My crazy thyroids :P

I shared not too long ago that I've been in a strange mood for a while and couldn't figure out why.  I'm not even sure how to explain how I've been feeling since I'm not even so sure what it is myself.  It's almost like looking at the world through this really dark and gloomy lens and even if you can always take it off, you choose not to.  It finally occurred to me that I've felt like this before, and it was actually right before I was diagnosed with Hyper-thyroids also known as Graves Disease.  

I was diagnosed about 10 years ago when I was having a really hard time keeping up with school while I was in my freshman year of college.  Our school nurse noticed that my father has the illness and since it is hereditary, she suggested that I get checked.  Sure enough, that's exactly what my problem was!  I was quickly put on medication and my symptoms were under control, but my doctor suggested that I get a radioactive iodine treatment done, so that my thyroids would no longer function and create any hormones and I could just take the hormone supplement everyday which is much safer than trying to block the hormone like what I am doing.  It seemed like such a permanent decision and destroying a part of my body really freaked me out, so it took 10 years for me to convince myself that everything is going to be ok and that it was ok to do it.

This past March, I took a blood test and saw my doctor to let her know that I was ready for the radioactive iodine, but then she told me that it looked like my thyroids were functioning normally for the first time in 10 years, so I was in remission!  

Several months later, it's become obvious that my illness is back and I'm no longer in remission, so it's time for me to make the dreaded decision again to get the radioactive treatment.  Gah!  I don't think I've ever realized until now just how important good health is.

In addition to good health, good grooming is also important!  :D  Here's a picture of Chibi getting all prettied up by my mother...