Latest blood test shows no cancer - yeah!

It's been quite a while since I posted.  I had the total thyroidectomy on November 1, 2013.  I went through the low iodine diet and the radioactive iodine in January of 2014.

Then I took off for the warmer climate of California and avoided a cold Wisconsin Febrary.  Awesome!

I just had the latest blood test to check Thryoglobulin levels.  Results show no sign of cancer.  I'm pretty happy about that!

Post low iodine diet and radioactive iodine

Following the low iodine diet and dose of radioactive iodine, today I had a scan to see the results.  The results could not have been better - no spreading of the disease, the cancer is gone!!

Day 16 - low iodine diet is done!

Theoretically, I was supposed to stay on the diet for 48 hours after taking the RAI pill.  I made it about 45 hours.  I decided that a little cream in my coffee and butter on my toast was not going to make that much difference!

I did splurge at lunch - bacon cheeseburger and fries.  Wow - tasted so good!

I will probably not be posting every day at this point.  I will post the results of my scan on Tuesday.  Then, I am off to southern California to spend one month away from winter... can't wait!

Low iodine diet - day 15

This is the last full day of the low iodine diet.  I remember thinking on day two that this day seemed so far off... I'm glad it's finally here.

Last night ended up being a "yo-yo" dinner.  ("You're on your own")  However, one of the kids did cut up a tomato for me, marinated in olive oil with a bit of shallot and garlic.  It was so good.  I used my homemade bread to soak up the olive oil.  That was dinner and it was plenty!  (Well, that and a glass of wine!)

This is also the day after I received the RAI (radioactive iodine.)  I've had no ill effects from the treatment.
I'm a bit concerned because I have sore spots on either side of my neck below my ears.  It could be that lymph nodes in that area have some of the thyroid cancer cells that have spread.  It could also be nothing, so I don't want to lose sleep over worrying about it.  My scan next week will tell the tale.

So, breakfast this morning - same old... scrambled egg whites and homemade bread, toasted.  Haven't made a decision about lunch or dinner yet.  I do have to make sure I drink plenty of fluids, so I haven't been terribly hungry.

Once I've made a meal plan with my son that will do the cooking, I'll let you know what the decision was for dinner.

Lunch is fresh cut veggies with lemon olive oil drizzled over.  A rice cake with my doctored up peanut butter, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.  It's very tasty.  We decided dinner will just be some roasted chicken breast and a side of either boiled potatoes or baked sweet potatoes.

Tomorrow morning I have to get a blood test as follow up to the RAI.  After the blood test I have no obligation to stay on this diet.  I was going to stop at the nearest coffee shop for a latte, then decided how silly that was - the lattes and mochas I make at home taste so much better!  I can wait long enough to make the drive home....

Low iodine diet - day 14

I received my radioactive iodine treatment about an hour ago.   Back home, no side effects.  I did get anti-nausea medication just in case.

I was nervous this morning, so I didn't eat much.  Just a half of a banana.  Now, of course, I am really hungry!  I am going to make the shake like drink from my pinterest page - LID tips and recipes

No idea what dinner is - I can't prepare food for the family.  I'll come up with an idea for Luke to make something.  I'll post later after we figure it out.

Low iodine diet - day 13

That spaghetti sauce was so good last night... that is going to be my regular sauce from now on.  So easy and delicious.

I actually had a change in breakfast today.  Plain rice cake with peanut butter and a little sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on.  I also had a banana, avocado and blueberry smoothie.  I'm so full!

I'm preparing to go in for the second Thyrogen injection.  I had no adverse reaction to the first.  I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel!

More to come...

Dinner tonight is beef short ribs.  They are currently braising in unsalted broth with shallots and garlic.  They smell delicious...

I've had no side effects from either day of the Thyrogen injections.  So happy about that.  Tomorrow is my radioactive iodine treatment.  48 hours later.... I am done with low iodine!

Low iodine diet - day 12

Today I have my first Thyrogen shot.  One shot today, one tomorrow, then the radioactive iodine treatment on Wednesday.  This low iodine diet makes you actually look forward to the RAI so you can go back to eating normally afterward.

Ok, it really hasn't been that awful.  I have found plenty to eat.  It makes me wonder if I am doing something wrong.

Tonight we will have spaghetti with homemade sauce.  I will use the leftover meatloaf from the other night as meatballs in the sauce.  That should be pretty good after it simmers for a couple hours.  I am making the sauce from roasted fresh tomatoes - eliminating the "can or no can" question on this diet.  The recipe is on my LID Pinterest page found here: Roasted tomato sauce

Lunch was leftover chicken and some fresh vegetables.  Oh, and a cookie.  Seriously - no wonder I haven't lost any weight!   See my earlier post for the no iodine chocolate chip cookie recipe.  They really are good.

Should I tell you what I had for breakfast?  Yep - scrambled egg whites and home made toasted bread.  With grape jelly, of course!

Low iodine diet - day 11

Yes, scrambled egg white for breakfast... I guess I must like them!

