Prep for the Treatment

In case you are wondering...

I registered at the hospital at 10:00 this morning and was taken to a lab tech who drew 3 small vials of blood. I and my radioactive department nurse waited for the lab results. She called me back to a curtained room with a scanning bed and shared what to expect in the next 24/48 hours.

The radioactive iodine is flown in to this hospital once each day. Today's shipment of 2 large doses would not be arriving due to the weather. She told me to be prepared as there is a 99% chance tomorrow's air shipment will not arrive either, although the weather is to improve dramatically by tomorrow.

The blood test results were at the appropriate levels. (Thank you low-iodine diet & no conscious cheating.) I can have the radioactive iodine if it arrives on Tuesday or on Wednesday. She explained why I was taking four iodine capsules (non-radioactive) today. The iodine will travel throughout my body today. The results of its path and destination will be displayed on the full body scan I will be having Tuesday morning at 9:30. The results of the body scan will be shared with the endocrinologist and he and the someone from the nuclear department will determine the amount of high dose radio-active iodine my body needs when it does arrive.

She then opened a small aluminum canister, took out a plastic pill bottle and poured four blue and orange capsules in my hand. I asked for my bottle of distilled water and swallowed all four of those little guys at once. 11:15 and we were on our way back to the hotel. No traveling today due to winter weather. The morning rain had turned to ice and now snow. We attended Miss W's Preschool Program  after lunch and then back to the hotel until tomorrow's adventure.

So, I may get the radio-active treatment tomorrow and begin the isolation period, or I may have to wait until Wednesday. It is what it is...