Tuesday, September 28, 2010

check your neck


This morning I dropped my drawers for shot #2 of Thyrogen. (Shot #1 was yesterday.) I always tell the guy that I wore my sexy panties for him, although there's nothing especially sexy about them. We always laugh, and he always tells me that if I were anybody else he'd get one of the women in the department to give it to me. We don't actually say the c-word, but we both know why I'm there.

This afternoon I swallowed 5 pills with about three sips of water. The pills were 1.5 mci of a radioactive isotope that goes by the name of I-123. The purpose of these pills are to get sucked into any remaining cancer tissue, so that when we do the scan tomorrow those cells will glow.

Before I took these pills I had my blood drawn, one tube looking for my Thyroglobulin level, which is basically my tumor marker. It was an exceptionally good stick today.

The best case scenario is the Thyroglobulin level being under zero and nothing on the scan. The next best scenario is at least the same level as last year and no new places of uptake on the scan.

The scan is tomorrow morning. Not sure when I'll know any results - either of that or of the tumor marker.

Last week was my panic. Over the weekend I actually forgot about it. This week I'm just going through the motions, but I'm not anxious. Acutally, the shots have made me tired. Too tired to even play Halo: Reach and get aliens.

So before I konk out and dream of nil Thyroglobulin levels let me take this time to remind you what I remind you of every September: this is thyroid cancer awareness month. Do yourself a favor - the next time you're at your doctor's office ask them to "check your neck". It's really as easy as them touching your neck while you swallow.

It can save your life.

And while you're at it, try really hart not to get cancer because (in the words of my esteemed college roommate) it sucks donkey balls.

3 comments:

Cerulean Bill said...

I love technical, and medical, terms!

Heard an unrelated story years ago. It might be apocryphal. Woman said she was going for her annual Pap smear, and it was her habit to take a shower before going. But that day, things were hectic, so she just grabbed a washcloth from the sink, did a quick swipe, tossed it in the hamper, and left. At the office, the doc said Oh, I see you've prepared nicely! She had no idea what he meant. At home, her daughter asked where the washcloth was. She told the daughter to just get another. But that was the one with my glitter in it!

Anonymous said...

Cancer is a scary word. .someone can mention cancer in a room and the room goes suddenly quite as though that awful word could pounce on us and we be stricken. I suppose that reaction comes from a time when there were few cares for anything cancer. Dr. Oz spoke briefly of Thyroid cancer earlier this morning ( you said it was Thyroid cancer month). I know you'll have some anxious moments coming up tomorrow. I wish you well.

Neff Family said...

The Human Pin Cushion!