~ MOMO ~: A Break from Quarantine!!

I begged and begged to get a few minutes out of my cave to write ya'll this little note. We had to take great precautions but it feels SO GOOD to just walk 50 ft!

My wireless network comes and goes in the bedroom and I was anxious to give you guys this cool information. Thank goodness I can still do my e-mails on my phone!!

Here is what has been happening:

FRIDAY: I went in to the hospital for the radiation and 3 doctors talked to us one at a time going over more information and verified that I was telling the truth and I could comply with the "rules" so that they would release me to go home after the radiation. Here are some more of those "rules:

FOR FIVE DAYS:

Avoid contact with individuals

NO BODY FLUIDS TO COME IN CONTACT WITH ANYTHING (tears, sneeze, etc)

No trips in cars, etc....

Sleep in separate bed

Minimum contact is 3 feet (6ft is preferred)

Do NOT touch pregnant/nursing mothers - it will destroy the baby's thyroid (so sad!!)

Have a sole bathroom

Flush 3 times with the lid down

Wash hands several times

Drink massive liquids

Eat sour candy (will explain this one)

Do not use ANYTHING that someone else will use

Launder clothes separately

FOR 90 DAYS:

Do not travel across any borders

Do not go into any governmental buildings, etc......

IF SO I WILL SET OFF HOMELAND SECURITY MONITORS - how cool is that???

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

The radiation goes to the thyroid tissue first and can settle in the saliva glands, this is why they want me to eat sour candy so I will produce lots of saliva to get it out. They also said it settles in the stomach secondly (due to the swallowing, etc.)

Hair loss in 6-8 weeks

Bone marrow suppression (don't know what this really means)

Nausea/vomiting (have had some pretty severe nausea but thank goodness no vomiting

Superpowers - still waiting for these to kick in (just kidding - haha)

HOW THEY DID IT:

Went in on Friday morning and did the usual consents, etc.

Talked to the 3 doctors and they did thorough ID checks at least 3 times

When they went to get my dose it was not ready so we had to wait an additional 2 hours

Went back to have it done and they put me in this huge room and then on a sterile field put 2 glasses of water and then like out of a science fiction movie one person brought in a steel tube with large gloves

He opened it up and inside was a small clear tube with a navy blue capsule

He handed me the clear tube and told me NOT to touch the pill, just take it like a shot

I admit I had to hesitate, I knew once I took it things were going to change. It was a big moment

I took it and then the guy bolted out the room and yelled from across the way that they would come back soon and measure my radioactivity

I made a few calls and just sat there wondering what really was going on inside my body

Then the doctor came in with a yard stick and a machine that looked like a car battery

He made me go urinate first and there was some panic because the toilet wasn't flushing and they were freaking out about the radioactivity

I then was brought back into the big room and he held the stick out and measured my radioactivity.

He said since they gave me such a high dose that I was omitting the highest amount of radioactivity possible. He explained that it was like a normal person standing in front of an xray machine for 40 to 50 days straight, that is how much radiation I was omitting - COOL HUH???

He then asked me to participate in a study where I would chew one piece of gum each day and save it in a baggy... of course I agreed, what else am I going to do?? :-)

He then gave me my list of "rules" and sent me on my merry way

The ride home was fun, Gene wouldn't allow me to speak in his direction from the back seat for fear my saliva would get on him!! Any body fluids that touch something makes that item radioactive for quite some time. I had some tears fall on a shirt last night and after I realized what happened I had to put it in a bag.

QUARANTINE:

I went nuts on DAY ONE HOUR 7 ! HAHA I have been watching a lot of TV and thank goodness my sister sent me a TV series on DVD. I have been really tired so I have been napping every few hours as well. Unfortunately, I was pretty sick all day and night yesterday and today I am still having those stomach cramps but I am STILL doing MUCH better than I expected and when I think about all of those people that have to go through chemo I thank GOD he has blessed me so much!!!!!

I am actually supposed to be quarantined for 5 days but since it is day 3 I am allowed the 6ft mark so I was allowed to come out and sit on the couch and eat at the dining room table. Of course everything is still a major production but it is quite the adventure.

Thank you to all of those who have called, e-mailed, and texted me!!! Having some human contact surely has kept me sane!!!!

I must get out of this room now.... I have probably infected something by now!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!