Happy Thanksgiving

I am thankful for my beautiful children, snug warm house, animals, car, and more food than we can possibly eat! Thanks, God!

Monday

I finally heard from the Endocrinologist Thursday afternoon. They set me up with an appointment Dec 30th!!! I freaked out! No one had even looked at any of the tests I have had. The woman was frankly, an idiot. She finally put me on the cancellation list.

I looked up top thyroid Doctors in Maine to see what they had to say about this doctor. He had been removed from the list. The site doesn't give a reason, but says it was either from too many /really bad comments or a nasty email from the doctors asking to be removed.

Just from my experience with the appointment lady, I could understand why. Still, I felt pretty alarmed.

At the top of the list were Homeopaths and alternative medicine practitioners. I did a little online research and found a list of natural supplements that are supposed to help hyperactive thyroid.

So, I have picked up some oil of Evening Primrose caps, also used to treat pms symptoms, and some vitamin C. Broccoli is said to help slow the thyroid down, so I have been eating that. I have yet to try the cabbage poultice or acquired PABA.

I think the primrose has helped the shakes and irritability. I just started my monthly cycle without have a meltdown the day before. I feel a bit depressed today and have had zero motivation for even the basic chores.

We did get to see the latest Harry Potter last night. 2 and 1/2 hours worth! I found it to be a pretty good rendition of the book so far. Luckily I read the book a little bit ago so most of the details are fuzzy.

But when Voldemort takes Lucius Malfoy's wand, and Voldemort is checking out the wand, and says, "Elm, and the core is....?"

and I burst out in the half full theater, "Dragon Heartstring!" before Lucius could reply, I felt quite the geek! LOL

Student of the Month

Another award! So proud of my big boy!


A few days ago I looked out front and thought, "What the heck is that coming through the woods, dinosaurs?!?"

The dinosaurs were really a flock of wild turkeys. My chickens and geese didn't think too much of that and quickly headed out back.



Still waiting to see an endo. The Firebird qualifies for braces-I just found out it's a 9 month wait! I hope the endo isn't that backed up!

Sunny Sunday

We are having a beautiful stretch of weather! Our Indian summer has arrived. Yesterday it was 62 in the shade.

I did manage to lie still for my thyroid test. I didn't even have to sign in, they sent me directly into the room. I first sat to have my background radiation checked for a baseline, so they knew how much to subtract of the different radioactive iodine I took the day before.

This was done by placing a small bar-shaped sensor on my leg above my knee. My leg trembled a bit. The reading came back lower than the background radiation. The radioactive iodine is meant to be absorbed by the thyroid, so it was good news it wasn't floating around in my leg, lol.

Then I had to lie down on a very narrow curved -well, it wasn't a cot, since I was slid back under the -camera? The first image was difficult, because part of the equipment had to barely touch my chin so it was focused over the thyroid. To lie completely still with a huge camera over your face with the cone over your throat and part of it on your chin was challenging. I kept my eyes closed. I did open them once and quickly closed them, lol.

I swallowed twice. That was hard, having the feeling I had to swallow and fight it and then it becomes a vicious loop- you HAVE to swallow, lol. The tech shrugged and said, "what are you going to do?"

I did get to move briefly after each image was complete ( I made sure to swallow then) I didn't swallow for the next two from each side. I did say, "Thank God!" when the second one was finished!

The tech was very nice. When he first slid me back, I said, "They said there wouldn't be any side effects, but I've had the song, "Radioactive" on my mind all morning."

He was very excited and said they had a program called Pandora and set about to find the song for me. Only trouble was, but the time he had the list of artists (I thought it was Peter Gabriel) booted up, the scan was going, so as he went through the list of artists I could just lie still and flap my thumbs at him in response, lol.

I was very glad to have music, although the tech was a bit fussy and kept turning down good songs or skipping to the next song just when I was getting into it. All I could think of was I hoped his wife kept him away from the TV remote, lol.

Still waiting to see and endo. Looks like Grave's disease.

Tons on the to do list, hope I can focus some of this manic energy!

Wednesday the 10th

I took my radioactive pills this afternoon. I was repeatedly assured that it was harmless, that I wouldn't be shedding radiation or have to take any precautions. But the pill was in a pill bottle in a lead box in a lead lined alcove and I was directed not to touch the pills. She look a little alarmed as I held the pill cup and drank water, but I got them both down without incident.

