12/19/2008 - Day 5 - Radioactive Iodine Treatment

Well our morning started very early.  Out of the blue, I woke up at 3, turned the TV on at 4 and saw the nasty weather already - an inch had already fallen in less than 30 minutes.  We left at 5:30 for my 9 AM appt.  We made it to Ann Arbor - Geddes Rd and Huron Parkway - for 8 AM - then we were stuck in stopped traffic.  We made it so close to being on time and the last 15 minutes, took us over an hour.  It really stunk.  

So we walked in for 9:30.  They did a 8 minute scan and a 5 minute scan, had us wait for the doctor to look thru it and they sent us on our way.  We looked at each other and laughed.  There was no way we were getting back into the car that fast.  So we went to the cafeteria to eat something.  Then began the trek back home - 2 1/2 hours.  YUCK!  Poor Kevin, white knuckled, exhausted, and fed up.  We got home and he crashed hard.  

I should explain the Radioactive Iodine a little.  It is not your usual Cancer Radiation that you hear about for most cancer patients.  It is also known as "Iodine-131" or Radioiodine" therapy for treatment.  You see, your thyroid is the only organ that absorbs iodine in your body.  So on November 30th, I stopped taking my thyroid replacement medication (Citamel) and on December 7th, I had to start an Iodine free diet.  So when I started treatment this week, any thyroid tissue that was left in my body would be thriving for iodine.  That is where Radioactive Iodine comes in.  The thyroid tissue would absorb it and burn up immediately because of the radioactive part.  So the scans I went through at the beginning of the week led to the actual amount/dose = 150 mCi on Wednesday.  So it is working on me right now.  Each day, the amount left in my body exits through urine, saliva, etc by 50%.  

Wednesday - I received 100% of the dose by 

Thursday - there was 50% left in my body.  

By Friday - 25% left in my body. 

By Saturday - 12.5% left in my body.  

By Sunday - 6.25% left in my body.  

By Monday - 3.125% left in my body.  

By Tuesday - 1.5625% and you get the picture....

The main source of radiation exposure to other individuals from the radioactive medicine remaining in my body is from radiation given off as the medicine changes to a non-radioactive form.  The radiation is similar to an xray.  The number of "x-rays" emitted will decrease with time and eventually will be gone.  I reduce the exposure of other individuals by increasing the distance from them and decreasing the time spent close to them.  That is why I have to stay away from everyone.  I have to sleep in a separate bed and stay 7 foot away for 7 days.  Stay away from my kids and my pregnant sister for 7 days.  Maintain 3 feet distance from Kevin for no longer than 4 hours.  Drink lots of fluids.  Delay returning to work.  Stay out of public places. Limit private travel - 3 foot separation {Kevin in the driver seat, me in the back seat opposite side} > 2 hours.  Etc. Etc.  I hope this makes sense to everyone.  :)  

I am for the most part, cancer free.   I go in January to see the surgeon then every 3 months for a year.   I go back to nuclear medicine in March for a scan.  I don't go back after that for 1 year. 

We have a good foot or more of snow.  I just can't believe how much we got and how fast we got it.  I think it is getting time to move to a climate much warmer where we visit the snow instead.  The worst isn't even over, we are supposed to get even more snow tomorrow and Sunday.  I tell ya.  Too much for me.  

We had a loaded pizza tonight from Hungry Howie's.  Wow was it delicious.  I just took it easy.  Mind you, everything - including typing on my laptop is with rubber gloves on.  I know you are laughing thinking about it and maybe tomorrow I will even snap a show for you all to see.  But I am catching up on movies and magazines.  Thank you to everyone for the emails.  It has been wonderful hearing from you all.  And yes, I am feeling great thank you.

Have a great weekend and I will make sure to keep posting - sorry guys, not much to do but sit in the sunroom alone and bored.