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The Sunny Side of Radiation?

On May 6th, 2008, I will be undergoing a radioactive iodine treatment for my Grave's Disease. If you have never heard of such a treatment, here is a description from the CNN Health/Library:

"Radioactive iodine treatment. To make thyroid hormone, your body needs iodine and will use whatever form of iodine is available in your blood. If you take radioactive iodine, the iodine collects in your thyroid gland, and over time the radioactivity destroys the overactive thyroid cells. This causes the thyroid gland to shrink, and problems lessen gradually, usually over several weeks to several months. Because this treatment causes thyroid activity to decline, you likely will later need thyroxine treatment to supply your body with normal amounts of thyroid hormones. Treatment doesn't require a hospital stay. Radioactive iodine treatment may increase your risk of new or worsened symptoms of Graves' ophthalmopathy. This side effect is usually mild and temporary, but radioactive iodine therapy may not be recommended if you already have moderate to severe eye problems. After radioactive iodine treatment, any iodine not taken up into the thyroid gland is excreted in your urine and saliva. This is the most common therapy used for adults with hyperthyroidism in the United States. "

Anyways, after I have this treatment, I cannot go within 8ft of my children for 10 whole days. I am pretty much to be confined to my bedroom. I am going to miss them terribly and hope they will not be too confused by my absense. At first I wanted to wait until my three children (currently 4 and 15months) were older, but we had come to realize that there would never be a convenient time for me to have this treatment.

Instead of sulking, I decided to make a list of the positive things that would result from my 10 days of isolation:

  1. The most obvious benefit is that I would no longer suffer from Grave's Disease.

  2. I will have 10 days of unlimited computer time.

  3. I will have much extra time to work on Sillymonkeez.com, which I have been neglecting.

  4. I can watch television that is not G-rated.

  5. My husband gets to make my meals and serve them to me in bed.

  6. I will have lots of time to post on SuperMoms World.

  7. I can take a shower everyday for 10 days without having to schedule it around the children.

  8. I can watch all those DVDs we've purchased over the past two years but are still factory-sealed.

  9. I can catch up on the ABC Daytime Soaps.

  10. I can read all the magazines that have been thrown into a basket unopened.

  11. Best of all, I can TAKE A NAP anytime I want during those 10 days, instead of just once every month or two.

If you got this far, thanks for taking the time to read this.