No News

Enrique's endocrinologist is not available today. So perhaps we'll know what the scans mean tomorrow.

That's hugely frustrating.

He didn't tell us he'd be away or give much idea of how this process would work.

We're out of the hospital. No results yet. The endocrinologist will give them at a time TBD, probably by phone. Today or later this week.

Enrique is in the scanner now. Probably won't have any news till at least the afternoon.

Just a Natural Glow

We had dinner with some good friends last night and one of them said that Enrique "has just a natural glow now." As opposed to a radioactive one.

He is looking very healthy and his mood and energy are better than I've seen in months. It's great to see.

We're going to the hospital in a few minutes for his scan. We've realized we don't know if we're going to get the results today or not.

That makes it difficult to know how nervous we should be.

Enrique's whole course of treatment seems to be a series of relatively minor setbacks that are a major pain in the ass (but aren't REALLY BAD).

I guess that's what I'm expecting today.

Maybe we'll get lucky.

Post Radiation

Enrique's highly radioactive period is over. We can't yet sleep in the same bed, but otherwise we can lead normal lives.

The day after tomorrow the final restrictions are lifted.

He suffered through some moderate nausea during the days he was alone. But it was nothing compared to the nausea after his first surgery.

It was creepy to read about Russian spy who was killed via radiation over Thanksgiving.

He's out. We're walking three feet apart and he'll sit in the back of the car on the way home.

Just sent Enrique to get his radiation. Last hug for 4 days. Lots of very sick people in this part of the hospital.

Nuclear Medicine

Today is Enrique's radiation day. He's nervous.

It should be a short procedure - just an injection at the nuclear medicine department. But it's always tough to predict how these things will work.

I'm going to take him to the hospital and then drop him back at home when he's done.

Then I'll go on to Davis for Thanksgiving while he stays at home and waits for the radiation to do its work (and go away).

He's well stocked with food. And he'll be able to go off his low-iodine diet on Friday.

But he really doesn't like the idea of being radioactive (and trapped in the house).

He's got gloves for handling things in the kitchen and he'll be using paper plates and plastic silverware.

It will be over quickly.

Call Chernobyl

Enrique's uncle has taken to calling him Chernobyl. That cracks me up.

Enrique will be alone from today through Sunday. If you're in the mood, please give him a call at our house or on his cell phone. I'm sure he would appreciate it.

Have a great Thanksgiving. We're feeling pretty grateful these days.

Return to Normal?

A week from tomorrow Enrique will have his scan. If the news is good - and there's every reason to hope it will be - then his treatment will be over. It's an exciting possibility.

At the same time, we're both a little nervous about returning to normal life.

We've become so focused on taking care of him that it's hard to imagine doing anything else.

It's been a very difficult time, but there's nothing like having a clear purpose in life.

It's going to take some adjusting to go back to normal.

We're probably almost at the end of this blog.

Another Award

Great news. Enrique's building has won another award - this time from BusinessWeek and Architectural Record. I'm very proud.

If you go into a magazine store and pick up the current issue of Architectural Record you can see photos. There aren't any online, unfortunately.

One of the photos even shows the two of us. We're each about 1/4 inch high, but it's us.

Three Good Days

Enrique has had three good days in row.

His energy is much closer to normal. So are his moods. It's probably the result of getting used to his new hormones and healing from the second surgery. That's great news.

Unfortunately, he needs to go off his hormones for one week during his radiation therapy.

But, with a little bit of luck, that shouldn't effect him too much. It normally takes two weeks for changes in those hormones to have a noticeable effect.

Two Scans

This coming Wednesday, before his radiation therapy, Enrique will get a "before" scan to see if they can detect any remaining thyroid or cancer tissue in his body.

He'll get an "after" scan a week later.

The after scan will determine whether he'll need any additional treatment.

If they do detect remaining tissue in the second scan, it might mean repeating the radiation therapy or undergoing a different kind of treatment.

If they don't detect anything, it'll be time to open up some Champagne.

We're feeling good, and optimistic that the end is in sight.

The New Scar

It's been two weeks since the surgery. Yesterday Enrique took off his bandages by himself.

I think he was tired of getting stares - these bandages were much more noticeable than the first.

He looked a little shaken when he first saw the scar, but it isn't bad. To my amatuer eyes, it looks like the surgeon did a really good job.

The scar is now about 2.5 longer than it was after the first surgery. One side curves up a little bit like a "J."

There's still some redness, swelling, dried blook and bandage gunk. It'll look better in a month and even better in a year.

One this is for sure. Just like I said about the scar after the first surgery: it's certainly not going to distract from his good looks.

Fear and Hormones

It's freaking Enrique out a little bit to think about becoming radioactive. Who can blame him?

I think it's worse because of the hormones. He's definitely moodier and more easily frustrated. He's very emotional and also tires easily and gets dizzy if he stands up to quickly.

But overall, he's healing quite well.

I guess we feel like we're at the end of a long race. It's great to know that we're actually going to finish it, but we can't wait for the end to come.

The Low Iodine Diet

Right now Enrique is on another special diet: low-iodine. It's not as bad as the previous one. But he can't eat dairy, soy, seafood or anything with iodized salt or sea salt. He also has to limit his intake of meat.

It pretty much rules out any restaurant meal, because there's no way to be sure of the salt they're using.

By depriving his body of iodine, he'll make any remaining thryoid tissue in his body hungry to absorb iodine. That way, when he takes the radioactive iodine in 10 days, the tissue will suck it up and die - hopefully removing any bits of cancer that remain in his body.

One week after he takes the radioactive iodine he'll get a scan to determine if there's any cancer left.

Radiation Therapy

Enrique will start radiation therapy the day before Thanksgiving. It's supposed to be relatively painless and not very dangerous.

He'll be radioactive - literally - for around 3 days and will need to stay in the house and avoid any contact with children and women of childbearing age.

Apparently there is relatively little danger in me being around him as long as we don't spend too much time right next to each other.

But, Enrique is very concerned about me being exposed to radiation. So, he's going to spend Thanksgiving by himself in our apartment and I'll be with my parents.

I know its not a huge deal, but I find it a little heartbreaking.

Then I remind myself: he's from Mexico, so he doesn't care about Thanksgiving as much as I do.