Almost done - LID (Low Iodine Diet) ends Monday once I am at the hospital for my treatment. WOOT WOOT This has been hellish. As usual in my life, I take one step forward then two steps back!?
Hypothyroidism is BAD. Please do not try this at home. Consult your physician before attempting this treatment of your body. Side-effects include but are not limited to dizzyness, nausea, chills, fatigue, headache, irritability, low blood pressure, anxiety, tummy troubles, restlessness, exhaustion, confusion, frustration, apathy, lethargy, food flavour deprivation, complete and utter insanity.
I have not even felt up to writing *gasp* - but I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Tomorrow is the last day, on Monday I will still be LID but it is also treatment day so I will be distracted by the bizarre situation I imagine will be at the Sunnybrook Nuclear Medicine Department. Adventure always distracts me. So one more sleep in this hypothyroid hole alone and then on our way to rid body of thyroid cancer - buh bye!!
I have kept a few notes to share with you as to how the last two weeks-ish have gone. I'll break it down into good news and bad news, which to tell first?
Bad news, the Lows:
- terrible food. Sucks. Even though I am a decent cook at alternative diets, this one is terrible. Who the heck would ever bother eating an egg without the yolk, except for in angel food cake perhaps?
<---- I did try to tuck the cherry tomatoes in there to look like yolks? Maybe? Fool myself? The rest was tasty... organic rice blend, garlic potatoes, hemp seed, sauteed greens in olive oil, home-made balsamic dressing, good but bland even with cayenne - low blood pressure - ahem yes, being the over-achiever I tend to be, I was so well-behaved on my LID that I knocked my sodium level too low (which is bad), and also affected my blood pressure, which is already on the low-normal side. Combine that with a wee hours of the morning trip to the bathroom and WHAM! Ultimate LOW: I fainted, I fell to the floor and smashed the back of my head, giving myself a concussion and whiplash. Thankfully we have carpet and underpad on the concrete floor, and thankfully I was not impaled in the skull by the random Barbie dolls and parts lying about where I fell. Nonetheless, I managed to get to the bathroom and laid there in shock until I was able to get myself back to bed. Left a note for the girls in case... and kept myself awake for a bit until I dozed off amidst the thundering headache. This happened last Sunday. In the morning I called my CCAC nurse, she advised I go to emerg, Claire and I went, Dr. did thorough bloodwork and checkup and sent me home to rest.
- Monday saw family doc for further examination, she gently suggested I get a big roll of bubble wrap and lie still for the remainder of the week. All joking aside, she assessed me able to drive, but very much in need of rest, and instructed me on how to slowly move around, very carefully making adjustments to standing/sitting/lying down and vice versa. She also said based on my detailed blood results that I can eat some sea salt (non-iodized) yay!
- low self-esteem. Who gets an EFFing concussion while battling two kinds of cancer?? Me.
- low body temperature. Freezing, all of the time. When hypothyroid, the body cannot control its own temperature, so after a shower or any activity, exhausting heat wave. All the rest of the time, socks sweaters blankets heating pad brrrr!
- low moisture; dry skin, cracked lips, dehydration.
- low energy, and on March break, great choice Mom. Thankfully I have the best family ever and we all managed to get through it and even still accomplish a couple of the things I had had planned for March break. DID get the girls to their appointment with the therapist in Barrie, likely best timing ever. They haven't run away from home yet... and they did all the dishes.
Okay, for the Highs...
- Wait one more low: record low parking fee at Sunnybrook yesterday. Yes, that machine actually charges under $24 per shot?? There was literally zero waiting time in the main lab at Sunnybrook so we were in and out in less than half hour including walking time to the car, and I paid a one-time low-fee of $4.75.
- A high of the week: I didn't commit homicide.
- I had the most delicious fresh romaine and tomato salad with unseasoned grilled portobello mushroom and my own salad dressing for supper at our fave burger place in Barrie after the therapist visit, while my lovely and sympathetic offspring devoured their bacon peanut butter burgers and poutines directly beside me.
- I did not commit homicide.
- and on the way home I found the most delicious thing!!!
The only bread permitted on the LID! Thankful to my European background (and deprived, desperate tastebuds) I find this DELICIOUS!! Toast a piece of that puppy up with fresh avocado, tomato slices and a sprinkle of sea salt and I would sell my soul to have a bite.
Hhhmmm...that's it for Highs. LOL I thought there were more but... oh wait - no I didn't! This has all been bad!! Even wine was not a tempting distraction, stupid no thyroid = no metabolism = no appetite (except for salt) = no desire to live, even tipsy living.
One more sleeeeep til tomorrow.... I'm going to start now. Thanks for listening to me whine!!
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