Every few days I call Dr. Chen’s nurse, Shelby, and give her an update on the Mayo visits. Always have to leave a voice mail, which is fine, and she often calls me back. I gave her the updates and then shared with her a little about how this time around I feel like my emotions are out of wack. Anger seems to be the real issue. In fact, Wednesday was bad…David even asked if he said or did something that made me angry and I told him just you breathing makes me angry!! LOL I can laugh at it now, but that day not so much. So Shelby is going to connect with the cancer support team at Park Nicollet and get some insights from them. I did Google Cancer and Anger and it is not uncommon for people to feel that way. When I went through the lymphoma treatment 10+ years ago, I don’t remember having this intense anger. But as I was walking Max I thought back then I was still working so I kept very busy during the day and I worked with all medical individuals so they were really helpful in answered questions that I may think of. Some Google sites said “just be positive”!!! Geezzz…don’t you think if I had an on/off switch that I would certainly use it?? The anger is better these last few days, so I know it is just something that I need to be aware of and make sure I WARN those around me!! 🙂
Scan
Friday we drove down to Mayo again for the PET scan. We also drove by the AirBNB we are renting and it seemed like a good area to go for walks with Max, and it has a garage which is nice just in case we get one of those S*** storms!! Thursday night Salty Maggie came over and we watched the 1980 move 9 to 5 which Salty Maggie had never seen…figures she was probably not even born yet!! It was really nice to sit and just laugh like crazy. And to think secretaries actually did some of that stuff like get their bosses coffee, buy presents for their family members….and the clothes and shoes!!! That was all laughable!
Back to the scan. I could not have any coffee in the morning before the scan! SCREAM!! And I knew I would have a headache so I took Tylenol when I got up. The scan was at 1 and we pulled into the parking ramp about 12:15….I hate being late so would much rather be early. You first have to prep by getting an IV with glucose and some radiation material …. I think I still glow at night … Then they ask you to rest for an hour. Well you are in this room with 3 other patients, although each your own cubby with a curtain, lights down low, reclining chair, heated blanket and heated chair….perfect for relaxing and they even encourage a nap. So I am sitting there just getting to the point where you know you are going to have a little cat nap when BAM the room door would open and a new patient would be getting settled in. Since I was the 1st of the 4 in our room that BAM happened pretty consistently. Finally with us all settled in for our cat nap and it was so, so quiet in there, and eye lids are getting heavy, I finally drifted off for a peaceful, restful can nap….and then BAM that door came open again. YIKES!!! And they say they don’t want you to have your phone so you are not distracted by it, but did they know about their BAMMING door!!!
Finally the hour “rest time” was done and I was taken off to the scanner. At least with a PET scan you don’t have to put on a hospital gown, although I do have to say Mayo has the BEST hospital gowns. You lay on the narrow bed and eventually are taken in to the scanner. Usually when you have most scans, the technologist talks to you every once in awhile. So they said ok we are starting now…and I was all inside the machine with my hands behind my head…and waited….and waited….and waited. Usually the tech will say something like 5 minutes left because I think PET scans are usually about 10 minutes…but nothing from the tech other than we are starting. So I waited…and waited…I was 100% sure they forgot about me. So I took my hand down slightly to look at the time so I knew I would check again in about 10 minutes and then say something. But when I moved my hand, all of the sudden the tech said “now Victoria remember to be still we only have about 2 minutes left” 🙂 If only he knew that I was thinking I had been forgotten!! That place was so busy with patients, I could understand how one could get forgotten.
So not sure when I will get results, but I did notice on my Mayo chart today that an appointment was added to my calendar to meet with the radiation oncologist on Monday after radiation so I assume she will update me with the results. Hopefully Larry the Lymph Node is just mad that Ted the Tumor is getting all the attention and he puffed up like a peacock and once Ted it addressed and gone, Larry will settle down.
Update to come when I get anything. 🙂
Dandy Ventures 