I went to see a movie yesterday ("Catching Fire").  I sneaked in with my own popcorn!!  What a rebel.  I popped it with peanut oil and sprinkled with non-iodized salt.  It was very good.

My husband made dinner.  Pork chops in the crock pot simmered in unsalted broth.  We had baked sweet potatoes and cooked some frozen corn.  (I love the packed ingredients: corn.)  I still have some chocolate chip cookies that I made earlier.  I put some in the freezer after I made the cookies, so I just take one or two out per day.  They will last long past this low iodine diet!

Low iodine diet - day 10

I didn't make any changes to breakfast this morning.... same as yesterday and the day before......

It's getting close to lunchtime.  Hmmmm..... I'll probably just scrounge, although I might make a peanut butter sandwich.  After all, I doctored up that natural salt free peanut butter, I may as well eat it!  Plus, I made a fresh loaf of bread yesterday, so it will be really good.

When I do make a loaf of bread, I slice it when it cools.  Then I separate the slices into bags and freeze - keeps the bread fresh and I don't have to make it as often.  Still, I was making a third loaf by day 9.... I never eat that much bread normally!  I did use some of the bread in yesterday's meatloaf.

Tonight I am roasting a chicken.  I will make mashed potatoes, gravy, etc.  The kind of meal that doesn't make you feel at all deprived.  It's important to make sure the chicken hasn't been processed with a brine - I was reading the packages when I went shopping.  Golden Plump chicken lists salt as an ingredient!  "Smart Chicken" - which is air chilled rather than dipping in cold salt water (with all the other chickens) - has no added ingredients.  I don't know how readily available it is in other areas.  This was my regular brand even before the LID, it just tastes better!

Low iodine diet - day 9

Day 9 was yesterday....

Breakfast - same scrambled egg whites, same latte with homemade almond milk.  Homemade bread toasted with grape jelly.  I need to get out of this rut!  I don't care for oatmeal, so that's out... but I do have some granola that looks pretty good.  I'll have to give that a try.

Lunch was leftover chicken from day 8.  Cut up with veggies and a little french dressing from they Thyca cookbook, it was like a chicken salad.  I also made a smoothie with blueberries, banana, avocado, almond milk and a little juice.  The unsalted potato chips mentioned earlier were an afternoon snack.  Those chips are great!

Last night for dinner, I made the meatloaf from the thyca cookbook.  It was better than expected.  Baked potatoes, green beans and the homemade bread rounded out the meal.

On to day 10!

Low iodine diet - day 8

This will be a quick one, I'm a day behind.

Breakfast was the scrambled egg white and toast with jelly.  (Homemade bread and jelly!)  I am tired of looking at white scrambled eggs, so I added two drops of yellow food coloring.  At least it was more pleasant to eat!  I've been making lattes with the almond milk.  It froths up quite nicely and the latte is pretty good.  The latte and tangerine juice rounded out breakfast.

Lunch was more of the leftover spaghetti - this time I remembered my non-iodized salt.  I also brought a bag of the unsalted chips.  Got a couple comments because I was salting my potato chips!   A clementine served for dessert.

For dinner, I sauteed chicken tenders, added a shallot and then made a pan sauce with some unsalted chicken broth, white wine, squeeze of lemon and a touch of brown sugar.  Pretty tasty.   We had rice and fresh cut veggies.  Also, Starburst has no red dye #3 or salt.... so I had some of those for dessert!

Low Iodine diet - day 7

I am working at home today.  Nothing but conference calls all day long, I couldn't see the point of driving into the office.  So, since I'm home, I can come up with something for dinner.....

Breakfast was a latte made with the chocolate and regular almond milk.  (Again, it's very good, but will never be a choice over milk and the ganache I use to make mochas.)   Along with that I had scrambled egg whites and a piece of toast from my homemade bread.  I had sliced some of the bread and put it in the freezer - but it is time to make another loaf.  It's so easy with my bread maker.

For lunch I had a smoothie made with avocado, banana, blueberries and orange juice.  It was delicious.  The avocado makes it really creamy, like it was made with milk.

For dinner, I made pork chops cooked in a sauce with apples and raisins.  I also made candied sweet potatoes.  Both were very good and can be found in the thyca cook book.  

Low iodine diet - day 6

Day 6 started with cereal for breakfast, accompanied by the homemade almond milk.  I went into the office to work today, the first time since I've been on the diet.  For lunch, I took leftover spaghetti from the other night, some tangerines and a couple of the chocolate chip cookies. I forgot to take non-iodized salt with lunch, and missed that on the spaghetti.

I had a salad for dinner, I made the french dressing from the thyca cookbook.  We had some steak leftover from the other night, so that was thinly sliced to top the salad.  (Greens and veggies).

Not a terribly exciting food day!

Low iodine diet - day 5

Last night for dinner I made the chicken with orzo that is included in the LID cookbook from the thyca.org site.   (Page 37!) Yesterday was a weird day, I was feeling off all day long.  I don't know if it's the diet or the change in the levothyroxine.  Today is better, but I still feel a bit off.  Just not in a good mood.

