It's been awhile since I last posted. So many of you have sent me well wishes and asked "How's it going?"
Here's a short overview of this year as a BRCA positive person.
The first part of 2021 went well. I healed from the 2020 thyroid cancer removal surgery and started radiation treatment in February. The worst part of thyroid cancer is the uncontrollable sweats and random hot flashes. For me, it was pretty severe.
2/1/2021 - I got ThyroidGen shot #1. The shot is supposed to help my body prepare for the upcoming radiation treatment. That evening I had an upset stomach and was absolutely exhausted.
2/2/2021 - I got ThyroidGen shot #2. The upset stomach continues and I was too tired to do anything.
2/3/2021 - I ingested a highly radioactive Iodine 131 pill. The radiation from the pill will only target any remaining Thyroid cells. I had to isolate from family and friends for two or three weeks. I bought a Geiger Counter off Amazon to track the level of radiation in my body. On day one, it registered 35,000 CPM. Anything over 50 CPM is considered unhealthy.
The first week was rough. I had a severe case of upset stomach and was feeling so tired I could hardly move. I felt miserable. The stomach settled down at the end of the week and I started feeling better. My radiation level dropped to about 20,000 CPM. I was still too radioactive to be near other humans but I was feeling better.
The second week was much better than the first. By the end of the second week the uncontrollable sweats and random hot flashes were gone. My radiation levels were below 10,000 CPM. However, I was still very radioactive and had to remain isolated from other people.
By the middle of the third week, the radiation level was less than 100 CPM and I completed a one hour full body scan. The table was uncomfortable and I had to lay still or risk having to restart the scan from the beginning. I was glad when the scan was over.
24 hours after the scan, my doctor called to say the radiation was a success as no thyroid cancer cells were detected by the full body scan. I was ecstatic. A day later my wife moved back into the bedroom and we actually sat at the same table for supper that night. I really missed the human contact and interaction.
While I was radioactive, my wife and I had a good routine. I stayed within the master bedroom and she got the rest of the house. She prepared my meals and placed them on a little push cart. One side of the push cart was wrapped in aluminum foil so my sweat would not penetrate the paint and make the cart radioactive. I only touched the foil surface and she only touched the painted surfaces. She would place my meals on the cart and leave it outside my door. She would let me know food was there and then vacate the area. Once she reached the end of the hallway, I would open the door and wheel the cart in.
By the end of the third week I was almost non-radioactive, less than 50 CPM. I tore the aluminum foil off the cart and wheeled it to the back deck. My uncontrollable sweating was gone and my strength was returning. I was feeling better and only had a few episodes of upset stomach. Life is good again!
March through June were good months. I continued to lose weight and all symptoms of radiation sickness were gone. I tried to exercise daily and kept my calorie intake in check. I also began electrolysis treatment of the scar on my neck to relieve the constant infections caused by in-grown hairs and constant abrasion of the scar tissue by my beard.
In July we celebrated my parents 50th anniversary. It was nice to see family members that I had not seen in a very long time. My sisters from the Louisville area were there. It was my first time seeing my sister since she completed cancer treatment. She had a hard time with the chemo and my heart ached as she struggled with weekly treatments. The day after my parent's celebration, my wife became very ill and I took her to the emergency room. 48 hours later she was in surgery.
I took care of my wife as she had taken care of me after my surgery. Her doctor had placed restrictions on how much she could move and she could not pick up anything over a few pounds. I stopped exercising to take care of her.
I restarted my exercise routine in September and immediately injured my foot, causing me too much pain to even walk. In October I had my six-month physical and got a referral to see a foot doctor. The foot doctor diagnosed me with plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia, and bone spur on both heels. He also injected a large amount of cortisone in my heel. A few weeks later the pain was significantly less. Physical Therapy helps with pain management.
Unfortunately, I started experiencing massive sweating and hot flashes in mid-September.
I had a one-year post surgery follow up with my Endocrinologist in October. Dr. Tran performed an ultrasound of my neck and saw enlarged lymph nodes with discolored soft tissue. She took four sample biopsies of my neck and sent them to pathology for analysis. The results were inconclusive but she believes the cancer may be back and referred me to see the thyroid surgeon.
I met with Dr. Brady on December 15 and she also performed an ultrasound. However, she did not see the enlarged lymph nodes or discolored tissue as described in Dr. Tran's notes. She did take a biopsy of some tissue in my upper neck/lower jaw region. That biopsy was also inconclusive.
Next step is a CT Scan is a few weeks.
Until then, I am celebrating New Year's weekend with family and friends. It was my family and friends that helped me recovery after 2 major surgeries in 2019 and 2020. They are the reason I keep fighting.
I'll keep you posted.
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