Scan

I just thought I would tell all of you out there that follow this blog and are not on facebook to hear the news that my scan was clear! Praise the Lord, nothing is wrong with me! I just have some unexplainable T3 and T4 levels when not on medicine. Now we know that for next year. I should never need a body scan again.

I'm jetting off to Lusaka at 5:30 my time. I'm 6 hours ahead of you in the United State. I will be joining my family for 40/40, where no computers are aloud. Don't expect to hear much is anything from us until Nov. 20th or so.

God bless,
Rita

40/40 and South Africa

My family has safely arrived in Lusaka, Zambia. 40/40 starts tomorrow. This is an orientation to life in Africa and how to witness to the Zambians.

I am in J'burg, South Africa. I was suppose to have a test on Monday. The technician was asking me all kinds of questions and found out that I don't need this test. Since my thyroid is out and I had cancer in it, and I had a big dose of radio active iodine, then I should be having a body scan. So they ordered a low dose of the iodine and I took that capsule on Tuesday afternoon. Tomorrow morning very early we will drive over to the hospital for a body scan. If all is alright, I will see my Dr. on Friday morning and come home (to Lusaka). If not they will order the big dose and admit me to the hospital for three days of isolation. They still admit you to the hospital for isolation in this country. Then I can go home on Monday.

Pray that the scan is clear, that they find nothing wrong with me.

God bless,
Rita
in South Africa

A Week of Waiting

I have spent the week in Lusaka all by myself. Which means Steve is having to cook, do laundry, and teach the kids there lessons, plus learn Bemba. Pray for him.

On Monday I flew in a Cessna 210 from Kasama Airport to Lusaka. The trip costs the same no matter how many people are in the plane. So the Adairs flew down with me. They needed something that runs their fans at night when there electric goes off from 12 - 6 am. It is very hot where they are. There were two pilots this time. So five adults and two children flew in this six seater. It was scarier - wondering if all that weight in such a little plane was going to get off the ground and stay in the air, but it did.

Once we landed in Lusaka, I was whisked straight away to the laboratory for blood work. The rest of this week has had me hanging out at the guest house in flat 4. I have been having wonderful quiet times - no children running around the house. I have been reading. I have spent more time on the computer than I probably have since setting foot in the country. I have also been eating a very boring diet. Low Iodine. I can't find uniodized salt here. So I have been eating oatmeal, no salt. That is OK, I don't put salt in my oatmeal anyways, but I eat it for breakfast and lunch. I'm getting tired of it. I made a big beef stew, no salt of course, and have been eating it for supper for the past two weeks. There is a cookbook, but when you don't have the salt you need why try cooking different things.

So tomorrow, Sunday, I fly to South Africa for a test on Monday afternoon. This test will show if something is growing in my thyroid area that shouldn't be. I will see the Doctor on Tues. If all is well, I fly home on Wed. On Thursday 40/40 starts. That is an African Orientation, blogging will not happen during that time as we are not allowed to take our computers. So it will be quiet here for about 30 days.

God bless,
Rita

Finding Our Children's Blood Types

It is best to know what ones blood type is before leaving the country. The easiest way to do that for an adult if to go give blood at the Red Cross. For a child it is a different story. The Doctor's office didn't do it with their physicals. We would have to pay the $20 co-pay for each child and then they didn't think insurance would cover that. We would need to call the insurance company first and check it out.


Our answer to the problem? Steve is a scientist!! He also worked in a vet hospital for years. When others were having a hard time getting an IV started on a kitten, he could do it. He did volunteer to start my IV for me when I was having surgery. It took them 8 times sticking me before they got it in. Maybe I should have let Steve do it after all.


So Steve bought 4 blood type kits on line for $31. That included the shipping. He sat down at the dinning room table and proceeded to find the blood types of our children. They make it really fool proof these days. All the chemicals are dried on the little card. You just at one drop of water to each circle and one drop of blood. Only one child cried, but I expected that. Not sure what he is going to do on the three shot days during orientation.


What is really interesting is the results. Tobias and Lane are kind of similar in personalities and mannerisms. Their blood type is the same. Heather and Seth are kind of similar in personalities and mannerisms too. Their blood types are the same also. I think that is pretty interesting. I'm curious how many other families out there with multiple children are seeing the same kind of results.


I can't give blood to any of my children and Steve can give blood to two of them. Tobias is over 100 lbs, so I guess he can give blood to Lane, not sure what Tobias will do.

God bless,
Rita for the Schwarzes
Still in South Carolina

Medical Approval

I have medical approval!!!! Email came today telling us so from IMB. The next three months are going to be a whirl wind. Lots to do.

What I deleted out of my Chistmas letter

I started writing my Christmas letter about two days before Christmas. I was two pages on my medical saga. So I rewrote it. Below is was I deleted for those who what to read about me.

