Cancer Update/Post Radiation Treatment

Well here's the update. I went in for my Radiation Treatment July 13th. I was admitted Monday morning. Ben had to leave before they administered the radiation. So before I had my treatment the "Nuclear Techs" came and prepped my room. As you can see in the pictures below they covered the floors, toilet, sink, knobs, phone and pretty much anything I would possibly touch. While they were prepping the room they were explaining to me what I needed to know regarding the radiation. They said that I was receiving one of the highest doses they give and that's why I am being admitted to the hospital. They told me they didn't know how long I would be in the Hospital. They said the earliest would be Wednesday and It could be as long as a week in a half. I was shocked to hear how long this could actually take. As you can see I wanted to get out of that room as quick as possible. So finally Dr. Uy comes in with what looks like a miner's lunch box and in that was what they call a "Pig". It was a cylinder shaped chunk of heavy metal, it probably weighed 30 pounds. 30 pounds of steal I kinda of felt like superman and they were pulling out my kryptonite. Anyway in the pig the middle was hollowed out and in that was a plastic container with a pill in it. It honestly looked like I was going to take a simple Tylenol Pill but it was full of radiation and Iodine. I got really anxious and a little scared because right before they administered the pill I had to sign a waiver with all the risks that can occur after being exposed to Radiation and one of the more serious risk was Leukemia. I felt like my heart was going to come out of my chest but I knew I needed to take it so I did and I was waiting for something to happen like explode or turn green but nope it was pretty anti-climatic. Dr. Uy told me not to get out of bed and not drink anything for an hour because it was crucial not to vomit. The only way to get the radiation out was by urinating and through my sweat glans. My Radiation dose was 211 micis and to be able to be released I had to be below a 7. So I had some work to do. I drank 240 ounces of water on Monday. I pretty much lived on the toilet and I took a couple of showers. Tuesday morning they came and took my radiation level and all my hard worked paid off, I was down to a 13. I said to the Tech that I'm going to leave tonight and he said it would take a miracle to leave by Tuesday night and told me the earliest I would leave would be Wednesday night and I said, "Game on!" You watch I will leave tonight! I knew that they would come and read my levels again by 4:30 so I drank 215 ounces of water. I was anxious to see if I did it. Well the Tech came at 4:30 to read my levels again and guess what I was a 6.5!!! I did it. He just shook his head and smiled and said " You are a miracle!" I called Ben and he was shocked that I told him to come and get me. He wasn't ready for me to come home because I still had to be isolated at home for 3 days. So I slept in on Kaylee's floor on a foam pad and I had a little dvd player and they brought food up to me and would leave. This was really hard but I got through it. The radiation made me very sleepy but other than that I still just had my normal symptoms . On Monday the 20th I had to go to my body scan to see if the cancer had spread to my skull or lungs and I'm happy to report that I am Cancer Free!!! This was the most happiest and most emotional day since my diagnosis. I am so grateful and very blessed. I am now on the road to recovery. It will take a couple of months to feel what my "New Normal" will be. This is hard because mentally I'm ready to take on life again but physically I'm not there and won't be for some time. I have a lot of blood work coming up and I will have a ultrasound done in 6 months. The last few days I have been experiencing some symptoms from the radiation. I have a constant taste of Salt in my mouth along with feeling like I have metal in my mouth, this has been difficult to deal with but hopefully that will go away in a couple of weeks. I want to Thank my parents and Ben's mom, Karen for all that they have done in my behalf. Thank You doesn't seem sufficient to really express all that they have done for me and my family. Thank You to my brother and sisters and also Ben's family for their love and support. I also have felt Troy's presence and I know with all my heart he was very aware of me. I love you all.

Love Jodi

Cancer Update/Post Radiation Treatment

Ben and I waiting in my Hospital Room for my Radiation

Trying to act like I'm happy to be there

Nurse taking my blood and blood pressure, last human contact!

Ben forcing me to take a picture so everyone can know what Hospital I was at, just in case anyone was wondering! Love ya Honey!!

Here is just a few pics of what a wonderful, luxurious room I had to look forward to staying in, talk about making me feel like I'm a leper.

You haven't lived yet until you become a "Material"!!

I love the cartoon scary face!!

Yep, I was that toxic.

Nice and Comfy!! This is where I spent most of my time!!!

No one would come and empty my garbage so I had to dump my horrible food in the toilet and dispurse the rest in the red container and the yellow one is where my linens and robes went. I couldn't wear anything twice because of cross contamination. I became a really good shot with my water bottles, I only missed twice in the two days I was there. Hey I was desperate for entertainment!!

Four weeks Post-Op and Iodine Diet

So here is 4 weeks Post-Op. As you can see the incision was made

starting at the left side from the middle of my throat all the way across to my right ear lobe and cut up about 2 1/2 inches. It's healing pretty good. They took out my thyroid and did a complete right neck dissection which means they took out all my lymph nodes on the right side of my neck. They took out 19 lymph nodes and out of those 19, 6 of them had tumors in them. So we know that this has been spreading quite a bit and has been there quite a long time. They put the stitches inside of the incision. I have no feeling on the right side of my neck and I should get some back but not all. It has a ridge and that is really hard to get use to. Quite the scar though. I have been on a low Iodine diet so my body will crave the iodine and eat up the radio active iodine pill. I go into the Hospital tomorrow and take a significant high dose of the radioactive pill and will be isolated for a couple of days at least at the hospital and I will have to be isolated for several days at home. I will then have a body scan to see if the cancer has spread, even if it has spread into my lungs or bones it should be killed with the radioactive Iodine Therapy. I will be isolated like I said and will have to urinate it out and take 4 or more showers a day. Many people won't go to sleep and just drink water all night so they can get the radiation out as quick as they can. Ben will prepare my room before I go home. This is one of the last parts of my journey with Thyroid Cancer. My life will not be the same as it was before. I will have scans every year the rest of my life and will be put on thyroid replacement medicine the rest of my life but I would not change this experience for the knowledge it has brought me. I am more closer to my Heavenly Father than I ever was before. Other than seeing Heavenly Father face to face I have seen him!! I am a miracle. He has shown himself to me. I know he lives and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is his church upon the Earth today. I thought I had a testimony of that before but not to the degree or knowledge he has given to me through this experience. This cancer I count as a blessing not a trial. I cannot ever completely understand what Christ went through in the Garden of Gesemmene but I think I felt one drop to his millions, I don't even begin to understand how he could live and endure through that much pain and suffering when I just felt one drop. This is my testimony, I would be selfish not to share the knowledge I have gained through all this. He lives and knows more about us then we'll ever begin to know ourselves. Give your life to him and let him lead you. That is all he asks, is love and follow him, In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

The morning of surgery June 9th

Pre-op

Post-op, I can't tell you how hard it was to wake up.

I woke up only to vomit and to go the bathroom and every time I had to go to the bathroom my blood pressure would drop and I would pass out, that went on all night. I had a semi-private room and it was the worse night of my life. I'm sure I wasn't a treat of a roommate, nurses yelling at me to wake up, my monitor going off left and right, what a night and those gowns!! Ben said, " It was a peep show for anyone in sight." I was out of it, I didn't care but before I could go home I had to be able to walk around the hall and a old man was is front of me and lets just say I wasn't the only one giving a peep show. He was swinging right to left if you know what I mean!No one should have to see that! Hey I'm just tell-in ya what I saw.

Mother Daughter Date

Here is a picture that I've been meaning to post but with everything going on I just remembered it. This is a Mother Daughter Night. They girls got to dress the moms and the moms had to strut there stuff on the red carpet as the girls describe their moms. Kaylee did a great job.