Waiting for scan results - ugh

taraHK
taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I had an MRI scan today. Now I'm waiting for the results. As many times as I have been through this (lost count!)...the waiting is so hard. Also (pardon me while I moan a while - we all have those days) -- those scans are just awful. Lying there in the tube, trying not to think about 'what if', drawing on every 'mental imagery' trick I know.....Came home, slept, and I have been shattered all day. Amazing how 'just' lying down can exhaust one ha ha.

I am anticipating nothing but good news -- the all clear. But the waiting is just hard.

So let me 'dedicate' this message to anyone else waiting for results -- right now or soon -- let's hang in there together.

Meanwhile, your prayers and best wishes are most welcome....my dear friends

Tara

Comments

  • tiny one
    tiny one Member Posts: 465 Member
    scan results
    I know just how you feel. It's emotionally exhausting worrying until you get the results. Saying prayers for you. Today 2 years ago I had my resection. I had no idea what a big change my life would take when I woke up from this surgery. I'm here now and doing very well. Some days are hard still. This board has been so helpful. We'll all worry with you until you get the results. God bless.
  • Denise1966
    Denise1966 Member Posts: 90
    tiny one said:

    scan results
    I know just how you feel. It's emotionally exhausting worrying until you get the results. Saying prayers for you. Today 2 years ago I had my resection. I had no idea what a big change my life would take when I woke up from this surgery. I'm here now and doing very well. Some days are hard still. This board has been so helpful. We'll all worry with you until you get the results. God bless.

    Boy, do I understand how you feel! I just made my appointment yesterday for my first CT scan after chemo and I already have butterflies in my stomach. I can already see how I'll feel next week when I go in. Praying for an all clear for you, for me and everybody else going through this.

    Hugs,
    Denise
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    prayers
    For comfort and peace for you and good results when they come in!
    mary
  • rrob
    rrob Member Posts: 158
    Scan results
    Tara,

    Good luck on your scan results. Every time I have to wait for mine, I'm so anxious it's almost overwhelming. When I was still doing my chemo, I did massage therapy through a non-profit affiliated with our local Cancer Care. Sloan Kettering did a study and found that massage therapy helped reduce anxiety, depression, nausea, etc., of chemo patients, so I tried it and it really helped. After one session, I had asked my massage therapist to pray for my upcoming scans. She told me that at her church they have a prayer list, but the way her church prays is to thank God for what you're praying for as if it's already happened. In other words, her prayer for me was "Thank you, God, for Rebecca's NED scan results." I thought that was a really neat idea! Just wanted to pass it on. Thank you, God, for Tara's NED scan results. Have a good day and do something really nice for yourself. You might try a massage!

    Rebecca
  • ldot123
    ldot123 Member Posts: 272
    rrob said:

    Scan results
    Tara,

    Good luck on your scan results. Every time I have to wait for mine, I'm so anxious it's almost overwhelming. When I was still doing my chemo, I did massage therapy through a non-profit affiliated with our local Cancer Care. Sloan Kettering did a study and found that massage therapy helped reduce anxiety, depression, nausea, etc., of chemo patients, so I tried it and it really helped. After one session, I had asked my massage therapist to pray for my upcoming scans. She told me that at her church they have a prayer list, but the way her church prays is to thank God for what you're praying for as if it's already happened. In other words, her prayer for me was "Thank you, God, for Rebecca's NED scan results." I thought that was a really neat idea! Just wanted to pass it on. Thank you, God, for Tara's NED scan results. Have a good day and do something really nice for yourself. You might try a massage!

    Rebecca

    Same here
    I think everyone can relate to what you are going through. I have to go for another CT scan in March to determine if there are any changes to a couple of very tiny tiny things that showed up on the last scan. Doctor said he was not worried about- thought it is probably scar tissue from radiation years back and that he was just being safe. All you can do is carry on like everything is fine. I know I feel OK - just that whenever you get that odd ache or pain you go hmmm..

    Hang in there kiddo. You will be fine. Lance
  • dixchi
    dixchi Member Posts: 431
    ldot123 said:

    Same here
    I think everyone can relate to what you are going through. I have to go for another CT scan in March to determine if there are any changes to a couple of very tiny tiny things that showed up on the last scan. Doctor said he was not worried about- thought it is probably scar tissue from radiation years back and that he was just being safe. All you can do is carry on like everything is fine. I know I feel OK - just that whenever you get that odd ache or pain you go hmmm..

    Hang in there kiddo. You will be fine. Lance

    Familiar
    what familiar territory this is.......the anxiety....sometimes if I say
    to myseslf "let me be able to accept and deal with whatever the results
    are" I for some reason get a more calming effect on the butterflies in
    my stomach than when I say "let it be good results". It is like not
    resisting so much in my mind but relaxing and accepting whatever it is.
    It is hard to do but I have been working on it. sometimes it is just
    a fleeting moment but if I keep working on it maybe it will stay longer.

    Hugs,
    Barbara
  • PamPam2
    PamPam2 Member Posts: 370 Member
    ldot123 said:

    Same here
    I think everyone can relate to what you are going through. I have to go for another CT scan in March to determine if there are any changes to a couple of very tiny tiny things that showed up on the last scan. Doctor said he was not worried about- thought it is probably scar tissue from radiation years back and that he was just being safe. All you can do is carry on like everything is fine. I know I feel OK - just that whenever you get that odd ache or pain you go hmmm..

