Home again, home again, jiggity jig

And...I'm back! After spending a few uneventful days in l'hopital de Baptiste, I am home, sitting in my own bed. I have great news! My full body scan, completed this morning, showed that the cancer has not metastasised into my lungs, bones, or far-away lymph nodes. The iodine was sucked up by cells in my neck, the remaining thyroid cells and possibly a few lymph nodes not removed during surgery. For those who need that spelled out in plain English, the cancer didn't spread past my neck. So, that's great news! No additional treatment will be necessary and I am believed to be in the clear for now! Just as any other cancer patients are monitored, I will be checked every six months to a year to ensure that the cancer has not come back. Thyroid cancer does have a fairly high rate of recurrence in young people (I'm considered young in this instance). However, I don't feel worried at all about that fact. I'm glad to be rid of the cancer for now and know what to expect if I have to go through the radiation treatment again. I slept most of the 3 days so I can't really complain much. The most difficult part is being away from family and friends!

I'm still on restriction for a few days. I'm to eat off of paper plates and Peter has graciously taken his place in the guest bedroom. Alexander is having a grand time visiting with Mimi and Papa in Indiana - I believe they went to the zoo today and Uncle Matt and Aunt Michelle are stopping by to say hello tomorrow. We'll get Alexander back the first weekend in August. We'll be ready and I'm sure my parents will be ready for a good, long break without a two-year-old in the house!
I won't begin my thyroid replacement hormones until Monday so I'll still be feeling very tired until those drugs kick in (sometime around Wednesday or Thursday). By the time that Alexander returns, I should be feeling pretty good. And, by the time my TSH level reaches that of a normal person, I should be feeling like a whole new woman. I am looking forward to that! According to my endocrinologist, it will take between four to six weeks for my medication to get into my system and level out. Then, she'll adjust the dose as necessary to ensure that my levels stay very low.

Thank you very much to Allyson, Brendan and Connor, friends from England who sent a pretty bunch of flowers today! How cheery after being in that drab hospital room for three days! Allyson is due to give birth to their second child any day now. Allyson, if you're reading this, please update me on your progress!!