Breakfast today was cereal - did you know that some of the wheat biscuit type cereals (Like Mini wheats) are made without salt?  I had Strawberry frosted Mini Wheats with my homemade almond milk.  Not too shabby.  Lunch was leftover spaghetti from the other night.  I am already out of the plain almond milk I made.  I have another batch of almonds soaking for another batch this afternoon.

For dinner, we're having pot roast with mashed potatoes and gravy.  I used the Cook's Illustrated recipe for pot roast - making some minor adjustments for the LID.  I used the following stock to braise the roast:

I should probably be making my own - there just isn't the time.  Thank goodness there are unsalted stocks in the grocery store!

This is a nice comfort food dinner on a cold day.  With our wind chills getting to about 40 or 50 below zero today, this will be great!

Low iodine diet - day 4

I made the almond milk this morning, one cinnamon and vanilla flavored, the other is chocolate.  I mixed the two together and used it with my espresso to make a mocha.  It was fine and definitely drinkable, but will never become a substitute for a real mocha or latte.

This afternoon, I made chocolate chip cookies using the following ingredients:

The shortening is 100% palm oil and allowed on the LID.  Egg whites only, instead of whole eggs.
The cookies are actually really good!
Sweet tooth and chocolate cravings - satisfied!

Here are the cookies baked:

By the way, breakfast was the same as the last two days.  Tomorrow I will have salt free cereal and the almond milk.  (Just to shake things up a bit.)  I was planning on making a pot roast today, but I have run out of time.  I took some chicken breasts out of the freezer, and will find something to make with those.   Tomorrow is the deep chill in Madison (and all of the mid west!), with temperatures at about 25 below and wind chills at 50 below zero.  I will be working at home and pot roast sounds like just the thing on a day like that!

By the way, how great is it that alcohol is still allowed on the diet?  I've been drinking wine with dinner and hardly miss milk at all.... :)

Low iodine diet - day 3

Let's start with last night's dinner.  I made spaghetti sauce.  First I sauteed one shallot and a large clove of garlic in olive oil   I added about a half pound of ground beef and browned the meat.  To that, I added one container of salt free tomato sauce (Probably about 24 oz.) and a can of salt free diced tomatoes.  Add non-iodized salt, pepper, basil and oregano.   Let it simmer for at least an hour.  I served it with angel hair pasta.  It was delicious.

Breakfast this morning was a repeat of yesterday.  Scrambled egg whites and jellied toast made with homemade bread.  Later I just snacked on some of these items;

Tonight we're grilling t-bones, making baked potatoes and a side of corn.  (From frozen... January is not a good time for a LID!)

I am also soaking almonds overnight to make my own SALT FREE almond milk.  Tomorrow I shall have my coffee with milk and maybe even a latte!!  Use this site to make the almond milk.  I can't wait.

Low iodine diet - day 2

Low iodine diet - day 2
Last night, I ended up simply roasting the pork tenderloin.  Rubbed with olive oil, salt and peppered - it was still good.  I boiled some potatoes, and used a bit of olive oil and non-iodized salt on those.  Some of my homemade bread and a lot of fresh cut up veggies.  I made french dressing to serve with the veggies, the recipe is from the thyca website - LID Cookbook.  Pretty satisfying.  I had some orange sorbet later in the evening.

Started today with scrambled egg whites.  They were better than I thought they would be.  I also had a piece of the homemade bread toasted, with grape jelly.  Black coffee and tangerine juice.   I'm getting used to the coffee, had another cup without thinking twice.

Lunch was a repeat of yesterday - open face peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  A glass of tangerine juice again.  Some unsalted potato chips with my own non-iodized salt.  By the way, here is the site for the basic white bread recipe I made - Basic white bread recipe
It baked up beautifully in the bread machine, and it was so easy!

I haven't figured out dinner yet.  But if I get hungry later on, I am making an avocado blueberry smoothie.

Low Iodine diet - day one

January 2nd starts with low iodine diet and a new dosage of the synthetic thyroid replacement hormone I am taking.  Just as I suspected, the hardest part today has been coffee with no cream.  Plus, the new dosage of the synthroid is making me hungrier than usual.   So, this is what I have had today thus far.

Breakfast:
Banana/strawberry/orange juice smoothie
Black coffee with a little sugar
jelly sandwich with my homemade bread
The above was all before 10AM, like I said.... I was hungry.
Another cup of coffee with melted marshmallows.  A LID blogger said it made the coffee creamy.  It doesn't.

Lunch:
Peanut butter and jelly open face sandwich.  I used natural peanut butter with no added salt or sugar.  I put it in the blender and added sugar, salt and a little peanut oil.  Now it tastes good.
Grated carrot and apple salad with lemon juice topped off lunch.

By 2:30 I was hungry again.  Thank goodness for the best find ever - unsalted potato chips.  I just sprinkled non-iodized salt on each one.   I had that with a Coke Zero - most sodas are allowed on this diet.  Having a craving for something sweet, though.  Maybe an apple with the peanut butter....

Dinner tonight will be pork tenderloin.  I am not sure yet how I will fix it. I will make some home fries as a side dish.

So far, it seems like I will make it without feeling too deprived.