Well, I got my I-131 radioactive iodine pill this morning, and will have to be away from the babies until Sunday. The dose is lower this time, so I don't have to suffer through any hospital time, but I still have to avoid holding or hugging Will & Jack since their tiny little thyroids are so sensitive.
I'm probably a little overkill on this, but I'm trying to maintain a 5 foot radius, if not more, especially this first day when there is so much of it in my system.
I hate to admit it, but I'm kind of enjoying the break. I can run errands without worrying about taking them, not taking them, leaving them in a "good mental state" (i.e. fed, changed, well rested) with their daddy, etc. etc. etc. In my defense, it's already killing me not to be able to comfort them when they cry - my DH's tolerance for fussing is a lot higher than mine - but I'll make it.
I was hoping to travel Monday and Tuesday of next week for work. Missed traveling this week b/c of appointments. But not sure I want to now since Sunday will be the first day I can hold them. How could I leave them so soon after that?
Still suffering from a head cold, so no dieting or exercising yet. I found my old prescription for the salivation glands, so I can *hopefully* avoid losing my sense of taste this time. Plus, I am pushing fluids, and laxatives, and sucking on hard candy. It's like I've done this before....
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Me Time
Will is asleep. Jack and his daddy are playing in the living room. I just took two Tylenol PM and am hoping to be asleep soon.
So far, the new me looks and acts a lot like the old me.
I've had a rough start to my new healthier lifestyle. But instead of working through lunch b/c I'm busy, I've been working thru lunch to make up for lost time due to medical appointments.
I had my regularly scheduled follow up with my endocrinologist on Monday. He did the ultrasound of my neck himself, to check my lymph nodes in that area for any unusual growth. None found. Yay. And he scheduled a follow up visit for this summer. And then the body scan I thought I would be having in April, he scheduled for THIS FRIDAY. So, I had to have an injection yesterday, and another today. I take my radioactive iodine pill tomorrow. Nothing Thursday. Body scan and thyroglobulin blood test on Friday. A hectic schedule, but the lovely injections mean I don't have to do that AWFUL low iodine diet this time around. And it means I get to hear even sooner whether or not last summer's radiation treatment worked. I feel like it did, but what do I know?
They are oh so apologetic at that office about the injections. But as you're all aware, after any medicated cycle the needle thing is just nothing. Want my blood? May I suggest a vein? Wanna inject me in the bum? I'm pretty sure I could handle that myself. So, at least I have that going for me.
Sadly, they weighed me at the endocrinologist's office, and let's just say, I have to do something about this weight! Scary high! More than my husband and he's 6'2" (I'm 5'4"). He recommended low glycemic (guess I could have seen that coming since he also specializes in treating diabetics!). So, back to South Beach for me starting Saturday (grocery day). It's worked before for me, so I know it will work again. It's just those initial two weeks that I dread. Look for self-pity from me next week.
Work is really weird right now. I feel like I'm in limbo. I have my job. I have this job within our company I think I want in TX, and I get to work in TX whenever I want kind of doing that job, but in a more advisory role rather than actually having the responsibility or authority. And I have this other job at another division in our company that I will be offered that I probably don't want. But at the same time, if I don't get the TX job I'm pretty sure I want a different job, so why not take the one in KC? And at the same time, I can't really say which job I prefer - I need to keep my cards close to my chest until I get an official offer from someone. And the two men offering me the jobs, are my friends and colleagues who I talk to about other things every day. And who know about each other's offers. And who talk to each other every day, as well. A very weird, yet open, dynamic. And all at the same time, I kind of need to focus on my job here in KS again and start gearing that back up in case I get a budget come April.
Home life is good. I wish my husband and I could take a vacation without the kids. Not because I don't want them with us, but just so we can rest. Just lay in the sun, read fiction, and hold hands. For hours. And perhaps have an umbrella drink. But I can't imagine leaving them with ANYONE overnight. No one. I can't see it. Let alone DAYS or God forbid a WEEK! But I do daydream about it. And as soon as the boys are old enough to enjoy something other than chewing on everything in sight, then we will be headed south for a little family vacation.
And that's all I have the patience for tonight. Funny story about why. On Dec 22, my backspace key fell off my laptop for no apparent reason. So, I plugged in my 10-key and used that backspace key at work that week. And I hadn't been back to the corporate office until yesterday. Today, I found the backspace key in my coat pocket, and had an IT guy replace it for me. And he did. But its kind of crooked now and doesn't work. So, for every single typo (and trust me, I have a lot of those!) I have to use the shift and arrow keys to highlight the errant letters and then hit the delete key. Pain! Requesting new keyboard tomorrow.....
So far, the new me looks and acts a lot like the old me.
I've had a rough start to my new healthier lifestyle. But instead of working through lunch b/c I'm busy, I've been working thru lunch to make up for lost time due to medical appointments.
I had my regularly scheduled follow up with my endocrinologist on Monday. He did the ultrasound of my neck himself, to check my lymph nodes in that area for any unusual growth. None found. Yay. And he scheduled a follow up visit for this summer. And then the body scan I thought I would be having in April, he scheduled for THIS FRIDAY. So, I had to have an injection yesterday, and another today. I take my radioactive iodine pill tomorrow. Nothing Thursday. Body scan and thyroglobulin blood test on Friday. A hectic schedule, but the lovely injections mean I don't have to do that AWFUL low iodine diet this time around. And it means I get to hear even sooner whether or not last summer's radiation treatment worked. I feel like it did, but what do I know?
They are oh so apologetic at that office about the injections. But as you're all aware, after any medicated cycle the needle thing is just nothing. Want my blood? May I suggest a vein? Wanna inject me in the bum? I'm pretty sure I could handle that myself. So, at least I have that going for me.