I told you in last years Christmas letter about having heart problems and that I was seeing my old family Doctor here in SC in Jan. I did see him. After hearing my story of what was happening and about the doctors I visited in Louisville and without any tests, he declared that I was having classic anxiety attacks. He sent me home with three different medications to take, which I didn’t touch, except the one pill once. I was having one in the morning. The pill I took was for when you are having one. It calms you down. I having never in my life worked so hard to stay awake. How anyone takes that medicine and works at a job is beyond me. We researched it and decided he could be right at that time. We have since decided he jumped to a conclusion and should have don’t a lot more testing first to rule out anything else. It really doesn’t make sense. When I am having one there is nothing to be anxious about. My heart also pounds. I can take my pulse without feeling for it. My Endocrinologist sent me to a Cardiologist in September. He had me wear a halter monitor for 24 hours. Basically, my heart is beating properly even when I think it isn’t. He said, “His job is to ensure me that I am fine and will not be falling over dead.” My blood pressure is really too low to put me on anything anyways.

In February we went to what the International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Conference calls “Candidate Conference” in Richmond, VA. That was a week full of flying, interviews with lots of people, and a complete physical for both of us. Steve’s cholesterol was too high. We knew this and have been working on getting it lower. It was lower than it was before, but they wanted to see it lower. So for three months he was very good. He ate oatmeal for breakfast, cheerios for lunch, and I stayed away from any recipes that would add to the problem. He also took a lot of supplemental vitamins and such. It worked.

At my physical the doctor felt that my right thyroid lobe was enlarged. I had to have follow up with my family doctor here in SC. She couldn’t feel anything, the blood work was all normal. So she ordered a CT. That showed lumps. So off to a surgeon I went. It turns out he is a Christian and was a wonderful, caring doctor. He took out my thyroid. At my one week follow up visit the pathology report was back saying it was cancerous. So off to a cancer doctor I went. He only forwarded me on to an Endocrinologist. I have had to learn to spell all kinds of new words!! The cancer doctor did order a CT with iodine contrast which ended up being a mistake. No other cancer showed up in that CT which is good.

Treatment for thyroid cancer is to remove the thyroid, which we had already done. Next, is to go off your sinthyroid for four weeks and go on a low-iodine diet for two weeks. Then I took a small little sip of radio-active iodine. Because your thyroid needs iodine, mine was then iodine starved and the radio-active iodine goes straight to the area that the thyroid was, killing off any residue that is left of your thyroid.

I left the endocrinologist in June thinking that this would happen at the end of June. She discovered that CT with iodine contrast that I had. Because of that I had too much iodine in my system. We had to wait until the end of Aug. to do it. Our time table to go overseas seemed to keep changing every month or two.

I still need medical approval to move forward. My endocrinologist gave me approval October 20th. In November they informed me that I have had two blood tests with my platelets being too low. This has been low for years. We have known this. We wonder why they didn’t mention it earlier this year. Steve called Travel Health America (THA) several times in Nov. to see what we can do to move the medical approval process along. Last week Steve called THA again. He then called our candidate consult in Richmond to see what we need to do to move forward. We keep missing deadlines. Soon Tobias will be 13 and then he will need interviewed for us to go. On Friday we finally found out what we should do. They wanted copies of my cardiologists’ visits in Sept., another blood test for platelets, which I did on 12/16. Once they get these results and they are OK, then the IMB doctor will talk to the area rep to see if I can travel once a year for tests that I need. If he approves this travel then I will get medical approval.

Sometimes we wonder if the devil is doing everything in his power to discourage us. Other times – we know God has a plan and his timing is perfect. We are definitely called, but maybe we are not to go yet. Please keep us in our prayers. We want God perfect will and timing for our lives. Pray that we don’t get too discouraged through this process. As of right now I need medical approval before Christmas in order to do all that needs doing before Orientation starting April 20th. We could go to the next orientation. But if we miss that one, Tobias will need to be interviewed. We will probably start looking for a pastorate job in the states. I have to have tests once a year for the next five years. After I pass the five year mark healthy and the kids are out of the house, we could apply again. We will also consider going with another organization.


I seem to have taken most of this letter to write about me. I covet your prayers. This week I had more blood work done and my platelets and white blood cell counts are too low. So we are trying to get an appointment with a hematologist.

Since I wrote this letter I have been to a hematologist. My white blood cell count was back to normal. My platelets were lower yet, 112,000, but he looked at things under a microscope and decided that my platelets were large, thus giving a false low reading. We waited, not so patiently, for a letter to be transcribed from the hematologist. On Thursday it was fax to IMB. The Doctor there said that this letter is all he needs for me to get approval. Now we are just waiting for everything to go through Travel Health America. Although, THA was told this is a rush order please via IMB (not us).