    Hang in there kiddo. You will be fine. Lance

    scan results
    Oh yes. Going for PET scans tomorrow, CT, ultra sound and mammogram all came back abnormal last week, so it's off for my first PET tomorrow. This time the nerves have really kicked in,been NED for almost 4 years. I am taking my Zanex now believe you me! I think the fear and apprehesion is almost universal for all us survivors. Wish me luck, as I wish each and everyone. Pam
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    dixchi said:

    Familiar
    what familiar territory this is.......the anxiety....sometimes if I say
    to myseslf "let me be able to accept and deal with whatever the results
    are" I for some reason get a more calming effect on the butterflies in
    my stomach than when I say "let it be good results". It is like not
    resisting so much in my mind but relaxing and accepting whatever it is.
    It is hard to do but I have been working on it. sometimes it is just
    a fleeting moment but if I keep working on it maybe it will stay longer.

    Hugs,
    Barbara

    Thats the best way........
    To say I will accept whatever it is instead of please oh please ...It got to easy for me in the beginning to build myself up to a point if anything went awry then I was crushed so I decided that the only way to handle it was to take whatever it was and go with it. The letdown after building up my hopes was as hard hitting as anything else. The "whatever it is I'll go with it" is the easiest and best way to go into this. There is no letdown that way with a disease that turns a different corner on every whim..........
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    The Waiting is the Hardest Part
    As the Tom Petty song goes...

    Every day you see one more card
    You take it on faith, you take it to the heart
    The waiting is the hardest part


    Best wishes for great scan results. I certainly know the feeling as does everyone on this site I would imagine. I have a CT scan in about 2 weeks. I have no idea what number it is but it's somewhat important because I will see if my adjusted chemo (Erbitux only, no CPT11) is keeping things stable. If it is, then I will stay on that. If not, back to my favorite...CPT11.

    Looking forward to hearing your great news
    -phil
  • mom_2_3
    mom_2_3 Member Posts: 953 Member
    Best wishes
    Best wishes and strong thoughts to you. The waiting is the the absolute toughest part but I am hoping that you will hear "all clear" again!!
  • dorookie
    dorookie Member Posts: 1,731 Member
    Me Too
    I had my PET scan today as well. I dont see my ONC until the 25th, guess that is when I will get my results. I too am expecting good news, but there is always that little devil in the back of your mind saying it might have come back, or what if it has come back. I try to ignore those thoughts but they are there. Good luck on your waiting too, your not alone..

    God Bless
    Beth
  • taraHK
    taraHK Member Posts: 1,952 Member
    thanks
    Thank you all for these words. There are some great suggestions here (including pharmaceuticals ha!). I take strength in this -- thanks. Thinking of those others also waiting.....

    Love,
    Tara
  • polarprincess
    polarprincess Member Posts: 202
    me too
    i feel your pain!! My first scans are tomorrow
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    rrob said:

    Scan results
    Tara,

    Good luck on your scan results. Every time I have to wait for mine, I'm so anxious it's almost overwhelming. When I was still doing my chemo, I did massage therapy through a non-profit affiliated with our local Cancer Care. Sloan Kettering did a study and found that massage therapy helped reduce anxiety, depression, nausea, etc., of chemo patients, so I tried it and it really helped. After one session, I had asked my massage therapist to pray for my upcoming scans. She told me that at her church they have a prayer list, but the way her church prays is to thank God for what you're praying for as if it's already happened. In other words, her prayer for me was "Thank you, God, for Rebecca's NED scan results." I thought that was a really neat idea! Just wanted to pass it on. Thank you, God, for Tara's NED scan results. Have a good day and do something really nice for yourself. You might try a massage!

    Rebecca

    Prayer works
    I had a similar experience when I was in the hospital the night before my colon resection. A friend from my circle in church brought her sister in-law to see me, and the sister in-law (never met her before that)asked if she could pray for me. I said yes, of course, and her prayer was that God would let that cancer be OUT of my body. Had the surgery the next morning, was eventually found to be Stage 1, clean since then. I believe prayer works! And, Tara, we're all praying for you.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • pamness
    pamness Member Posts: 524 Member
    PamPam2 said:

    scan results
    Oh yes. Going for PET scans tomorrow, CT, ultra sound and mammogram all came back abnormal last week, so it's off for my first PET tomorrow. This time the nerves have really kicked in,been NED for almost 4 years. I am taking my Zanex now believe you me! I think the fear and apprehesion is almost universal for all us survivors. Wish me luck, as I wish each and everyone. Pam

    My name is Pam, also
    I know just how you feel. My CEA is never normal and I get scanned every time I turn around, the anxiety waiting for results is awful.

    I wish you all the best.

    Take the meds - that is what they are there for.

    Pam
  • pamness
    pamness Member Posts: 524 Member
    Waiting for test results - is awful
    I often wonder if they can't come up with some way to do the results without waiting.

    When I have a colonoscopy - they tell me the results right away (of course, this was how I found out I had colon cancer.)

    Some cancer centers give CT results the same day - I am treated at Mass. General and they do not - but I only have to wait 24 to 36 hours.

    The CEA test - mine has bee odd - takes at least 24 hours to process.

    None of this is fun. Can't they find a better way?

    Pam
  • impactzone
    impactzone Member Posts: 551 Member
    I'm so there with
    I'm so there with you...
    Chip
  • maglets
    maglets Member Posts: 2,576 Member

    I'm so there with
    I'm so there with you...
    Chip

    test results
    We are all with you Tara....waiting and waiting.....our CEA results take 2 weeks because they go to a lab in a city about 100 miles away. Sometimes we can get ct scans right away (if you happen to run into the radiologist in the hall) I like to think of it as a merry-go-round ...we all get on and go up and down and some of us get off for a bit and some go round and round

    Sorry...it`s snowing here like blases again

    Must be cabin fever setting in:):):)
    Best to all
    Mags