July 15, 2026
There are days on a mission when progress isn’t measured by miles traveled, but by simply continuing.
Today was one of those days.
Mission Control scheduled my full-body nuclear medicine scan after yesterday’s radioactive tracer. I already knew what to expect from the room. Cold. Quiet. Long. I even decided to wear long pants this time after freezing during yesterday’s visit. Small adjustments become survival skills after a while.
The scan itself was the hardest part of the journey so far.
Lying perfectly still for what feels like forever gives your mind plenty of time to wander. Mine wandered toward Monday’s radioactive iodine treatment, wondering if everything would stay on schedule.
Sometimes the hardest part of healing isn’t the treatment.
It’s waiting to find out if the treatment can even happen.
After the scan I happened to meet a hospital administrator in the elevator. We talked about the communication gap between Stroger Hospital and Absolute Care, where I also receive treatment. It felt good to plant a seed that might help future patients. Even on difficult days, there are opportunities to leave a place a little better than you found it.
Back home, breakfast was simple. Oatmeal with maple syrup and coffee. Comfort food has become less about flavor and more about routine. Dinner continued the mission menu with mixed vegetables and sweet potatoes, followed by an ice-cold Mountain Dew Melon that somehow tasted like victory after a long day.
Then came the phone call.
My primary care office confirmed that my recent allergy testing showed allergies to shrimp, likely other shellfish, and sesame seeds. Not exactly the souvenir I expected from this adventure, but useful information all the same. Apparently the post-mission celebration won’t involve shrimp baskets.
The bigger concern was my thyroid hormone levels.
If they aren’t where they need to be, Monday’s radioactive iodine treatment may have to be delayed.
I’ll admit it.
That news landed hard.
After weeks of counting days, reading every label, rebuilding my pantry, and treating this Low Iodine Diet like a mission to Mars, the possibility of extending the countdown wasn’t what I wanted to hear.
But space missions aren’t canceled because of turbulence.
Sometimes the launch window simply moves.
Tonight I ended the day feeling tired, a little discouraged, and ready for answers. Tomorrow’s lab results will tell the story. Until then, the mission remains exactly what it has always been.
One day.
One meal.
One step.
Forward.
Mission Status
Mission Day: Sol 17
Status: Heavy heart. Steady course. Awaiting lab results before final approach to RIT. 🚀