Those folks at imaging really rock and make my doctor look sooo bad! Both times I went directly to sign in (they had three intake open), and before I signed the paper and got my band there was someone waiting to take me to nuclear or sonogram. There I had a chance to sit and pick up the paper before I was called. yeah, I like that kind of efficiency!

The worse news is that when I go back in 24 hours I have to sit still for ten minutes -three times(!) for images. I can't even beat the birthday cake frosting ten minutes-I go five and say, "good enough". How am I going to sit still for 10 minutes even once?

I am so speedy I pace and bounce my leg a lot. I was relieved when the woman who gave me the pills told me that after her daughter was born her thyroid went hyper. She lost 40 pounds in a week and couldn't make a complete sentence. So I guess I can't bemoan 15 pounds and not being able to comprehend a sentence. LOL.

uummm Tuesday?

The time change was sucked up into this house like no tomorrow. I am still calling to rouse the house at 7am. My days are all backwards! I went into a time warp the last couple of days.

I ran into a friend I hadn't seen in thirty years on Facebook. This is such a small state, I saw a comment from a co-worker on his page. She had friended him because his cousin, who also happens to be my neighbor (!), thought she might want to know an Alaskan commercial fisherman, since she is a fan of the show, "The Most Dangerous Catch". He is a native Mainer.

I have never seen the show.

But I did know the Captain and his family from years ago, and it so happened the fisheries in AK are in the off season. I was lucky to catch him on the last days of his two week vacation.

I had a terrific visit with him. Poor guy, I peppered him with questions about what kind of catch and how do you catch it, since I really know very little about commercial fishing.

I think you've done pretty well for yourself, Captain!

I was in a time zone today, and received a call verifying an appointment for tomorrow that I thought was the 11th! I have to take a radioactive iodine pill and go back the next day for more imaging. The previous sonogram revealed a couple nodules so they want to check it out in more detail.

Still waiting to see an endocrinologist

***

I discovered Derek, one of my wethers, with a 6 foot stretch of four foot high welded 2X4 wire stuck in his horns this afternoon. I desperately tried to stretch it off him-wishing that the strong Captain was still around! I had to run for the fence tool.

Dumb goats! (maybe he'll stop bashing the fence now?)
***

The Firebird just found out he made the varsity basketball team! Stay tuned for pix! :D

Wednesday

Don't I have original titles? LOL

We went to the sports awards ceremony tonight. Cross country and Girl's soccer went first. Both coaches said a little bit about each team member before awarding their certificates. Then each coach selected three players on their team for trophies. The girl's soccer coach awarded the principal the championship trophy.

It was a nice opportunity to hear about the other athletes.

Then it was our turn. Our coach is such a softie he welled up, crumpled up his speech, and, behind his box of tissues, quickly called each of the team for their certificate. He then turned to the trophies, and called Phoenix first! We were very happy!

I did get some of my test results back. Definitely serious thyroid issues. My TSH was <.01. The good news is that my sugar, electrolytes, kidney and liver were all normal. I am worried about my heart though, my resting pulse is 100 and blood pressure 128/48.

I am being referred to an endocrinologist. I can't wait to feel better!

November

The sun is really coming up late! I am actually looking forward to the time change so 7am is not the crack of dawn! None of us are wanting to give up our warm beds at that cold, dark hour!

I had my thyroid ultrasound Friday. Although I have had sonograms in the past, I felt fairly uncomfortable during this one. There is not really anyway to describe having your large, tender thyroid thoroughly manipulated by the sonogram mic (?). I swear at one point I could feel those sonos going right through my head to my brain when she had it angled up at the base of my thyroid.

I had to admit it was not quite as bad as an abdominal sonogram on a full bladder.

Lots of clicking-I knew from previous experience she was measuring. The monitor was over my right shoulder behind my head. I had my eyes rolled up sideways trying to see. I could see the screen but had no idea what the images meant. I could see light and dark places but having trouble telling what she was measuring. "Are nodules light or dark spaces?" I asked.

"They can be either," she answered.

Oh that's great, I'm thinking. I asked her if I should go out and buy my favorite food for supper. She laughed and said, "Don't write yourself off yet."

I bought my favorite food anyhow.

When your immortality gets shaken you start to wonder how many more times you will be able to enjoy things.

So, we had a great time trick or treating! Willow and my hands froze, so we quit earlier than we might have otherwise. At noon yesterday it was 36 with a stiff breeze. It was the coldest trick or treat we could remember!

Happy November!