Kathleen Donahue’s PTC Treatment Updates

First off, the iodine pill treatment went pretty well. No crazy side effects, just REALLY tired the past week!! Last Saturday, I slept in and then slept most of the day…I barely had energy to pull myself off the bed to answer the phone. I came back to work at my office on Tuesday, and I have just been battling fatigue and a sensitive stomach the last few days. Overall, it was pretty tame.

I did go for a nuclear body scan today. They took about eight different six-minute pictures of different parts of my body. The doctor just called me with the results. He said it was an excellent report. The only areas that “lit up” were in the thyroid/neck region, the salivary glands, and the urinary tract (all expected and no unpleasant surprises.) So, I am pretty sure this means that the cancer was only where they thought it was (neck/thyroid), and the visible presence in the salivary glands and urinary tracts are just normal course of the treatment as the iodine is excreted through the body. I asked if whatever was left should be “killed” by the treatment and he said yes. I also asked about the lungs specifically, and he said he checked them and saw nothing. So, this is very good news. He said he does not feel it is necessary to follow up with me at this point. I will be screened through regularly scheduled blood tests (probably every several months) ordered by my Endocrinologist. I am very happy to hear the news and although no one seems to label it as such, I feel like I can consider myself cancer free!!!!

I will begin the Synthroid pills (artificial thyroid hormones) tomorrow and I should be back to “normal” soon. My next appointments are just follow-ups/check-ins with the surgeon in late November and the Endocrinologist in late December. My scar is healing very favorably and I would say I am about 90% on full arm and neck movement.

Thanks again for everyone’s thoughts, prayers, and support throughout the past several months! I think I have managed to stay light-hearted about it all, but there were times when I was pretty freaked out. The support around me helped immensely!!!!!!!

I leave you with a little Trick-or-Treat Game!!!! Guess the Doctor!!!!

Kathleen