So there you have it: My Medical Saga. Hopefully, something like this doesn't happen anytime soon in my life. I have had quite enough of seeing Doctors, there offices, and hospitals for now.

Medical Approval Still Pending

Travel Health American sent an email back wanting more information. My Doctor I think over explained everything that needed done in the next 5 years. I wanted a basic letter saying I can go. So they want to know if I can have my TSH level checked where I will be going and if a CT can be done on my neck. So we need to find this out. Plus, my platelets are low and so now I have to talk to the Doctor about that. My platelets have been low off and on for years. The thing is they knew this from my medical records from Richmond. I gave a copy of all the tests results done in Richmond to my family Doctor here in South Carolina and she commented they were low in March. The next blood test said they were fine, so nothing to worry about. My Doctor's words. So now we have to talk to the Doctor about that too. Sometimes, I wonder if it is ever going to end. Please pray that we would have patience. We know that it is all on God's hands and his timing is best.

Rita

Unoffical Medical Approval

My Doctor has given me medical approval. I said unofficial in the title because every thing still needs to be sent to Travel Health America and they give the final approval. That is our news of the day!!! I will update when it is official.

Rita

Body Scan

I had my body scan at 7:30 Am on Monday morning. Nothing too exciting. I laid on a table for 1 hour while this camera moved slowly down my whole body. It was as close to my forehead as it could get without touching me. Steve and the kids walked by once to see me. He said I was sleeping, actually I was praying, I figured it was as good as a time as any to be praying.

The results were: nothing anywhere else in my body - that is good and there was a significant amount of thyroid tissue left, but that was to be expected. The radio active iodine will kill it off.

I still don't feel up to par. I have been slowly trying to finish getting things together in this house and ready to start school next week. Awana started for us this past Sunday and I am the secretary. So I had a big order to place on Monday afternoon.

Home Again

I am back home with the family, but not feeling to great. I over did it cleaning on Thursday. I spent most of the week relaxing and reading books. I never did turn on the TV. On Wed. I tried to clean some but had no energy. Dad came over Thursday afternoon, brought a ladder and cleaned the lights and fans for me. I washed windows and blinds and then vacuumed.

Dad also did a lot of work over here at the house we are now living in this week. He washed all of my windows and put the storm windows back on the house. He also scrapped off all of the paint that was on the glass before he washed them. The front storm door now shuts properly. The side sliding glass door now opens with ease (this was worth his trip down). We were not sure what we were going to do with that door. It is the best door to go in and out to do the wash, especially when it is raining. He also installed a drip edge on the roof over the porch, hopefully this will help it not leak. It did rain and it did leak, but not what he fixed, somehow it is leaking behind the board. I think we need a heavy rain to see if it is an improvement or it there is more wrong up there.

Will post more after my body scan that I will receive on Monday. That will show what the radio active stuff did.

Rita

I have swollowed the medicine!

I went to the hospital out patience center at 10 AM this morning. Since I am a women I had to have a pregnancy test done first. That blood work took an hour and 15 minutes to be completed. Once Nuclear Medicine had the results (not pregnant) I was able to swallow the liquid medicine. It wasn't bigger than a sip. The vile it was in was flushed with water 3 or 4 times and I had to drink that water too. Then I was done. It took all of 5 minutes.

Now I am back in our old house, staying all by my self. One little sip of radio active stuff and you are in isolation for 5 days!!!!

Rita

Another Medical Update

On June 18th I saw Dr. Sandrin, my Endocrinologist. She was very knowledgeable and answered our many questions. I had been on an no iodine diet for two weeks and off my thyroid medicine for three weeks getting ready for the radioactive Iodine therapy and scans she would need to be doing. She wanted to know who ordered the scans. We had to explain to her that my surgeon was just helping us move the process along faster. So we left her office thinking that on June 30th I would be taking the radio active iodine.

Later, that day she called to say we cannot do it yet. Dr. Nelson had ordered a CT with contrast. That contrast is loaded with iodine. So now I cannot do the radio active iodine and the scans until the week of August 18th. So I am back on my medicine for three more weeks, before I have to go off of it again.

This pushes our schedule back again. She will not give me medical clearance until six weeks after all this is done. So, if the IMB board approves us to be missionaries, we wouldn't get to go to Richmond for training until April now instead of Jan. Our constultant with IMB, Mr. Dan Panter, called yesterday to say that he has been updated on our file and everything will just be on hold. As soon as I have medical clearance he will make is so that our file will go before the very next meeting of the board.

