Day 2 & 3

On Tuesday, I went into the hospital for the second Thyrogen injection. Like the first one, it was a small needle and very quick. The only change was the location. The nurse put it in the right hip. I don't think that I had any side effects to the injection. My endocrinologist said it was something our bodies already produce, so it's not like it was anything new. My skin is a little sensitive to Band-Aids, so each of the spots were a little itchy.

On Wednesday morning, I went back to the hospital for the I-131 treatment. I feel like I shouldn't say 131 because it was only 4 mCi. (Huge difference-especially in terms of isolation). It was kind of funny because there were a lot of patients in the nuclear medicine part of hospital, where I was, so the head of nuclear meds took me into the room where I will get my total body scan on Friday. She apologized, but it wasn't really a big deal that there wasn't a "room" for me. I am sure other people had more extensive treatments that they were getting.

Anyway, I didn't take the picture of the container this time, but I have one from the first treatment...

The container looked very similar to this one, but smaller and the top had a different time and different dosage amount. It is funny how "big" and "thick" the metal container is and knowing that whatever is inside will go in my body?!? Anyway, the director of nuclear meds opened it up and took a teeny tiny tube out and poured the pill into a small cup. Again, I heard the words, "DON'T TOUCH IT!" I had to just throw it back in my mouth and swallow as much water as possible. No biggie...right? She made sure it was all the way down, and I was on my way out of the hospital. Gosh, I am so blessed that it is nothing more. God is amazing, and it is so wonderful that he has given the knowledge to cancer/medical researchers to prevent me to do anything more. 

Unlike the last time, I was told 2 or 3 times that there are no restrictions this time. (So, I went straight to Publix after the hospital. ha!) I didn't have to stay in my room or flush the toilet 20 times after each use. (Really not 20 times, but it felt like it the first go around.) I will wait a few days before seeing my "fresh out of the oven" niece, Sophia. 

Precious, right? It is little people like her (and my other nieces, Emmy and Mckenna, that are what gives me my encouragement....along with my family and Nate. :) 

Day 1: Stop Meds and Thyrogen Injection

Today, I stopped taking Levothyroxine 112 mcg and went to the hospital for an injection of Thyrogen. 


My appointment was at 8:15 a.m. this morning, but I arrived around 7:45 a.m. just in case I needed to do lots of paperwork. To my surprise, my pre-registration took care of most of the paperwork. I just had to give some signatures and initials for my consent to do the treatment. Easy...


A very sweet, elderly lady (volunteer) walked me down to the basement (nuclear medicine). As we departed, she let me know that should would be praying for me on her walk back. :) 


Because of how potent the RAI treatment can be to your body, I had to give blood so they could determine if I was pregnant or not...Once the results came back, the radiology supervisor called me back to explain the series of injections, pill, and scan that I will be doing this week. I learned that I would be getting the Thryogen injection in my hip...today: left side; tomorrow: right side. I was a little nervous, but I am not that scared of needles, so I figured it wouldn't be bad. 


A nurse came in and had me pull my shorts down a little. She felt around for the bone and then..stick! I don't know why I was nervous. It was a small needle and the "juice" burned a little going in, but other than that, it was nothing. 


I leave the hospital and headed home to eat...I was starving at this point. Since I am on the low-iodine diet, I had to come home and make something for breakfast. (Plain Oatmeal was not in the cards today...YUCK!).  I made apple (sauce) muffins from scratch. I had them during my first treatment, and they are GOOD! 

It is a very easy recipe and very tasty. (Reminds me a little of fall/autumn.) 

Speaking of the diet, it is a little easier to do it in the summer when fruits and vegetables are fresh. :)

Overall, today wasn't too bad. My energy level has slowly died throughout the day. Luckily, I am a teacher and I am on summer break! I had enough energy to make my 3 meals today and go to hospital, but I had to lay down for the majority of the day. It will only get worse as the Levothyroxine moves out of my system completely. 

-I know the Lord will give me the strength that I need. He always does. 

drum roll please.......survey says: "another treatment"

So, as I guessed, I will be going through another radioactive iodine treatment. This time, it will not be as strong, but is a much longer process...a week to be exact. 

On the Friday before this process, I will start the low iodine diet AGAIN...I can't express how excited I am. :/ On the Monday of the first hospital visit, I will stop taking my thyroid medicine (Levothyroxine 112 mcg). Then the treatment process begins again... with a few added injections. 

If you cannot tell from the snap shot, I will be going in on Monday and Tuesday for an injection of Thyrogen. Basically, your body produces a hormone (TSH) that stimulates thyroid/thyroid cells and this injection will be two direct shots of this hormone to stimulate any thyroid cells that are left in my body so the radioactive iodine will be more drawn to these areas. (Basically WWIII will be going on in my neck.)


Then, on Wednesday, I will go in to take a pill of radioactive iodine. Compared to last time (30 MCI), I will only be taking 4 MCI. This is a huge difference when it comes to isolation. I will have to be away from pregnant women and babies for a few days after the treatment, but not 12 days, like the first treatment. (This is great because my third niece will be born any day!)

On the Friday of my treatment week, I will go in for another full body scan to watch my body light up like a neon Christmas tree. After the scan, I will go in for blood work and talk about the process with my endocrinologist. As he said today, this should be the end of the treatments, but we will not know 100% until the blood work is completed. 

Just as this process started, I have faith that God has it all under control. I am just thankful that He has given my doctors the knowledge to help me get 100% better. Not all cancer patients can say this, and I am so glad that I can. I feel like my story can help so many others going through this process. 

"With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."  Mark 10: 27


*What great relief to know that God has it all under control. 

Scar treatment....

I have been using "Scar Away" for about a week now and wanted to take a picture of the scar and then again in a few weeks.
Basically, I wear a scar patch for 12 hours a day and then leave it off for 12 hours. Today, I bought "Scar Away" serum that I will be rubbing on it 2-3 times a day while the patch is off.
Hopefully this will reduce the redness and prevent it from getting any redder as the summer approaches.
I will be updating you on progress and treatment dates in June.

-KC