Missed a call from my ENDOs PA. She was gone when I called back, so I have to wait until tomorrow. Holy crap! - either it is good news or it isn't.

And, the first one couldn't get any blood out of either arm. Thank goodness the second one did.

1-yr WBs

WBS completed. Waiting to have my Thyroglobulin (Tg/TgAB) blood draw. The NucMed tech let me see what was taken on the last of the 3 scans. Clear thyroid bed!

 The scan:

"Gamma machine" - used for my 1-yr WBS

I wasn't as late this morning as I was Monday morning, thank goodness! They had me empty my bladder 'real good' before I was taken into the room with the machine. I was slightly swaddled on the moveable bed of the machine so that my clothing and body parts would not interfere with and stop the machine during the first scan (the one, like last year, where it felt like little people were carrying me through the machine). Then I was told to hold still for the entire scan.

I was told the first scan would last about 25mins, the bed would slowly place me in position for both 'pictures' that needed to be taken for the WBS. That would be followed by two 10min scans that would focus on my thyroid bed.

I drifted in and out of sleep for the first scan, but somewhere during the second picture, I had a tickle at the back of my throat. How was I supposed to deal with that if I am supposed to remain as still as possible? Well, luckily my torso was scanned first, so I coughed as carefully as possible. Before the second set of pictures, the tech placed a marker on my neck so he could properly focus on my thyroid bed. Both of these scans went very quickly.

After the scan, I asked if I could see the scans. He could only show me the last one that was taken. I saw uptake (black dots) in my salivary glands, which he said was normal. There were some other random black spots in what looked like my chest area. He said everything looked clear. Sounds good, but I know that the NucMed doc and my ENDO both have to review and confer on the scan results, so even if it sounds like my scans are clean, I need to hear it from my ENDO.

RAI diagnostic dose - 6/13/2011

Interesting. I think I just saw my RAI scan dose being delivered to the docs. On the delivery guys' dolly was a nice little "radioactive warning" sticker.


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Around 9:45am, the Nuclear Medicine doctor finally called me from the waiting room (so I guess I am not pregnant!) and I was lead back into a small office. I didn't get her name, but she had a slight Russian accent. In the tiny back room, she told me I was getting a diagnostic scan dose, I have to come back Wednesday morning at 7am for my WBS, and that I had to remember to get my Tg/TgAB blood draw right after my scan because the insurance companies will not pay for a second round of Thyrogen shots since they are so expensive. Ok, good to know.

I asked about isolation - Ok to be around pregnant women, small children, or small pets? Wait a couple of days to be around pregnant women, but no worries being around small pets or kids. I still want to avoid any kind of unintentional radiation exposure to anyone, so I took a sick day from work, and tried to keep my distance from Angelo and Misty. I also asked about working out - Ok to go to the gym? She said some radiation will come out with my perspiration, but it is minimal. I still have no control over whether or not pregnant women could be anywhere close to me at the gym or even at the store, so I decided to skip yoga this evening and climbing tomorrow. For the climbing, I am more worried about my radiated sweat getting on all the holds or ropes that I touch.

When I was ready, she placed the 5mCi pill in my left hand. It was a pretty dark teal color, same color as last year, just not as sparkly as I remember the two pills I had last year. This one was perfectly formed too. Then it was down the hatch, and I was sent on my way, radioactive and all.

The rest of the day I spent taking little naps here and there. More than ever I was wanting to eat a burger or pizza, maybe some grilled fish, but no, not just yet. All I know is that I'm heading to Chipotle after work tomorrow evening!

Not sure if this could be a delayed reaction to the Thyrogen shots or not, but I have been feeling nauseous since I got up this morning. And ravenous. PMS?

Here we go. Have to get a pregnancy test first. Once that is in, they call me and I get "the pill", 4-5mCi. I really have to stop being late for these things.

Thyrogen shot #2

But the shot nurse was very knowledgeable. She has been administering Thyrogen shots for 10yrs, since they changed the procedure so it was only done at one location for the medical group. She also told me each vial is worth $1000.00 and they keep a supply on hand, noting that I was the second person she heard mention the global Thyrogen shortage, which they obviously were not affected by. Then she went on to say that they normally have two Thyrogen patients each weekend, but I was the first one since February. That means there were many thyroid cancer patients before me, at least at my medical group.

Before she gave me the shot, I asked if I could take a picture of the syringe. She did better than that - she let me keep the empty Thyrogen vial, and let me have the paperwork for the orders for my shot.

She administered the shot a little differently. I was standing this time, she said she would pinch the skin before administering the shot, so it would be less painful. She was right - didn't feel it at all. I didn't have to wait for 15mins this time since I didn't have any adverse reactions to the first shot yesterday. Weird thing is about 30mins later the injection site felt a little sore.

I am still feeling Ok, just a little tired. So, RAI diagnostic scan dose tomorrow morning, at 8am.