I sent Keith to the store today with a long list of food I want to eat starting tomorrow when my low iodine diet ends. I can’t wait!
I received a list of guidelines to protect Keith and Finn (and strangers) from being exposed to radiation after swallowing my radioactive iodine pill Thursday. In case you’re curious … these are from the American Thyroid Association.
Based on my dose, I’m at the 3 day end of the spectrum although I will sleep apart from Keith for 5 days and will also keep my distance from Finn for 5 days. I was told it was fine to pet him but to not let him lick me or sit with me for that 5 days. They also asked if he slept in the bed with us and said that I should not sleep with him for 11 days! Luckily for me, we haven’t yet allowed him to sleep with us or I’d have to sleep downstairs for even longer!
The first 48 hours, I stayed enclosed in the downstairs office alone with the doors shut (we do have a daybed in there) except when I went to the bathroom and Keith and Finn stayed out of the library completely. This afternoon after 48 hours have passed, we’re still in separate rooms but have the doors open and as you can see there is a lot more than 6 feet between us but it’s nice to be able to sit and listen to music and talk. Poor Finn doesn’t understand why he’s not allow to come in here or sit with me …but after running back to Keith for a while trying to convince him to open the gate he settled down for a nap.
I haven’t felt great since taking the radioactive iodine but I haven’t felt terrible either. Some GI problems including nausea, soreness in my mouth and my salivary glands and I’ve been tired. I hoping that’s the worst of it although some symptoms can present at a later time.
Thanks again for all the support and encouragement. I’m looking forward to being back to my normal life soon and have I mentioned that my reward will be spending the month of October in Maine? I’m missing the September Maine sew-in that starts the 17th but I’ll sew along with them from home and will work on tying and binding some of the Happy Block tops that they assemble during the sew-in while I’m there in October.