RAI and Spring Break....

The Friday before Spring break I was scheduled to have my RAI treatment. As a requirement by law, I went in for a pregnancy test at 9 am so that I could take the RAI pill at 12:00. When we showed up in Nuclear Medicine, there was a another of Dr. Ridings patients waiting to have her RAI treatment as well. We had a good time talking about our experience so far and swapping low iodine recipes. We then met with the Physicist to go over the precautions that needed to be taken in my radioactive state. Then Dr. Riding came and told me it was time. They simply took me back to a lab and measured and verified the amount of Radiation (104.mCi of iodine-131). The lab assistant put the pill in a plastic tube and then told me to take the tube and swallow the pill (making sure not to actually touch it.) So I did… and that was It and I was free to go. I felt kinda guilty walking out of the hospital all radioactive and none of the people I was passing by had any idea!

I then went home to my bedroom for 2 days of isolation. I was instructed to have sour candy or gum every hour for the first 48 hours after to prevent the radiation from zapping my salivary glands. I had quite a variety of candy to choose from thanks to Steve and Autumn, as well as my friend Diana. My Mom stayed with me at the house to make sure I was okay…but making sure to keep a healthy distance at all time. She made me my low iodine meals, bringing them to the top of the stairs and I would grab then after she was a safe distance away. I was so grateful to have her there, it was nice to be able to talk to her, even if we had to yell up and down the stairs to do so . I spent my isolation reading, sleeping, journaling, talking on the phone, playing on the ipad…anything to keep me from going crazy.

The first day wasn’t too bad, but by the second day I was starting to get restless. I was glad when I was finally was released from total isolation, which was Sunday. That night Brandon and his mom took the kids to stay up at a cabin in Florissant, with tentative plans that the following day me and my mom would come up as well. On Monday morning I felt crappy….just exhausted and nauseated. I really wanted to go, so I spent the day resting so that by the afternoon it was possible. My mom drove us up and it was great to see my family again. We mostly just hung out and watched movies, as I wasn’t really up for much else. While the Brandon and the kids were in the hot tub we saw about 10 deer that were only 10 feet away so that was cool.

 The following day Brandon took the kids out exploring on the 4 wheeler. He then convinced me to come and it was nice…such a beautiful area. I just wished that I felt better so we could hike around. That afternoon we decided to head home because Beckett was running a fever and I still wasn’t feel too great. We didn’t get to do much else during spring break because Beckett was ill but Brandon took the kids to the indoor swimming pool at the end of the week. Then he put together our new 12 foot swimming pool which Matt gave us. The kids had fun playing in the few inches of water we filled it up with.

 On Friday at 9 am I went back to the Nuclear Medicine department to have my full body scan. Brandon came with me and as soon as we showed they brought me back for the scan. It was an open scan but a part of the scanner comes about an inch away from your face and you must stay very still. They first did a head and neck scan, which took about 10 mins. Then they did the full body scan which took about 20 mins. And that was it…I was free to take my thyroid medication and eat whatever I want…wahoo!!! So in celebration Brandon took me to Egg and I (one of my favorites) and it was delish!

The kids found a little cabin to play in...

Playing on the tire swing at the cabin

Watching all the deer while playing in the hot tub....

Here is the swimming pool...hopefully it gets warm enough to enjoy!