Merry Christmas Eve! and My PET Scan

Merry Christmas Eve, Everyone! Our journey to Chicago this morning was a breeze, made it to the parking garage in 44 minutes. Steven beat my old best time of 47 minutes on Memorial Day, when I was taking him for his first of five in-patient chemo/radiation treatments. I had time for a cigarette, so I stepped out of the car to smoke, and my honey stayed warm in the car patiently waiting. Then it was time to head over to the DCAM building for the usual pit stops before the appointment. Wow, I still had time for another cigarette, so like an idiot, back out into the cold to smoke. Steven, smartly, patiently, waited in the warm waiting area for me. Boy I love that man!! I also know he is patiently counting the hours until my final cigarette on Christmas night when I go to bed.

Took the elevator down to radiology and got signed in about 7:55 am. My PET scan appointment was scheduled for 9:00 am, but they told me to be there an hour early. Now I know that extra hour was to be spent poking me with yet another IV needle, this time to pump some radiation into my blood stream. Now to sit STILL (no reading, Kindle, phone) and wait 80 minutes, well I took a nap!

I woke as the tech was getting ready to remove the IV. Then he began to explain to me “the good news is I won’t be radioactive all day, so I can be around other people, but they advised against small babies and pregnant women”. What the heck is that about? Well I wasn't going anywhere today anyway, so I guess it doesn't matter.

Now entering the big, cold scanning room with the giant tube that I have become far too familiar with! I was smiling to myself, because I was smart enough to wear sweats and no bra so I didn't have to change into hospital garb. Another nice thing about University of Chicago is that they offer pre-warmed blankets, and I said, “Yes, please”! The PET scan was over in probably 20 minutes. This was the first time the machine was not barking breathing orders at me the whole time I was inside! The paperwork was already done, and this was our only appointment today, so we were free to leave!

The drive home was great, no backups or congestion! Traveling to Chicago for treatment would not be so bad if the roads and traffic were always like this. Oh, well. The next trip to Chicago is January 7, 2012 for Steven’s follow up appointments, and then my surgery on January 9, 2012.

I thank all of you for your support and prayers; they mean the world to us! I pray that all my friends and family have a most blessed Merry Christmas and most joyous of New Years!