged ones had salt and soy products). I could not have BREAD, CHIPS or ANYTHING that was pre made. I tried making 3 loafs of bread, with no milk, eggs and it totally bombed 3 times. I cried like a baby all 3 times, I call all the stores asking if they could make me some bread and they could not, all of their stuff is sent to them pre mixed. I made lots of corn tortillas and loved them. I could only have a little self rising flower so I made me some flower and water bread things daily and it was WONDERFUL! Week 1 was a piece of cake. I kept reading to freeze meals because by week 3 you could hardly move. Week 2 wasn't so bad, I was getting tired {I did freeze Pat and I some meals}and just did not know how I was going to keep getting the kids ready every day taking them to school and just continue on. Week 3 I was still hanging in and thought I could make it, by 8 pm every night I would crash, and the leg pain and the total fatigue was setting in not to mention I was always freezing cold, but still somehow I made it! By the Grace of God. I felt like I was in a dream by the end of week 3. I went to have my blood work I had been on top of the nurses, it was not a big deal to them what I was doing but it was to me. The whole point of this 3 weeks was to deprive my body of iodine so that when I was given the radiation iodine it would just go to the Cancer that thrived on iodine and KILL IT. So I followed the diet to the LETTER. Back to when I had my blood work done the doctor said that I would most likely NOT be ready in 3 weeks. I got the call on a Thurday with my results, I had planned to have the treatment on Friday (That was my plan, because I had it all documented out). Well the nurse told me she had some good news and some bad news. She said that my iodine levels were non existant and I was more than ready to have the treatment, however Palmetto Health did not have an opening for Friday it would either have to be right NOW, or Monday!! MONDAY! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! It was going to be TODAY!
This was around 10:00 am. I pretty much had Pat and the kids ready, and they were going to stay with Steve and Joan Friday, Sat and Sunday and then I would stay with Pat's mom and Mike Monday, Tuesday, Wed, Thursday, Friday and some home really late Saturday night. I had to be away from the kids for 10 days. I try to call Pat and tell him of the BIG CHANGE, no answer. I try until 12:00 and by now I am freaking out. I can't get a hold of Pat and once I get the radiation I will not be able to do anything for the kids, and they can't come to the house while I am here and I am just a wreck. My treatment is at 1:00 PM! I call and call everywhere I can think of. I call Pat's mom and fill her in. I finally got a hold of Katherine and she knew where Pat was and called Kip ASAP. Pat and Kip had gone fishing and I may have forgotten, it is not like I did not have a lot on my mind, but she got me in touch with Pat and finally I knew that I could have my radiation and someone would be able to pick up the kids. It was stressful!
I went the the hospital and got set up to have my treatment, it is never a good feeling when the tech comes out and says what IU are you getting today? WHAT, did you not get orders?? I stayed calm, he said he was going to have to call the doctor to verify the dose! Thank God it is not Friday or they would be closed is what I told myself! He verifies the dose apparently it is large for someone my size is what he told me! Any who, one Radiation pill cost my insurance $10,000.00 that is crazy, we ended up after insurance paying $2,000.00 a pill and I got two pills so that was $4,000.00 just for the Radiation.
The tech comes in with the pills and he put a piece of thick glass between him and I and had a metal vial with DUCK TAPE AROUND IT! I am not joking, it had duck tape, the world really is held together with duck tape! He gives me the pills and tells me to get in the elevator, then my car and go straight home. Once I get home he wants me to put my clothes in a plastic bag for 5 days and to not share a bathroom with anyone for 3 days. I was scared to touch anything, I did not know if I was radiating the radiation and I did not want to the kids to be around it. I was careful!
I come home and the 1st day I slept (my eyes were swollen shut when I woke up), the second day I slept (my eyes were really swollen still and I had popped some blood vessels) and on the 3rd day I got to take some thyroid meds and eat whatever I wanted! I went and got a pizza to go, and ate till I really got sick! Day 3 was good and bad, I felt a tiny bit better but I looked like I had been hit by a Mack Truck. Day 4 was Sunday so I had to clean and get ready to leave so the kids could come home and start with their week. I got packed and ready to go, I went to Pat's moms and Mike's they were so sweet had flowers in every room for my arrival. It made my eyes and allergies worst. I went to work for 4 days and looked like someone had socked me in both eyes. I had an allergic reaction to EVERYTHING, the radiation, the flowers, just everything. My eyes would stop watering a little while - while I was at work but once I went back to Mike and Joni's I was all water again. I think they thought I was crying. I should have been but wasn't. I didn't cry except once.
By the way I really appreciate Pat for taking such wonderful care of the kids, Joan and Steve for helping him and Joni and Mike for opening there home to me and trying to make me super comfortable.
Finally late Saturday night I get to go home - the kids are asleep and I can go home and see them in the morning. I have been super sensitive to every little smell. I come home and Pat has me a bath made with smelly candles, and some kind of bubble bath. It was so sweet but at the same time I knew it would kill my allergies. I just sat in my bubble bath with my smelly candles and got out a GOOD CRY!
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