#4, you probably drank or were injected with radioactive iodine-131 (I-131). Iodine concentrates in the thyroid, and since I-131 is radioactive, it irradiated and killed the diseased thyroid tissue while minimizing the dose to the rest of your body.

The I-131 didn't actually make *you* radioactive. But because it was physically present in your thyroid, anyone near you would also have been exposed to some of its radiation. Thats why you had to avoid your children for several days. I-131 has a half life of 8 days and is also slowly washed out of the body in saliva, urine and feces. That's why you could not share a bathroom with your family for a while.

#1 is a very real threat to life and health. Last year, my wife and I witnessed a terrible crash on I-5 in central California. By the time my wife (a nurse) crossed the median to assist, others had already dragged the victims from their cars. No doubt a lifetime of exposure to Hollywood and television made them fear imminent gasoline explosions (which didn't happen). They probably thought they were doing the right thing, and they simply didn't know that you should *never* move an accident victim unless it is absolutely necessary because of the severe risk of further damage to the spinal cord.