My husband went through that 2 years ago. He had to go on a special diet with no iodized salt and no milk products leading up to getting the RAI. I had to stay away from him in another room for a week, then keep arms length for another couple days. It was during our Anniversary too! Thank God that we had two bathrooms in our trailer. I think if we had children at home or only one bath, they would have kept him for a few days after the RAI, but they had him come home. Yet, I had to drive him home and make him set in the back. Alot of rules for your safety, but then they did stupid stuff, like not having another exit door. You had to leave through an extra long hallway right after taking the stuff, where we passed at least 50 or more people coming in to go to work. They said I couldn't use the same bathroom, and had to leave as soon as you took the stuff, but then the doc told him to stop at a mcd's on the way home to go to the bathroom. We lived an hours drive from the hospital.We didn't do it, of course, but they contradicted themselves on stuff. Your mother will also probably lose her taste and things might taste metallic for awhile, but that will gradually go away and things will get back to normal. Oh, she will also probably have to eat a piece of lemon every hour after coming home for 24 hours unless it is different where you are. It is to keep the salivary glands from damage from the RAI. Any cancer to me is bad, and everyone kept saying that if you get any, this is the kind to get and I thought that was awful, but I can see if now, as hubby says it is a piece of cake compared to chemo patients, etc. where they really get sick and have to keep enduring all the time. If you google thyroid cancer, it will probably direct you to a support group, if your mother wants it. I found some advice for hubby, but My hubby said it scared him more with all the conflicting advice. If you need to know anything else, feel free to email me.