Radiation Therapy is finally here!

It's been long again that I blogged, but the last few weeks been life changing in so many ways. I was getting myself ready for my radioactive treatment by doing the infamous low iodine diet, last saturday I got removed from my hormone therapy and this last wednesday I was given the infamous radioactive pill. What these 20 days have been!!!

My low iodine diet was easy for me in a few ways. I love to cook, so I modified a few of my own recipes and made them low iodine. However, giving up all milk products and sea food was very hard for me. I was able to manage through it. I can see how hard this could be for someone who doesn't enjoy cooking as you must prepare your own meals.

Last saturday, I had to stop taking my hormone replacement therapy (Synthroid). This is the pill that provides me with my T3 hormone that I cant produce on my own because I have no thyroid gland no more. This was hard. I had multiple headaches and mood swings...go figure!!! Then this past Monday and Tuesday I was given my Thyrogen shots. This is a medicine they use now to increase my levels of Thyrogoblyn without having to go Hypo for 6 weeks. I am glad they invinted this medicine because only one week been Hypo was enough for me. I could not imagine all those people years ago that had to go hypo for so long. Medicine has evolved and I am happy it was during my times. Thank you God for helping all doctors and scientist to come with better ways to help people like me.

And the big day was last wednesday! I got to Florida Hospital to finally get my Radioactive Iodine Ablation and what an experience that was. Firts, I get pregnancy test after pregnancy test. They have to make sure that I am not expecting before giving me the pill. I told my doctor that if the test comes out positive to call the church as soon as possible because Jesus is coming and I am the selected one! There where no chances whatsoever that I was pregnant but protocol is protocol. So, there I sat in the tiny room whating for results to come in and facing a box that not even a bomb would be able to open. Then, results are in and of course I am not pregnant!! Daaah. So it's time to open the box. Inside the box there was this 30 pound led capsule that contained the pill. As soon as they opened the capsule, alarms start going off detecting the radiation. All I hear next is "Take it and swallow it now". No time to think or to step back! So I took it in my hands, swallowed it and there where still alarms. Then the next thing I hear is "Grab your stuff and leave now, doctor will escort you out maintaining at least 6 feet from you". I felt like a lepperd! I never thought how different you feel and how marked you become.

I got in my car drove home a little nauseous but was able to handle it. Now it was time for isolation to begin, locked up in my house until saturday. Today is friday...I am going to be FREE tomorrow!!! Well, a little free. I will still have to maintain a 3 feet distance from pregnant woman and chikdren until wednesday but at least I can step out of house and get NORMAL FOOD!!! Do I hear BURGER WITH CHEESE, YOGURT, my beloved ICED LATTE!!! Wooo hooo!!! The little things that will make you so happy. They will make me for sure.

As far as of side effects, I have the dry mouth, itchy throat and a little neck pain. Other than that I am doing great!!! Stay tuned for more and for when I start training again...Happy Holidays!!

TTYL,

Michelle

It's been so long since I post on my blog!

Hi followers,

Sorry I haven't been blogging lately. I have been very busy at work, traveling visiting family, doctor appointments you name it! Well, let 's bring you all to speed. I did my Low Iodine Diet 2 times just to get it cancel. A little frustrated (Hint Hint).  Firs, because Thyrogen was not available and second time becaused it conflicted with the doctor schedule. Well, I am back on now and ready to get radiated on Dec. 15. I know! During the Holidays :( , but at least I was able to spend a great Iodized Thanksgiving Dinner/ Birthday meal. Yes...I had Turkey! But not any kind, puertorrican turkey (Ummmmm) full of flavor. I put holes in the turkey and inject the holes with a mix of rosemary, oregano, cilantro, pepper, salt, garlic and oilive oil. Yes, yes! Full of Iodine and I loved it! To top it off, thanksgiving was my actual birthday so we also had cake the real kind full of iodine :). My sister came from out of town with her boyfriend, my friends Allison, Don, Greg, Chris and Beth also tag along. I had a great thanksgiving holiday. Thank yo guys for making it a special one.

Now, I started LID again for radiation treatment. I am not working out as much as I want since the weather is changing and it's too cold. I am afraid I might get sick and then radiation have to be cancelled one more time. I want to get this over with so I can have my life back. I want a brand new me for the brand new year to come. Happy Holidays and will keep you all updated. Got to go...baking banana nut muffins low iodine for my breakfast ;)

TTYL,

Michelle

Good News and Not so good news....ohhh and the "lovely Low Iodine Diet"

Ohhh well, the infamous "Low Iodine Diet" has started.  It's been 2 days since the diet started to get me ready for radiation and if I dont lose any weight with it...NOTHING WILL! lol...It's so difficult to eat. The reason they place you in a low iodine diet is because the Thryroid cells absorb high amounts of iodine so they give you the radiation on an iodine pill so radioactive material will attack those cells killing them ALL. (Hopefully) However, the difficult part is that you cant consume regular iodize salt or sea salt which means that every product out there that says in its label that salt is an ingredient I can't buy. That leaves me with NOTHING! I was at the supermarket today and every can, every box, everything has salt!!!! I can eat salt, just the one that is Kosher. Since the labels don't specify which kind of salt they use and restaurants either, I can't eat anything with salt unless I prepare it with non iodize salt. Ohhh but wait, that's not all. I can't have any dairy, soy so that means that my beloved Dunking Donuts Iced Latte that I drink everyday has turned into the disgusting Iced Coffee with NO MILK!!!!! :(....   Wow do I cope? Knowing this is just temporary. I need to stay positive even though is very tough!

