Questions about RAI at WHC... anyone?

[Guest guest]

Hi there,

I am FINALLY due to have RAI in mid-Nov. I have been on Cytomel

since 9/21. My schedule is much like Anne's and was wondering if

everyone has this sort of schedule? Can others on this listserv that

have had RAI at the Washington Hospital Center answer a few questions

for me?

One of my main concerns is having to go up there so many times before

being admitted. When I went up there for the first time for my

appointment with Dr. Ringel, it took me THREE hours by

car/metro/shuttle bus. I CAN'T leave the house before 8:30 as my

kids have to get on the bus plus if I left before then, I would get

stuck in awful traffic which wouldn't get me to DC any faster (I live

in Fredericksburg, VA). I know that this is only a few days and it

only has to be done once a year, but I will have to do all of this by

myself and I am really concerned about how I will be feeling. My

mother-in-law will be here to care for my kids, my husband will be in

school full-time away from home for the week (in Baltimore; hence,

the reason my mother-in-law will be here helping me out) and my

neighbor who usually gets my kids off the bus if I am a little late

from appointments, will be SO close to having a baby there is a

possibility she won't be there for me to depend on. Okay, I suppose

I am finally getting a little nervous about all of this. The surgery

didn't bother me at all (knowing I would be horribly nauseas and

throwing up was something I wasn't looking forward to, but the

surgery itself didn't really bother me), but it seems that just

getting to the point of having the RAI is really beginning to stress

me out. I have read the tales of how people have felt when hypo and

wonder if I will be able to drive up I95 let alone making sure I am

getting on the right metro trains while being in that fog! (PS... I

DO NOT drive in DC.)

Okay with that vented, can anyone who has had RAI at WHC email me and

tell me about their experiences, please. I have been reading Anne's

list of things to take and I didn't realize that things would be

thrown away! I have read about people taking their laptops with

them... do they let you at WHC? I have a Palm PDA that I love

playing solitaire on... still dwelling on this throwing away thing.

I also didn't realize that socks and underwear as well as other

clothes would be thrown away!

Last but not least, I have read those of you who have had RAI

are " normally " isolated for two to four days. Dr. Ringel told me I

would just be in overnight. This shocked me and made me happy and

also worried. I DO have small children at home... 9yo, 7yo, 3yo.

Okay, I think that is all for now (you hope, right? hee hee) I have

to say that I am truly thankful for this listserv and all that have

befriended me when I have needed questions answered. I may not post

much, but I read all the time.

Thanks for everything in advance!

Nanette

dx pap car 5/2/01

tt 5/23/01

RAI 11/15/01 FINALLY!