My Experience With Thyroid Cancer

I had the radioactive treatment on July 13. I had a small preliminary dosage two days prior, and then I had multiple scans the day of the dosage. Because I'd had the small dosage first, the medicine lit up on the scans and told the doctors where the thyroid cancer was in my body. The radioactive iodine is attracted to thyroid tissue, so whatever lit up for them told them if there was a ton of cancer, or just a little bit. The plan was to give me 100 millicuries of radioactive iodine. (I googled the word millicurie and it's a unit of measurement specific to radioactive material. Hmm). The radiologist had said that if it's lighting up in my lungs or bones, I'd need to have more. This was a scary, anxious time. I was waiting to learn if the cancer had spread to my lungs or bones. My head went over and over about it and I pictured all different scenarios. I felt like I had no control in my life whatsoever. It's sad thinking about it now. Sidebar: remember what I said ...

I had to observe a low iodine diet before the radioactive iodine dosage, and I had to continue it for a few days after the treatment. So I was on the diet July 5-16. It was really hard and I didn't enjoy it. But I survived it! That's the message I can share. I can't tell you how to love the diet, but I got through it. My mom did the diet with me, and I really respect her for that. Here is a list of things you can't eat on a low iodine diet: salt, sea salt, dairy items, soy items, chocolate, any commercially baked goods like bread, cookies or anything like that. Also no carrageenan, no dried fruit because of the sulfuric acid, egg yolks, and definitely no seafood allowed. Also nothing with red dye #3, which means no maraschino cherries. Basically since no salt is allowed, that meant no fast food or processed food. You would be surprised how many thing have salt that really shouldn't. Here's what can be eaten on the diet: 6-7 oz. of meat per day, four servin...

After surgery but before the radioactive iodine treatment, my life had a slice of normalcy. I started back at work, and I have to say I was blessed with a great job and my boss never made me feel bad for all the time I took off and all the uncertainty there has been. I met with a radiologist for the first time sometime around June 26. My endocrinologist had originally told me that I'd only have to go off my thyroid medication for five days before the RAI, and that seemed doable. I was pretty bummed to learn that that wouldn't be the case for me. Dr. Ng told me that day to stop taking my medication. The target date for the RAI was July 13. He explained that my TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) needed to be around 35 for me to be fit to receive the treatment. Let me take a minute to explain those numbers. Someone with a perfectly functioning thyroid has a TSH of 0.5 - 5. If someone has a low thyroid, that number goes up. You would think it would go down, but low thyroid actua...

My total thyroidectomy surgery was June 1 at Kaiser Roseville. I was somewhat nervous, but I didn't go nuts. The big lump on my neck was really bothering me, so I was so anxious to be rid of it. I got to the hospital, put on the gown and went through the whole process. Finally the time came to say goodbye to my mom, dad and my boyfriend. They wheeled me away to the OR. I get in there and it's really cold. I see on the whiteboard "Mary Cullen," and I had to tell the nurse that's not my name. Like really, was that an omen?! I had to tell him that Mary is my middle name, Caitlin is my first name. And then I fell asleep. Finally! I woke up asking for pain medication. That's what I remember at first; those were my first conscious thoughts. Then I saw my family. That was nice, and such a relief. I had a private room, and later I was told that I was on the oncology ward of the hospital. That was certainly a lot to think about. Like wow, this is real. Fortunately, I...

Hello there! It's been a while, eh? I feel like I've been so descriptive in writing these blogs, which is great, but then writing the next piece of my story becomes daunting. Here it is late September, and I haven't gotten the blog current with my June surgery. I want to be caught up so I can post current stuff :) So that is my goal!