On the other side, my doctor informed me that Thyrogen (the medication to increase my TSH levels two days before radiation) is on a shortage worldwide. In the past they used to make you go Hypothyroid for 6 weeks by removing you from your thryroid medication 6 weeks before radiation to increase your TSH levels naturaly.  Now they keep you with your Thyroid medication until 2 days before RAI (radioactive iodine) and give you two shots of Thyrogen to artificially increase your TSH levels for RAI. Well, a family doctor just told me that Thyrogen is on shortage becuase FDA has some safety concerns with it. So, I have made the tough decision to go HYPO for 6 weeks. That means I am going to be miserable for 6 weeks, but I am going for it so I can have my life back to normal as soon as possible. I also dont want to develop any other nodules while I wait. So let's get it done!

TTYL,

Michelle

What else?

It's been a week since my last post and so many things transpired during this week. I am gaining a lot of weight and rapidly. It's very frustrating and causing me to be a little depressed. Gaining weight for us woman is so difficult to understand. You see, society says that you must be super thin in order to be consider beautiful. That is what you see on TV, Magazines, pretty much everywhere you go. Don't get me wrong, I was never super thin but was in very good physical condition and I loved my 150 lbs weight. Yes! I am very happy at 150 pounds. Now I am at 175 and feeling it in every clothing I wear. I am very frustrated and not knowing if this will continue. In the meantime I am trying my best to exercise when I can. I am so depressed with the rapid weight gain that I am finding difficult to get any motivation to exercise, so today I went and got myself a new pair of running shoes so I can find more motivation. Also, I signed up with Team In Training to raise funds towards cancer and in return I am getting trained for the St. Anthony's Triathlon in May 1, 2011.  That will keep me in balance and motivated. Hopefully, this will all stop soon.

In 3 more days I am starting my "awesome" Low Iodine Diet to get me ready for Radiation Therapy on November 17.  What a great way to spend my birthday ha!!

I wish I could have better things to say, but I honestly just want all this to go away and I want my life back on track.

To make matters worst, now I am also having hives in my back and belly...where they come from i steh new question so I am heading to doctor tomorro wto find out why I am having hives.

Hopefully, next time I blog I am in better spirits and with better news.

TTYL,

Michelle

A very positive day.....I tackled the Masters Triathlon.

So today I woke up at 0530, made pancakes for Don, Allison and myself. We headed to the Masters Triathlon at Moss Park where I decided I to compete on my first triathlon since I had surgery a month and 3 weeks ago. I was very nervous for various reasons. The week before the race I was not feeling well at all. I was having really bad joint pain plus I had not swim for 3 months and I was about to do an open water swim. Open water swimming is not easy, is not like swimming on a pool. In open water, you have nothing to hold on to. In order to get out of the water...well you must swim out of it or wave at a lifeguard to come get you with the kayak and that is definately not a choice for me. LOL.

This triathlon is of great significance for me. I can believe I finished it even thou I was not secure I would get out of that water but with a positive attitude I was able to make it happen. No matter how many times I have done a Tri, I was still very nervous!!!!

Today, I learned I got what it takes. Once again, the power of the mind is so strong. Something to take from all this.....If life gives you lemons, well.....make MARGARITAS!!!

A big thanks to Coach Beth, Allison, Don, Tracy and other team vortex members who believed in me and supported me to finish..ohh and I also got first place!!!! Bam!

TTYL,

Michelle

Not that much time to blog lately...

wow...feel so horrible. I haven't updated my blog as frequent as I used to. It seems like now I dont have all the time I had in the past. Being now on a regular job like everyone else, I just dont have the time for much. I think I am going to start blogging from my desk so I dont forget. ;)

So what's new? I was feeling great and then the last 7 days I was going through really strong joint pain. We think it might be all the stress I am going through...(bills coming in and not the same income, plus lots of work...lots). I am starting to feel better today. I guess I have to adjust!!!! I want to go and do everything and didn't even game myself time to properly heel. I learned a lesson.

I am racing the Master Triathlon , not really ready AT ALL!!! But I promised myself that I need to show myself  that I am not finished and that I still have what it takes...I will not win for sure. I am experiencing a great amount of shortness of breath even when I teach a class and then to find out that that is one of the side effects of this type of surgery. I was very concerned because as a person I run and bike should not have been experiencing the shortness of breath and I AM BIG TIME!!! This is going to make it difficult at race.

Well, I will let you all know tomorrow if I finished the race...hopefully I will.

TTYL,

Michelle

Mayor Improvement......

What a great day this was! I woke up early, got my bike in my car, grab my working clothes as well as my nunning gear and headed for a morning bike /run brick workout. I work around the airport area and there is a bike lane at Heintzelman Blvd so it is very convenient for me to do a workout before heading to work. I didn't have to be at work until 10 am and my building have shower facilities so it was the perfect setting to head for a workout and then straight to work. I love doing this as it gives me energy all day long.

This was the first time I was going on my bike in almost two months and believe me...I felt it! I was very short of breath and felt a little pain on my knees, but even like that I was able to clock 20 miles. Mayor improvement! After I was done with the bike, I put on my running shoes on and went for a 2 mile run.  This is called a brick workout in Triathlon Training. It's very beneficial to do this workout as one of the most difficult things to do in Triathlons is to switch your muscles used in one discipline to the other set of muscles used on another discipline. The more you practice the better you will be able to switch from sport to sport at a race. I was surprised to see I was able to do a brick so early in the game but was very pleased. Just the fact I was able to do this....I know I am on my way to a full recovery very soon.

On November 17, I will undergo my radiation treatment and I know that at that point I will once again lower the intensity of my workouts but in the mean time I just want to get a little ready for the upcoming Triathlon I signed up for and for Ragnar Race in Key West. Now...I am heading to bed as I am getting ready to do my first swim in almost two months tomorrow morning with my fellow team members. Can't wait to see them and can't wait to swim....

TTYL,

Michelle