Second Thyrogen Shot Day

Today the shot really hurt.  Maybe my left hip is more sensitive than my right hip...who knows?  Thank God for work.  It kept me busy most of the day and kept my mind off my stomach - which is bugging me.  I wish they would publish the side effects of Thyrogen as follows:  Most patients experience a feeling of total peace and joy.  On occaision, some patients report feelings of complete euphoria.  This way, I'd experience these side effects rather than what's published on the Genzyme web site:  The most common side effects reported in clinical studies were nausea, headache, fatigue, vomiting and dizziness.  Check out http://www.thyrogen.com/home/thy_home.asp for details!

I don't have any interesting recipes to share.  I had great intentions of making cheese-less pizza.  But it just does not sound good at the moment.

Tomorrow I go nuclear!  Kelly Kehoe will drive me down to Iowa City and back - probably not a good idea for dizzy Daria to drive - LOL.  I can't eat for four hours before the dose and also for two hours after.  I think I'll be hungry at about Noon!!  I just may set an early alarm to eat a big bowl of cream of wheat cereal to hold me over.  My biggest fear is that the radioactive tablet will get stuck in my throat.  In my imagination it's about as big as a horse pill!  In reality, it's like taking a Tylenol.  Given that many people with cancer of the Thyroid have trouble swallowing, it's amazing that the scanning technology involves swallowing a capsule.  HELLO MEDICAL COMMUNITY - HOW ABOUT LIQUID RADIOACTIVE IODINE???  I know it's available because when I was dosed in 1996 with 150 millicuries, I requested liquid and that's what I took!  It was mixed with orange juice - the strongest screwdriver I ever drank!!  It also was in a lead container!  And the lady who handled the container was rather "leathered" looking.  She was the same lady who came to my room with a geiger counter twice a day to see how much of a threat to society I was.  I wondered if all that radiation had aged her some.  I am joking...well, sort of.
I do have a geiger counter here at the house.  Yes, I am a geek.  I will use it tomorrow to see if I set it off!!
After the fear of getting a radioactive pill stuck in my throat, my next concern is for my parotid glands and my submandibular salivary glands.  These naturally take up radioactive iodine and the result can be "clogged" glands and loss of saliva production.  The very small tracer dose does not cause this problem.  But the larger treatment dose I had in 1996 certainly can.  I was blessed with very little complication but often wonder if additional "hits" with radiation can cause more damage.  Likely an unnecessary worry.  But hey, I am a worry expert!
Well, time to feed the dog - he gets to eat iodine (Science Diet DD Salmon and Rice formula)!  I'm so jealous!