February 29, 2020

Happy Leap Day!

Add a comment February 29, 2020

I’m Radioactive…Radioactive

This week I headed in for my cancer treatment, radioactive iodine ablation. This is to destroy any remaining thyroid cells that were missed during surgery and any of the thyroid cancer that may have started to spread.

After almost a month of the low iodine diet and being without my Synthroid, I have been tired and sick of eating food without flavor. So I will be glad to get this over with just to get those things back to normal. 🙂

So, on Wednesday, I went in and they gave me four pills that were a small dose of the I-131, which is the radioactive iodine, and they sent me on my way for the day to give this a chance to absorb into any thyroid tissue or thyroid cancer cells.

Thursday morning, I went in and they did a scan that lasted about 45 minutes to look at where in my body all that iodine went. I found out later that it only went to a small bit of leftover thyroid tissue in my neck. This tissue was expected as it is impossible to get is all during surgery. What a blessing there was no spreading in the rest of the body!

After the scan they decided on the amount of the full does of I-131 I should received and sent it up. It was crazy. It came in a locked box pushed on a dolly with a security escort. It was a small vial containing one pill that was in a bigger container that would hold in the radioactivity then they handed me the vial and a glass of water to wash the pill down with and that was it!

I guess I should say that before I received the pill, I talked with both a physicist about the precautions I should take after receiving the pill and a doctor that went over any possible side effect I could have. So, by the time I actually took the medication, all my questions about it had been answered.

I got this awesome bracelet to wear in case of an accident so any first responders would know that I was now radioactive and they could take any needed precautions. Then I got to leave.

I had to ride as far in the back of the car as possible and on the opposite side of the car from my dad that had driven me. When I got home I had to stay isolated from others for the week so they don’t get exposed to the radioactivity.

And, that is where I am now, staying away from everyone until next Thursday. It’s pretty quiet and strange to not just be able to go hang out with the people I am used to being around. But it is for their safety and I’m sure it will go by fast.

Oh, and since we are on the subject, here’s a little something for my nephew, Elvis.

Add a comment September 22, 2018

Cleaning Up

Things have slowed down for a little while here at work. So, I decided to take advantage of it and give my office a good cleaning. I brought in a bucket and got some hot soapy water and washed everything. It was so dusty and it is nice to have gotten rid of all of that, well for a little while anyway. 🙂 I have a couple more things to straighten out, but it is nice to have this done before things get busy again.

Add a comment September 10, 2018

Awareness

For more information:
http://www.thyca.org/

Add a comment September 1, 2018

It’s Here!!!

Add a comment June 21, 2018

Happy Sabbath

Add a comment June 16, 2018

Thyroid Cancer

A little over a year or so ago, I started feeling a bump in my neck down by my collar bone. After a few months, I decided to go see the doctor. He seemed a little skeptical, but had an ultrasound done of my neck. At that time they found a couple nodules. There was nothing to worry about at that time so he said we would follow up with another ultrasound in a few months.

Those months passed and I hadn’t heard from the doctor. I decided to go ahead and make an appointment. Mostly, I wanted to hear that this bump was going to go away and how long it would take. I was first disappointed when I was told it wouldn’t go away. Then I was sent for a new ultrasound. The second disappointment was when I heard a different result from the first ultrasound and found there was more testing needed.

I was then scheduled for a Fine Needle Aspiration. During this crazy test, they squeeze you into the ultrasound room with an ultrasound tech, a lab tech and the doctor and a nurse. Then, using the ultrasound as a guide, the doctor sticks a long needle into your neck and down into the nodule to gather cells. They do this over and over until they get enough good samples to perform a couple tests so they get the best results. They only needed to do it four times for me luckily.

Then I waited and prayed.

On April 3, 2018, my doctor called and said I had thyroid cancer and I should get an appointment with this other doctor and she would call.

Then I waited and prayed.

I finally got in to see the oncologist on May 3, 2018. She said I would need to have my thyroid removed and I needed to see the surgeon. I got an appointment to see her in a few days, but while I had been waiting to see the oncologist, I made an appointment to see a different thyroid specialist in Denver. So I went to the appointment to see the in town surgeon and on May 14th I saw the specialist. The in town surgeon had looked at my labs and ultrasound and agreed a specialist would be better.

May 14, 2018 I went to the Denver Center for Endocrine Surgery. The doctor there confirmed I needed to remove my thyroid and surgery was scheduled. I went home and hurried to get things ready for the week I would need off of work.

On May 29, 2018, I went in for surgery. I was very scared. But, I had been praying and knew God would be with me no matter what. Everyone at the hospital was so nice. And, before I knew it, I was in recovery trying to wake up. I stayed overnight in the hospital and was ready to go home, but the doctor strongly recommended I stay in Denver another night, so we did. Then, I went in to for a follow up appointment with the surgeon and then finally got to come home and get some rest, heal and see what comes next.

Add a comment June 4, 2018

Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood

Today is the 50th Anniversary of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. One of my favorite shows to watch as a kid.

Wish they still made shows like this.

Add a comment February 19, 2018