Rich's Radioactive Iodine Treatment

Rich was admitted to our local hospital this past Wednesday for the radioactive iodine treatment that is to kill off any remaining thyroid cancer cells. He was to be in the hospital 24-48 hours, however his body has been slow in releasing the iodine so he was not released until late yesterday (Friday) afternoon. Was he ever happy to "be sprung" from there!

This was quite a process and required the hospital to make lots of special arrangements. He was placed in a room as far away from as many patients as possible. The door was always shut and he couldn't leave, so he was captive! In the room there was this heavy blue paper taped over all the floor, the bed, chair, counter top and I don't know what in the bathroom. Other items in the room were covered in plastic. Anything used in the room had to be destroyed, so there were three big trash cans for linens, fluids, and trash. The paperback and puzzle books he took in had to be trashed. So you can imagine how H.A.P.P.Y. he was to get out of there!

There are precautions we have to take all this week while his body continues to "flush" the iodine, like sleeping in separate rooms, using separate bathrooms, he eats out of disposal dishes, showers 2-3X/day with a new towel each time, his laundry is done separately and he's homebound this week. We are also keeping our little granddaughters away, just for their safety. Brett came over last evening for a wonderful chat but he was to remain 6' away from Rich.

Next Friday Rich will have a full body scan to check the results. Pray he is cancer free!

We went up to KU last week for Rich's three-month checkups with ENT and kidney surgeons. He had lab work, ultrasound of abdomen and x-ray and all were good. Docs were pleased and he doesn't need to go back for six months! Man-a-live, was that good news! It wasn't an easy trip as Rich came down with food poisoning very early Friday morning. He was so sick from 2-10 am, but was able to leave at 10:15 for the Friday appointments. I drove home in 2 hours 45 minutes and that was with a stop for gas! We were beat and just wanted to be home! Rich said only I could get home that fast!

What a year this has been!!! April 28 will mark the anniversary of this journey. We've certainly learned more about health and the body than we ever expected! We've learned lots about patience! And even more about HOPE and FAITH in our God. We've learned how much it means to be cared for and prayed for and just how precious LIFE is and just how precious are our PRAYING family and friends.

In my first blog on May 6, 2009, I ended with my favorite scripture, Proverbs 3:5-6, "TRUST in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your pathway straight." We know for sure that the Lord WILL straighten the crooked and bumpy paths!

Praise be to Him!