7.11.2012

Quarantined...

I found out this past March that I have Grave's Disease. Grave's Disease is an auto-immune disease that (in my case) has attacked my thyroid. Here's the story (just for my records)...

I just hadn't felt right since around Christmastime. I was extremely fatigued and it took everything out of me to go to work and get home before I would fall into bed (usually for the rest of the night). I started having these episodes where my legs would get shaky and I felt as though I would pass out. I went to the doctor about once a month from November-March and changed medicines because we thought these episodes were side effects from the current medication I was taking.

It wasn't until my school nurse asked to feel my thyroid that I got any real results. Turns out my thyroid was HUGE! It was producing hormones at a rate of 85% where it should've been no higher than 30%. I had an ultrasound done to rule out thyroid cancer and then I had a nuclear scan done to see just how BIG my thyroid was. After switching doctors because I wanted a second opinion, I began taking a medication to slow the production of my thyroid (methimazole) and a beta-blocker to regulate my heart. My heart rate would go up to 120 and then down to 58 with no rhyme or reason. This made me terrible!!! I was out of work in March for 2 weeks! During this time I had lost all strength. I couldn't walk to the bathroom by myself much less take care of my 1 and 4 year old. :( March is also the month that both my babies celebrate their birthdays so that was a bit challenging!

We did a LOT of this in March and April! =)

My doctor wanted me to stay on my medications all of April and then do an ablation to destroy my thyroid completely. At the beginning of May we looked at my bloodwork and because I was "stable", I begged him to wait until school was out to do my ablation. I knew I wouldn't be allowed around children for a week and didn't want to miss anymore time away from my students.

This brings me to today. I went this past Monday to receive my I-131 pill (Radioactive Iodine Therapy). It was an ordeal to do all the paperwork and have different doctors come in to verify the dosage and then escort me out of the office (they don't want radioactive people just hanging around). But everything has worked perfectly. I came straight home and went to my bedroom. For 48 hours, I had to stay put and not spend time around anyone (husband included). Thank goodness for internet!

When Asten gets home this evening, I can spend a little more time around him but we can't sleep together or use the same bathroom. Tomorrow will be a little more normal as we will be able to sleep together and use the same bathroom. I can be around adults beginning tomorrow at 9:00 (72 hours after taking my pill). But, I cant spend any time with pregnant women or children until Monday (9:00 am). So my sweet in laws have been taking care of Grady and Josie. They will have them until Monday morning. I got to see/talk to them last night thanks to our ipad and "FaceTime". They're doing great! They are at school today and will go again tomorrow. It's not been as bad as I thought it would be. But, I'm definitely ready to get on with my "normal routines!"
Here are the kids last night visiting with their daddy!

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