The Big C Word

Last May I felt very impressed to do some testing that was being offered near by at the Higly High School. The testing was easy and consisted of an ultrasound of the carotid artery in the neck to test for stroke, an ankle arm index to test for blood flow, and an abdominal aorta ultrasound to check for an aneurysm in the abdominal area. These all tested out OK. The person testing said since they were so close to the thyroid gland when they do the carotid test, they will look at it. Low and behold he found some nodules on the thyroid, one large one on the left node and several smaller ones on the right node.
Well that started me going to the doctor and as a consequence, on August 14th I had my entire thyroid removed. The large nodule was cancerous but the smaller nodules were fine. One lymph node was removed and it was clean.
Now I have to have radioactive iodine radiation to kill any remaining thyroid cells in the body. So now my schedule includes finishing the temporary thyroid medicine I'm on, on September 19 and then going for two weeks with no thyroid medicine. No one can live without the thyroid hormone. It regulates your metabolism, the heating system of your body, heart, skin, hair and a zillion other things. Also I have to go on a two week diet of no salt. Everything has salt in it including all dairy products. This is because the thyroid produces iodine and the doctors want the radioactive pill I take to show up only for the remaining thyroid cells in the body.
The hard part is that for three days I have to be isolated from everyone including the dogs. My meals will have to be brought to me and left at the bedroom door. I have to wash my own bedding, dishes etc so no one will touch them. I will be radioactive and glowing. Ha.
But the part that will be hard is no thyroid medicine in my body. I will be very tired, might lose some hair, can get palpitations, be hot or cold, dry skin, moody and no telling what else. It can be done. I've heard of many other people going through it so I can do it also. Fun, Fun Fun.
Anyway, I'm going to do as much as possible until that time. I'm going to quilt camp and a trip to see our grandson in Texas.
I'll keep you up to date.