Treatment Update

Hi all! I've had a lot of people ask, "what's next" in regards to my treatment. I am so thankful to have so many family and friends who love my precious little family and me and care about what we're going through. So, anyway, since it's kind of a lot to tell, I'm going to give the really brief overview here.

Thyroid cancer is crazy. Seriously. It's not anything like most other cancers. First thing I want you to know is this is NOT going to kill me. My doctor explained to me that I have a much greater chance getting hit by semi on the busiest road in Lexington than dying from follicular thyroid carcinoma. I likey!

I always preach getting a second opinion. They are so important. I found that to be true the first time I had cancer, and I found that to be true again this time. After having my completion thyroidectomy (the first time I had surgery, they only removed the left side), I learned about a thyroid cancer doctor named, Dr. Ain. Most doctors who treat thyroid cancers are endocrinologist who treat all diseases of the endocrine system. Since thyroid cancer is only 2% of all the types of cancer in the world, guess how many cases these endocrinologists treat on a regular basis? Not many. So, when I heard about this doctor who ONLY treated thyroid cancers, I was all about getting in to see him.

My sister went with me to the first visit, and Dr. Ain spent three hours in the room talking to us and educating us about the thyroid and the four types of cancers that affect it. I'm sure many of you have spent three hours at the doctor's office before, but how many of you have actually had a doctor sit down with you and explain what's going on with your body, how he's going to treat it and answer all of your questions for that long? He was really wonderful, and we both left there feeling a lot better about what we were going to be facing ... and a little overwhelmed with all the info! ha ha!

Remember me telling you that all thyroid cancers are only 2% of all known cancers? Well, of those 2%, follicular thyroid carcinoma accounts for only 2% of that already small number. I'm unique. We've known that for years. (I'm smiling from ear to ear knowing that my family members who are reading this are thinking oh boy!) Seriously though. How crazy is that? Here's what stood out from what the doctor told us:

1. This type of cancer is slow growing and has probably been there for quite a while. I asked how long, and he said there's no way of knowing. But, it's probably been there for several years.
2. It's also a spreader. Don't let that freak you out! That sounds bad, but it's okay. I'll explain in a minute.
3. It doesn't respond to chemo or radiation. It only responds to radioactive iodine.

So, because of all of this, here's my treatment plan:

Since my last surgery, I started taking a really low dose of thyroid hormone. On July 8 (my birthday), I stop taking my meds, and I begin a low iodine diet. The reason for this is because in order for the radioactive iodine treatment to work, I have to be free of thyroid hormone and iodine in my body. On July 24, I take a tracer dose of radioactive iodine. Immediately following, I have a full body scan to see where the cancer has spread. The radioactive iodine looks for any thyroid hormone remaining in my body. And since I don't have a thyroid and I'm free of all meds, the only remaining thyroid hormone left in my body will be what spread before my thyroid was removed. Make sense? So, then on July 26, I go back in for the big mama dose. The amount that I receive will be based on how much it has spread. Beginning on July 24, I have to go into isolation. I'm going to stay at home, locked in my bedroom. I have to be at least six feet away from Jared. And, I can't be around Cooper at all. He's going to stay with my sister for those two weeks. It's going to be so hard to be away from my family. I plan to FaceTime every day, so I can see his sweet little smile and hear his fabulous laugh! Prayers will be greatly appreciated during this time. And I plan to dive into my work and a couple of good books.

The way the radioactive iodine works is complicated, but the short of it is that your normal thyroid soaks up iodine. Too much iodine kills it. So, if there is thyroid hormone (remaining cancer cells), it will soak up this iodine and kill it ... dead! Sounds good to me!

When you have this type of thyroid cancer, you're never really considered in remission. There can be thyroid hormone cancer cells sitting around dormant in your body that will decide to come alive at any time ... tomorrow, in a year, in 10 years. But, when they do, I'll just repeat this process and kill them dead too. So, that's okay. I will continue to follow-up with Dr. Ain as often as needed. As long as I have clean scans, the follow-ups will become further and further a part never to exceed more than five years.

The next month is not going to be terribly fun. When I stop taking my meds, I will be become hypothyroid. Apparently, this is going to make me very tired, a little irritable and cold. To be honest, the doctor said I would be miserable. He doesn't know me very well though. I WILL keep my positive attitude, and I will NOT let this get the best of me.

After my treatment, I get to start taking synthroid. The doc says I'm going to feel the best I've ever felt in my life. I. Can't. Wait. He said I probably don't even realize how bad I've been feeling because it's just been my normal. So, you can imagine how excited I am about this next phase! Pretty. Stinking. Pumped.

Sorry. I know this is a lot of information. Imagine, I told you I was giving you the short version, how much info there really is. In fact, I'm reading two books about it all right now. One was written by my doctor and his wife (a thyroid cancer patient herself) and the other written soley by his wife. Pretty cool, huh.

Thanks for all the prayers, y'all. God is good! I'm working on a post that will tell you just HOW good He really is! It's amazing how He's taken care of me of the last few years and preparing me for this, and I had no idea. Stay tuned!

Rian