Sadly, they weighed me at the endocrinologist's office, and let's just say, I have to do something about this weight! Scary high! More than my husband and he's 6'2" (I'm 5'4"). He recommended low glycemic (guess I could have seen that coming since he also specializes in treating diabetics!). So, back to South Beach for me starting Saturday (grocery day). It's worked before for me, so I know it will work again. It's just those initial two weeks that I dread. Look for self-pity from me next week.
Work is really weird right now. I feel like I'm in limbo. I have my job. I have this job within our company I think I want in TX, and I get to work in TX whenever I want kind of doing that job, but in a more advisory role rather than actually having the responsibility or authority. And I have this other job at another division in our company that I will be offered that I probably don't want. But at the same time, if I don't get the TX job I'm pretty sure I want a different job, so why not take the one in KC? And at the same time, I can't really say which job I prefer - I need to keep my cards close to my chest until I get an official offer from someone. And the two men offering me the jobs, are my friends and colleagues who I talk to about other things every day. And who know about each other's offers. And who talk to each other every day, as well. A very weird, yet open, dynamic. And all at the same time, I kind of need to focus on my job here in KS again and start gearing that back up in case I get a budget come April.
Home life is good. I wish my husband and I could take a vacation without the kids. Not because I don't want them with us, but just so we can rest. Just lay in the sun, read fiction, and hold hands. For hours. And perhaps have an umbrella drink. But I can't imagine leaving them with ANYONE overnight. No one. I can't see it. Let alone DAYS or God forbid a WEEK! But I do daydream about it. And as soon as the boys are old enough to enjoy something other than chewing on everything in sight, then we will be headed south for a little family vacation.
And that's all I have the patience for tonight. Funny story about why. On Dec 22, my backspace key fell off my laptop for no apparent reason. So, I plugged in my 10-key and used that backspace key at work that week. And I hadn't been back to the corporate office until yesterday. Today, I found the backspace key in my coat pocket, and had an IT guy replace it for me. And he did. But its kind of crooked now and doesn't work. So, for every single typo (and trust me, I have a lot of those!) I have to use the shift and arrow keys to highlight the errant letters and then hit the delete key. Pain! Requesting new keyboard tomorrow.....
Sunday, January 3, 2010
New Year, New Me
I'm Back! Well, at least for today. I'm hoping to get back in the blogging habit. Julie and Julia has got me motivated!
Has it seriously been since October since I updated my blog? Can I even call this a blog if I don't write for months at a time?
Yes, I'm still IF. And DH and I are trying to decide whether or not to defrost our two totsicles or a summer IUI (I'd like any siblings to be about 2 years apart)...but what I really want to focus on right now is achieving a healthier weight and lifestyle. I've been self-medicating with food for months now, and letting work take over my life, and I'm taking control again. And I mean it!
So, here's what's been going on in my absence:
1 - Work. This is a biggie. My company bought another company in Texas and so I've been traveling there weekly. DH and I had a deal - I could be gone 3 nights a week, though I preferred 2 and I usually kept it to 1 or less. But, in general, it was stressful. When I was away, I got to relive my youth, drinking with coworkers and eating out on the company dime. It was like a hedonistic little mini vaca every week. I ate and drank whatever I wanted, and stayed up late. It was fun. But it got old. And I missed my boys. So, goal 1: less travel!
2 - Work. It's so big. It deserves two points. I have been so bored at work, with all of the layoffs and budget cuts, I've had no opportunity to do "my" job. And I feel so left out of everything at the office, because I travel all the time. I miss having a "partner" who I work with toward common goals day in and day out. Plus, I want more money, so I expressed some of my concerns to my boss and a few friends. And, as a result, I have been negotiating two job offers this spring. The first in KC, for comparable pay but a move closer to my family in IA. The second in TX, a lot bigger pay but further from the fam. I'm leaning toward TX, but still waiting for the final offer which could be anytime between now and June. Impatient me needs a distraction in the meantime... but Goal 2: new job!
3 - Balance. With the two previous work items, I have been letting myself go. Really. I had already gained 10 pounds of the baby weight back with my thyroid-ectomy. And with the indulgent lifestyle I've been leading, I've added another 5 or 7. I joined the Y months ago and have been like 3 times. I planned to exercise on my lunch hour, but ended up working through lunch and usually just hitting a drive thru and getting back to work or running Christmas shopping errands. So, I need to commit to a goal of 'never let your head hit the pillow without 20 minutes of exercise" and "more water" and "lean protein." Plus, I have an appointment with my endocrinologist tomorrow, so I'm going to ask him if he has any diet tips for someone without a thyroid. I know there will be no magic pill, but perhaps there is a certain tactic that works better given my current metabolic limitations. Plus, I don't want to do anything that would increase the risk of my cancer coming back (assuming its gone away). My health seems okay. I still sometimes say the wrong word (like I'll see you back at the garage, when I mean to say house). And my scar continues to lighten. Trying to decide whether or not to buy another round of the scar treatment at the dermatologist, or switch to Mederma....
4 - The twins. They are now about 8 1/2 months old. They roll over, army crawl, sit up, eat solids (if pureed baby food counts as a solid), smile, laugh, and get into trouble. They started swim lessons in November, and are really good natured little dudes. Will had his first earache over Christmas in Iowa. It was our first stressful trip with them, just a lot of action with all of the family around, they were overstimulated and so were we. DH and I were wise, oh so wise, to return home on Friday so we had this weekend to settle back at the house, get the Christmas decorations down, the laundry done, etc. etc. etc. Whew! Travel is so much work with kids! But they tolerated the car trip really well. Pic above is of them in their 'girlie' Christmas outfits my mom sent them. I don't normally think they look alike, but as they get older, I'm starting to think they do.
Ok, need to make lunch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
