I'm Radioactive, Don't Lick Me

Current mood: tired

Cancer checkup day 3. Things are going pretty well, now that I don't feel like death on a stick. That was yesterday and Monday. Just in case you didn't know, Thyrogen sucks. They (the bastard doctors) will tell you that there are some slight side effects and that they don't occur in everyone. They will tell you that you just might feel a little off or a little bit like you have a flu coming on. They lie.

Monday I felt fine. I had been on the iodine diet (as they call it, should be called the no-iodine diet) since Saturday. That means I have had to be creative with my food choices. It also means that I had had no Diet Coke. That is never a good thing. So, yeah, felt fine, went to the hospital.

The first stop was the lab. I had to have a baseline blood test so the doc would have a reference point from which to judge the rest of the funny business later in the week. I am always sure to inform the phlebotomists/vampires that I don't bleed well and that they can take all the time they need to find the right-ripest-fattest vein they are able PRIOR to sticking me. It makes for a more enjoyable experience for all. I was food fasting because I wasn't sure if I needed to or not and decided to air on the side of caution. Better to fast than not when having blood work, unless, of course, there are special instructions. I got a blonde lady at the lab, informed her of my unwilling veins. She indeed, took her sweet time. She made me bleed on the first stick and I liked her instantly.

The next stop was the Endocrine Clinic. Ahh, Dr. A. What a fitting vowel. I miss Dr. Oliver. He used to be my doc, then he started working somewhere else in the hospital. I've often wanted to stalk him and beg him to see me again. It is nice to have a doctor treat you like a human AND a patient at the same time. So, anyway, the nurse at the EC took for.ev.er. To give me my injection. He chatted with an active duty patient, went in his treatment area, chatted, left to go to the lab, came back, chatted, then he took me in to the treatment area. I've had this drug before, but I had to get the complete rundown of what to expect, yay. Then, the injection. I don't care what he says, that crap hurts. He told me it was a thin liquid and would go in easy. It freaking hurt. God doesn't like liars, remember that.

I had to wait to make sure I wouldn't have a reaction, then went to my surgeon for follow-up. Not any surprises there, other than the stress of the last few weeks has helped me lose 8 of the 20 pounds I have gained since last year's amazing workout regime. Double yay! He was reasonably pleased. By that point my head hurt.

I went home and slept a bit. I woke up a bit. I slept a bit again. The kids got home and I went to bed a little early. By bedtime I was hurting pretty badly. I am not so good when I have the aches, and I had them bad. Oh, and I was freezing, even under the covers.

Yesterday I could barely wake up. We ran late all morning, but somehow I managed to make it back to the hospital for another dose of injected joy. This time the nurse injected the other arm, which is a good thing, because my right arm was hurting. I finished up there and had the headache by the time I reached the truck. Since I do NOT have an unlimited supply of money, I had to come home and paint the siding. I got the primer on the siding, the windows and the door. Then, I wanted to die. Since God could not see fit to grant me that one wish, we carried on with dinner prep, cleaning for potential real estate visitors, cheer and football practice. By the time we got home, I wanted to die more. I eventually collapsed into an achy heap in my bed.

I felt better when I woke up this morning, but that is pretty easy when you no longer feel the way you did when you asked God to give your husband a new wife that would love your children as you have. I got the kids up and at 'em and again, headed for the hospital. My first stop was the lab, where I got a young man whom I informed of my vein-ular situation. I also made sure to tell him I was fasting because I was due to have radiation and was therefore dehydrated (which, if you didn't know, makes blood drawing a little more difficult). I asked him to take all the time he needed. He thought he did, then he jammed the friggin needle in my arm so hard you'd'a thought he was going to hang a piece of art from it. After he "readjusted" the needle several times, he decided to stop and try again with a butterfly needle. Did I mention that is what the blonde lady used Monday morning? Yeah, it is. So, he got his blood and sent me off to Nuclear Medicine.

I arrived in Nuclear Medicine when there was only one other person there, which meant my visit was likely to be a quick one. Yipee! That is one of the coldest placed known to mankind, and the meds I've been taking make me cold all the time, which is a pretty dreadful situation in which to be. I sat and waited for a while when the NM pharmacist came out to speak with me about my current medications. Then, after the interview she told me I needed a pregnancy test since Dr. A forgot to order one. Yes, he forgot that a woman of childbearing age might need a pregnancy test prior to the administration of radioactive material. Ah, lucky me, I got to return to the lab, 9 floors below, to have another draw. Again, I informed the week's third vampire that sticking me was tricky. He winked and thought it surely couldn't be as hard as I made it sound. After about eight minutes of pressing on my arm, he conceded that I was right, right before he found a fat one to tap. He got me on the first stick and sent me back up to NM. NM had me wait to visit the Nuclear Radiologist until my stupid pregnancy test results came back. So, my NM appointment which had been 9:30 had taken me all the way to about 10:30 before I finally got my dose of radiation. One good thing did happen, the NR told me I could have a Diet Coke and that I could eat what I wanted if I could take it easy on the salt. Yay! I left the hospital, careful not to share any radioactive body fluids with anyone on the way out, and headed for Sonic.

44 ounces of Diet Coke later, I was changed and painting the stuff out front. I still have to do the door, but I'll be needing more paint for that. I also need to get some stuff to clean the paint off the glass of the windows, but the biggest part of the work is finished.

I am tired and I have a headache. I have a load of laundry on my bed and one in the dryer and one in the washer. I have dishes in the sink and no liner in the trash can. I am getting off this computer to go do all that crap so I can go to cheer and football tonight.

Oh, make sure you don't lick me until after 12:00 pm Friday, else you'll be radioactive too.

Currently listening : Yeah By Radioactive Release date: 2003-05-13