If you want to hear more about how God has blessed me then click here.   This Is My Story….                                           

Thank you….

This page will contain updates from me as I recover from surgery. Please check back often to read what is going on.

 Update from Mary John as of 12-16-08   Good news!

What’s Ahead:
This is what I have been told to expect for my surgery/recovery treatment time:

1. Surgery November 4.          
The 4 hour, delicate surgery will be performed at Duke Hospital sometime on Tuesday, November 4 by the Chief of Endoctrine Surgery. The typical hospital stay after this surgery is only one night. If there are cautions or concerns following the surgery, I will stay in Durham at my daughter’s house until I am cleared to come home. My sister, a physician, will be with me all week. Thyroid replacement doses begin.

2. Recovery from the surgery.             
I have been asked to not drive for two weeks and to rest my voice during this two week time. I go back for a followup visit with the surgeon one week after the surgery and that’s when he will set up the schedule for the radioactive iodine treatment. Throughout the surgery post-op, we’ll be working to get the right levels of thyroid replacement….I may feel like a slug or I could be hyper. Hmmmmmm …..

3. Radioactive Iodine Treatment:           Here is the very latest Update from Mary John as of 12-16-08
Three weeks after the surgery, I will need to go on a strict iodine-free diet. That means only fresh vegetables, fruit and meat during this period of time. Everything needs to be cooked fresh from home for each meal. The idea is to starve the body cells of iodine to maximize the treatment.

Approximately 5 weeks after the surgery, I will go back to Duke for a week of radioactive iodine treatments. This is the treatment that “seals the deal” and makes sure there is no more thyroid tissue in lymph nodes, etc. During this time, I am supposed to stay away from being with people until the radioactive agents work through my system. Interesting. I am hoping that this can be done the second week of December.

Home again and, God willing, all will be well for a happy Christmas with my family and a full resumption of my work.

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Phone: 704-873-6162 Fax: 704-873-8271 Email: sdumc@wnccumc.org
District Office Address: 941 Thomas Street, Statesville, NC 28677