Rita

Medical Update

I went to my surgeon Dr. McLeod for my six week follow-up. He wanted to know what Dr. Nelson was doing. He is the oncologist. Dr. Nelson had me get CT scans of my neck and chest and referred me to Dr. Sandrin an Endocrinolist. At first I couldn't get an appointment until Aug. 25th. The receptionist making the appointment told me to call Dr. Nelson's office and explain what is going on. Sometimes Doctors talk and appointments get moved up. I now have an appointment for June 18th.

Dr. McLeod the surgeon wasn't sure why I was referred onto someone else. I was wondering why I even saw Dr. Nelson. Anyways, Dr. McLeod told me to stop taking my medicine and is getting me the info I need for a diet that I need to follow for about three weeks. Most likely the Endocrinolist will want to do a scan and I need to be off my medicine and on this diet for three weeks. So Dr. McLeod is helping speed up the process. So by the time June 18th comes around I will be ready for the next step and hopefully will not have to wait three more weeks.

Rita

Oncologist

Two posts ago, I said I was going to an Endocrinologist. I worked very hard (consulted a dictionary) to spell that word. That night I was telling my neighbor about what was going on in my life. My husband informed me that I was not going to an Endocrinologist, but that I was going to an Oncologist. Which makes sense. Oncologist know all about cancer, so that is where I am going on Thursday, May 8th.

Surgeries Comparied

Don't read if you don't like details and needles.

In June of 1996, I had my gallbladder taken out in the same hospital that I was just in to have my thyroid out. My cousin dropped me off at the front entrance of the hospital and I went in for surgery all by myself. Now you need to have a competent adult with you. Back then Steve had only been on the job for 1 ½ weeks and didn’t feel he could take off work. I remember having to get stuck twice before the nurse got the IV in. I remember going into the surgery room, getting on the table, and someone asking me are you asleep yet? No. Are you asleep yet? No. Are you asleep yet? No. I’m wondering when they are going to quit asking me that question. Then, Rita wake up. You need to wake up. I’m thinking no I don’t, this feels to good, leave me alone.

Fast forward to Monday, April 21. Steve and I walk go to the out patient building and up to the fourth floor to AM Procedures, wondering why there since my surgery is in the PM. No one was at the reception desk, just a sign to call this number and say that you are here. OK. We are called back to a room. I get in a lovely gown of purple. It has a nice liner inside that hooks up to a hose on the wall. So if you are cold, they can warm you right up. Two different nurses try to get and IV in with no success. I have my mother’s veins. Our worship pastor is with us and time seems to fly. I had to be there by 12:30 and surgery wasn’t until 3:00 PM. Around 2:00 I’m wheeled to the elevator and down 4 floors, through a maze of corridors to another elevator bay. Then Steve is given directions to the surgical waiting room and told to check in. I wheeled into the elevator and up one floor.

In the pre-surgery room (I’m sure it has a better name than that, but it is escaping me) my nurse gets all the info again. I have said my name and birthday two or three dozen times by the time I went home on Wed. She tries to put in the IV with no success. Up to this point in my life I have had five IV’s without problems, but you have to consider the last time I ate any food at this point was 17 hours ago, my last drink had been 5 ½ hours ago.

The nurse finds someone who might have better luck. She didn’t. So far all these people have been women bending over trying to do this. One lady did jack my bed up higher, as she was pregnant. They let my hand hang over the side of the bed and they bend over it trying to find a vein and insert a needle. They did numb each area first, but that involved a sting and a burn every time. That sting and burn was annoying, but I was glad for it. All I could feel was pressure from them probing; no numbing I think would have been more painful.

Finally, a man pulls up a chair and tries. For pulling up a chair – I give him a lot of credit. His eyes are finally at the level of my hands. He does get a vein on his second or third try. I don’t know which. I have 8 places where I was stuck to try and get an IV in and bruises. Two places were blow-outs, which makes for bigger bruises. Just this morning Steve said I look abused. I still have a bruise on my arm where they took blood when I pre-registered for surgery almost two weeks ago. It was a blow-out too! So 8 sticks and 5 people later I have an IV in and it is 2:50.

The man that pulled up the chair gave me a shot in my IV and said that this will only seem like a dream and will be funny. I don’t really remember much after that must have been pretty potent stuff. I don’t remember leaving that room and going to the surgical room. I do remember the cuffs on my legs starting to work. They help keep you from forming blood clots in your legs. I remember thinking, boy they feel good and someone saying, “She is still with us.” I don’t even remember the post surgical room.

Surgery Update

Surgery went fine and I got to come home on Wed. morning. I have been slowly getting around. Basically, I feel wiped out! This morning I went to the surgeon to have my stitch taken out, not fun. The report on what was in my thyroid was back. It was cancerous, but it was in the thyroid and not on the outside of the thyroid which means thy hopefully got it all. So now I have to go to an Endocrinologist to see what we need to do next. Please keep us in your prayers.