Radiation

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 25^th. 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.