Pet Scan Today...

Good Morning All!!! I'm up bright and early!!! Trying to drink my 2 full glasses of water on a completely empty stomach... I'm not much of a morning person to begin with... and I rarely eat much breakfast; let alone drink much. So, do try and down several glasses of water is somewhat of a task. But, hey... at least this one's not so bad... I've had to drink worse!!!
So, I thought I'd post a photo for those of you who have not been fortunate enough to experience a Pet Scan! This is what she looks like. The hospital actually has to bring it in a seperate trailer! It travels around... and the appointment takes several weeks in advance to schedule.
Luckily, this scan is relatively easy to prepare for and I will only be injected with a relatively small amount of radio-active dye today. I can't tell you how many times now, that I've actually been "Radio-active". The after taste isn't the best...that warm metalic taste on your tongue, and in your taste buds... kind of ruins things for a bit; but, it subsides. All will be well.
The process takes up several hours of your time. Overall, you learn to relax... (if you truly can, while enclosed in a tube that is magnified!!) ...and hope for the best. Today's scan is a full body ~ minus the brain. (Thank heavens...because I'm claustraphobic!) We are looking for tumour growth in my pelvis; which is where a small 7mm portion of cells were left after my last surgery ~ "unresectable" ~ they are on a major artery. We are also looking for any further evidence of disease or spread of the disease (scary thought, I must say).
I'm optimistic! Hopeful, and optimistic. Although, I would like to get this show on the road! It takes 8mm of tumour growth to show up on a scan ~ and the NIH (National Cancer Institue) is "waiting to see" ~ That's another one of those cancer terms...
"wait and see" ~ Now, that one, really racks the nerves!!! (lol)...
anyway, back to my train of thought... ahhh, yes... The NIH must have/"see" on a scan a "measurable" sign of disease before any treatment options can be discussed and decided upon. (It's a process)
In the meantime, I wait. I wait... to see... and hope and pray...that I have done the best and my body has tried the best... to keep the "beast" at bay. I'm ready to go... I'm ready to get my next dreeded treatment over with. I'm not going to lie... I'm not "really"; well, mentally ready... but, I'm getting there! She's going to be a rough one. 1 week of chemo, followed by 1 week of my (yes, my cancer cells grown in mass) put back in me, followed by 1 week of IL-2 (again...). A month long treatment, at which time, I will be admitted and staying at the NIH in Bethesda, MD.
I'm going to loose all my hair...without a doubt...it's inevitable, and that's really what's been bothering me the most... but, hey, I'll get over it! I'm really hoping and looking forward to getting some really COOL bandanna's and scarves!!!
That's what I've decided I'm going to wear ~ no wigs ~ no hats ~(for some odd reason, ball caps and hats give me terrible headaches). Anyway... if anyone has any really neat ideas, or have seen some sweat looking bandanna's or scarves... let me know. I'm the kinda' gal who likes to wear "stuff" that no one else has. I'm not a "status que" kinda' girl!!! LOL...
Better stop the rambling... time is coming near... got to go...