This morning we got up at the crack of dawn to get a PET scan for any signs of cancer elsewhere in the body. In preparation for this I had to eat protein and NO carbohydrates yesterday. Not an easy task seeing that most everything, including fruits and veggies, has carbs in it. I also couldn't exercise or be too active yesterday--I may or may not have taken advantage of that--I think that cleaning DEFINITELY could have put the results of this scan at risk so I resisted the temptation to mop the floor and do the laundry. The hospital had a new machine, 2-3 weeks old, and I was really happy because I guess the new machine cuts down radiation exposure by 1/3. I drank some stuff (radio isotope--maybe??) and got to lay in a dark room for about 40 minutes in a recliner to relax before the scan. Apparently it's important to be calm through this thing. The scan was not bad at all--it was quiet and I just closed my eyes and tried to be still and be as photogenic as possible.
We got the results back and it is GOOD NEWS! No other signs of cancer... I am taking things one day at a time so I hadn't worried too much about the results until after the scan, so it was nice to get the results back. Next week, we will take the information from the surgery (pathology updates on the surgery: No lymph nodes affected by the cancer--tumor actually 1.4 cm instead of 1.7 cm--receptor status pending) and the scan and the oncologist will come up with a treatment plan. The surgeon said that if I were older they would maybe not have to do chemo given the outcome of the surgery, but since I have a good 60+ years to live they would be more aggressive and do chemotherapy.
When the kids got home from school, they burst through the door and asked "How did the scan go?" I was kind of surprised that it was on their mind because we had not talked about it that much. They said that they prayed for me while they were at school. One of the positive things that has already come of this is I have watched each child become more compassionate. They have become more mindful of me and of one another. Carson is so tough that he sometimes has a hard time understanding why another person would cry over this or that---because if it happened to him he wouldn't cry!!! He has said, "Mom I am sorry you have to go through this" and has shown empathy. Hopefully Chad and I are becoming more compassionate and empathetic ( and less pathetic) as well...
When the kids got home from school, they burst through the door and asked "How did the scan go?" I was kind of surprised that it was on their mind because we had not talked about it that much. They said that they prayed for me while they were at school. One of the positive things that has already come of this is I have watched each child become more compassionate. They have become more mindful of me and of one another. Carson is so tough that he sometimes has a hard time understanding why another person would cry over this or that---because if it happened to him he wouldn't cry!!! He has said, "Mom I am sorry you have to go through this" and has shown empathy. Hopefully Chad and I are becoming more compassionate and empathetic ( and less pathetic) as well...
I am so glad that you are doing this blog. When I talked to you about the results yesterday, you left out all of these fun details. Love you!
ReplyDeleteThe laying in the recliner and dark room part sound nice, but unfortunately it ends there. Heidi and I were discussing how out of any of us you hate putting stuff in your body (like medicine or things that aren't good for you...)so it is ironic that you are having to drink things like radio-isotopes. Love you!
ReplyDeleteI see that I am 3rd in line of the sisters to comment...like Heidi said, I wasn't aware of all those details. That's why this blog is a good idea J! Love you so so much!!
ReplyDeleteJen, I'm normally not shy on making comments, but I think this is the first time I've tried to make one on a blog, so it may not work -and it's probably OK if it doesn't work! But I just want you to know that, while it's fresh on my mind, though I THOUGHT I knew the basic details of your PET scan, reading what you wrote helped me understand much better. So, this blog is even very helpful not only to family members hundreds of miles away, but to your father (1 mile away!), and I appreciate very much you taking the time to do this! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH JJ! Dad
ReplyDeleteJen! Hello! I have finally figured out how to become a "follower" of your blog, and have, of course, become one. I'm officially a groupie, though I have been unofficially ever since I was little! I love you so much! I also would like to tell all of the little Ron and Karens' out there, hello! I am glad you're doing this blog as well and I'm thinking and praying for you all the time. Keep your chins up!
ReplyDeleteI laughed about the photogenic part. Haha. I bet your insides would have won most photogenic for sure! I love what you said about your kids. They are sweet - a sweet Mom to learn from. Love you!
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