On October 24, 2013 I made the trip up to Emory Clinic
Nuclear Medicine department for my counseling visit with the doctors. I did not
know what to expect when I entered the doors of nuclear medicine. I had heard
stories and watched YouTube videos of thyca patients going through radiation
but I still was anxious to get it over with.
I went to Emory Clinic alone because I thought I would be
taking the pill the next day and would not be able to be around anyone. I met
with the doctors and discussed my options or rather, lack of options. The
options we’re
- Take large does of RAI
or
- Do nothing
Being 24 years old, I wasn’t just going to wait around and
do nothing so I went with option 1.
During the counseling with the doctors I found out that I
would be taking a tracer dose the following day and not the full dose. From
reading the papers the doctors send me in the mail, I thought I was getting the
full dose on the 25th. The doctors told me I would be getting 150+
mci of radiation on the following Monday after the whole body scan pending the
scan went without any surprises. The doctors gave me a nausea medicine
prescription and I was told to go to the lab to get blood work done.
After getting my blood work done, I left the hospital and
checked into a hotel so that I would not have to make the 2-hour trip again the
next morning. I was ready for this stage of my treatment to be over. I wanted
off the low-iodine diet. I craved pizza more then anything!
I arrived bright and early the next morning armed with my
nausea medicine and a giant bottle of water. I was only taking the tracer dose
but I was not taking any chances on getting nauseas.
I took the tracer dose and headed back home to Columbus. I
was happy because I was able to have my dog, Cheerio, with me until Monday when
I took the large dose. I did not have to be in isolation for another few days!
Although, I felt like crap and didn’t do anything for those few days, I was
able to have visitors without exposing them to radiation.
On Monday morning bright and early, my friend, Chad Witzel,
drove me to Emory to take the large dose RAI. We arrived at Emory and I was
called back to the “dose administration room” to take my pill. The pill came in
a lead container and I was instructed to not touch the pill and drink the whole
glass of water. I was told to ask any questions now because once I took the
pill I would need to leave the building immediately and that my car would be
waiting
for me.
So, I took the pill and left the building. I was instructed
to sit at the farthest seat away from Chad as possible; I sat in the back seat
of the car on the passenger side. I was not feeling any symptoms from taking
the pill but I was just extremely tired, due to being hypo.
I made it home and took a nap for about 2 hours. I woke up
feeling tightness and pain in my neck and jaw. The nausea also started to kick
in. My mouth was so dry that I could barely swallow. I fell asleep with my
heated blanket and a water bottle in my bed.
As the days went by, I started to feel better. I still was
extremely tired but I was going to be able to start taking my synthroid in a
few days so I was optimistic. I was also able to eat a normal diet in a few
days! I FINALLY COULD HAVE THE PIZZA I SO DESPERATLEY CRAVED!!!
When the day came that I could eat normally food, my friend,
Jon Born and his girlfriend Lauren, went to the grocery store for me with a
long list of foods that I had been craving. When I got the food, nothing seemed
appetizing. My craving for pizza was gone.
On my last day of isolation, I was so sick of being stuck in
my apartment; I went to the laundry room and washed all my clothes and sheets.
In the laundry room I met two wonderful men, TJ and Tim.
We started talking and realized that TJ and I were neighbors.
I literally lived just one apartment above him. Living in Whisperwood, the
dryers often times do not dry our clothes in an hour. TJ and Tim had a few
clothing items that still were not dry so I offered to put them in my dryer and
take them to them when they were done.
I brought their laundry to them and they invited me in for
dinner and to hang out. I was excited to finally be able to hang out with
people. Being in isolation was so lonely it was nice to be able to hang out
with anyone.
I was having a hard time eating sense radiation so having
someone to eat with made it easier. We ended up hanging out for the rest of the
weekend and even found out that TJ and I go to the same church here in
Columbus! It was like God had send TJ and Tim into my life as a reward for
making it through my cancer treatments.
We went to church on Sunday and hung out the rest of the day
before I
drove up to Atlanta to pick my mom up from the airport. TJ made what
now is, one of my favorite meals, round steak, tomato, and onion and sopa, for
dinner.
After picking my mom up from the airport we checked into our
hotel. The next morning we drove over to Emory Nuclear Medicine to get my whole
body scan. I laid there on the table and was able to watch and see where the
uptake of the RAI was. It was nerve wracking because I saw uptake in the neck
and the hips areas. The neck area was normal but the hip area was not. I was
starting to get nervous. After the scan the doctors told me I needed to take a
laxative to clear myself out and try and get rid of the RAI left in my body.
The uptake in the hip area was in bowels. I was relieved that it was not a sign
of my cancer spreading.
I was happy that the radiation was complete and that I could
go home and relax and have a fun time with my mom.
