Let me tell you again how this works...

The scheduler was not my favorite person to work with.  Once we finally were able to talk on the phone, she explained all of the visits we needed to schedule (consultation, injections, blood work, scan, the procedure, and then the post scan) and then said, "Let's schedule your consultation, the earliest date for that is..."  After hearing the date, I was still in a little shock over the multiple appointments, my doctor had led me to believe it was a total of 3 appointments, the scan prior, the procedure, and the post scan.  I stopped the scheduler and asked, "Can we work backwards a little, I have a specific week that I need the actual procedure done, I would like to schedule everything else around that."  She seemed really annoyed that I would mess with their precious system... "Let me tell you AGAIN how this works, you come in for a consultation, then you come in for the injections..."  She went on and explained everything again, I listened, as patiently as possible, and calmly replied, "That all sounds great.  I need to do the ACTUAL treatment the first week of October.  It's the only week I can do it, so all of the other stuff will need to be before that, when do we need to schedule those?" She took a deep breath and I heard her grunt (almost growl) into the phone.  "I'm going to put you on hold while I see IF that works with our protocol."   She put me on hold, I thought, "Um... it does.  I just need you to put it on your calendar..."  She came back several minutes later.
   "Let's start by scheduling your consultation.  I have availability starting..."  Once I scheduled that, she told me what days I had to come in for everything else to hit my target date, I only got to pick the times.  I chose early in the day so that my husband could possibly come with me without interrupting his work day, however, some of them were 4 hour appointments.

But I'm scheduled.

This coming Monday, I have my consultation where we will get our questions answered.

Then, in 2 weeks, I start a low iodine diet.  No iodized salt (so basically no salt), no dairy (including egg yolks), no sea products, and no soy beans or similar beans.  Doesn't sound so bad, right?  Until you realize that it means NO pre-packaged foods because they all have salt in them, many have some form of dairy in them, and some are thickened with a seaweed product or made higher protein with soy products.  NONE of my protein shakes or bars are okay because they are soy or whey based.  I will have to make my own bread and buy almond or coconut milk that doesn't have any additives to put on whole grain cereal that has no salt.  Then, I will eat that and veggies.  That's it.

2 weeks after that, I go in on a Monday to do blood work and get my first injection.  Then I go back the next day to get another injection, and then back again on Wednesday to get my blood drawn and take a very low dose of the radioactive iodine.  On Thursday, I go back for 4 hours to get multiple scans, another blood draw, to review the scans and calculate the dosage of my big radiation.

On Tuesday the next week, I go in for another injection, and possibly another blood test.  On Wednesday, I go back for my final injection.  On Thursday, I go in to be admitted to the hospital, take the high dose of radioactive iodine and then remain in the hospital in total isolation until I don't register dangerous levels of radiation on their Geiger counter (not kidding, that's when they let me go home...).  This usually takes about 24 hours from when I take the pill.  Then, I will go home, spend the next few days in total isolation at home, then go back to the hospital for a follow up scan, and when I get home, I will spend the few days after that no closer than 6 ft. away from my family.  It is going to be an adventure, for sure!

    I am super lucky that my mom is coming to take care of my family.  I will not be allowed to touch anyone else's food or laundry, and since I can't be closer than 6ft. I can't ride in the car with them, so she is coming to take care of them.  Once that week is over, we will all be very happy to start to get back to normal.  I am hoping to spend my birthday (exactly 1 week after my treatment) with my family and not in total isolation, even if I am 6ft away from everyone.

  Shortly after all of this is over, and well after the time has passed when I am radioactive, I will be getting in the car with my family to drive to Orlando, Florida.  It will be a much needed vacation after not being able to spend the time with them and not being able to hug them and after putting toxic radiation into my body.

For anyone that lost count, that means I get to drive to the hospital 9 times in the next 6 weeks.  The hospital is 1hr. 15 min. from my house each way (if there is minimum traffic) so basically, we are talking a 3 hour commitment, minimum, each time... The 4 hour day is going to quite the day!

Fun times, fun times...