Another one bites the dust

Februari 22nd, 2008. After 4,5 months of uncertainty it was once again time for a radioactive Iodine (131) treatment. It has almost become a routine thing for me, even the doctors and nurses know me by name now. I dropped Kiara off at school and Marc picked me up to bring me to the VU Medical Centre. After a thorough check-up at the Nuclear department I went to the 3rd floor where my admition was to take place. This time I had the middle room, number 58, and still faced the construction site which frankly didn't look much different to me. My towels, toothbrushes and other necessities were carefully laid out on my bed. Everything brought into the treatment room must remain there, therefore it is only possible to bring disposable items. (Except for my ipod and glasses for which and exception has been made). I had many questions this time regarding the up-take and the effect of the last treatment. I am trying to get a clear picture of my current status and elimination seems to be the only way to achieve that. There are 4 types of Thyroid cancer, each with their own characteristics. Mine is supposed to be Follicular,...at least that is what the pathologist has concluded. Follicular Cancer of the Thyroid responds amazingly well to the Iodine treatment, and along with Papillary Cancer of the Thyroid, it is considered to be the best treatable sort. I have been wondering if a combination would be possible of Follicular Cancer and Medullary Cancer as I myself, have already ruled out Anaplastic (I would be dead now If I had that!). Medullar Cancer is harder to treat as the absorbtion of Iodine is much lower. Imagine the tumors to be sponge-like. One type is more penetrable than the other. And what if I had both? This question was too difficult for the doctor's co-assistant, so he passed it on to Dr. Van Schie, a most amiable lady who came to my room especially to give me my advanced lesson in Thyroid Cancers, as she sat on the end of my bed rather like a schoolfriend would in a boarding school dormatory. She had also heard about my request at the lab to have my blood tests examine a little faster this time. Before admittion the Thyroglobulin is measured....it is a marker which gives us an indication as to how well the previous treatment responded. Usually I have to wait 4 weeks for the result, however, Dr. Van Schie has promised to try to speed things up.


My stay was OK, yet boring. I felt less naussea and was clearly in a much better physical and mental state in comparisson to the last time. Moments like these are good for the spirit, as my confidence is boosted. By the evening I could feel the tumours starting to itch. A sign that something was happening indeed. Instead of a visit, Dr. Lips phoned this time to see how I was doing, rather than passing by. He was able to tell me that my TSH values were increadibly high! This implies that the circumstances for a good absorbtion were excellent. Good! This is why I stopped taking my Thyrax earlier this time. A least my messed-up metabolism of the passed 4 weeks was going to pay-off. Around 10 pm I could feel that my blood pressure was soaring. In the passed year I have learnt to feel my blood pressure changes. I decide to go to sleep and didn't wake-up until 7am. By then I was in pain. I was happy as I was confident that my treatment was working. Another boring day passed, and by 11 am I had hoped to get the call for my measurement. (They check my radioactivity before releasing me). I got impatient and made a call to the nurses desk. They had bad news for me as someone had lost the Geiger counter (A device to measure my radioactivity). After many calls and measurement with an antique machine I was released! I took my shower and waited outside for Marc. I had been craving Mc Donald's (probably cancer inducer #1)! so we drove straight there for lunch. In the afternoon I reached another goal...I walked to the nearby heathland, had a stroll, and came back home. Another one of those things I thought I would never be able to do again. Dinner, and back to normal.

Me on my stroll