PET Scan

wbcgaruss
wbcgaruss Member Posts: 2,464 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Just a quick update.

My condition has been generally stable and I am doing pretty good. I have leftover issues from treatment as we all do like dry mouth, neuropathy, diminished swallowing, some stiffness from radiation, and some of what happens with me like a rough morning getting started and a day every now and then just not feeling up to par has to do with aging also. Getting older so I can't blame it all on the cancer treatment anymore.

Well, my New ENT I have had since 2019 after my lymph node surgery and recovery at Hershey Hospital wanted me to get a PET scan after my last 6-month visit. Of course, I am scoped and checked every time I see him and he is pretty thorough checking me out. I asked him why he wanted me to get a PET scan because I really didn't think with my situation they would want me to get one again. He said they just like their patients to get one every once in a while. I have not had a PET since I can't remember when and never had one since I was with this ENT.

I wasn't too concerned because I was in the hospital in September of last year, about 10 months ago with a suspected retropharyngeal abscess and had CT scans with contrast of the H&N area and the chest and also due to the retropharyngeal abscess the spine team got involved and had me get an MRI also of the H&N area and all was clear at that time.

A retropharyngeal abscess is a collection of pus in the back of the throat. A retropharyngeal abscess is caused by a bacterial infection. Symptoms include difficulty and pain when swallowing, a fever, stiff neck, and noisy breathing. The diagnosis is based on symptoms and x-rays or computed tomography of the neck.

Well, anyway, I got my PET scan on Wednesday the 19th of July. And I wasn't too bugged by it because I have had so many scans by now but still there is always that little bit of scanxiety in the background that you have because of the concern for something showing up. I chatted with the young lady that was putting the radioactive dye in me and said I am not sure why the ENT wants me to get a PET scan in light of my scans 10 months ago and she said a lot of times the doctors just want a baseline scan on record.

I had my follow-up with my ENT the next day, Thursday the 20th of July, and Praise God the scan is all clear. So that was a load off my shoulders. There is nothing better for a cancer patient than to get a clear scan. It's like a clean slate.

So I am so thankful once again to have a clear scan and be NED and Unremarkable, so sweet.

I thank God for getting me through the toughest times of my life and getting me to where I am today and in the shape I'm in, it could be worse.

Wishing All of You Folks The Best

Take Care, God Bless-Russ

I celebrate--

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Comments

  • BertChen
    BertChen Member Posts: 20 Member
    #2

    Duuuude!

    You coulda said you were all good up front! I was getting anxiety just reading your story 🫣

    Now I know to be prepared for baseline scans the next time we move though 👍

  • wbcgaruss
    wbcgaruss Member Posts: 2,464 Member
    #3

    Hi, Bert, sorry to give you anxiety, didn't mean to. I guess I tell a story and think from my side at the same time and think people will want more details. Like how much time expired, why was this done, why would the doctor say that, etc and I try to cover too many bases, I will try to shorten things up.

    Thanks for reading and commenting.

    Take Care, God Bless-Russ

  • BertChen
    BertChen Member Posts: 20 Member
    #4
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1707350#Comment_1707350

    No, the story and details were good. Just say up front it's all good first 😁

    Some of these stories just make me worry about the road ahead of me 😔

  • wbcgaruss
    wbcgaruss Member Posts: 2,464 Member
    #5

    OK, Gotcha, I understand now.

    Take Care, God Bless-Russ

  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,034 Member
    #6

    Hi Russ,

    I am glad that everything turned out great for you. Thank you for all the knowledge you share here with new people and even us older members, always something new to learn. As you mentioned scanxiety is hard not to have when a sudden Pet scan is requested when we are back on cruise control once again.

    Remember, Don't count the days, make the days count.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

  • godzilla1964
    godzilla1964 Member Posts: 48 Member
    #7

    Congrats !!

  • Sportsfan957
    Sportsfan957 Member Posts: 6 Member
    #8

    Congrats on the PET scan. While my first post treatment CT scan of my throat and neck area came back great, I am still over a month away from my first PET scan post treatment. I will be so glad once it is done as I have a lot of anxiety just waiting and worrying if it spread outside my neck area.

  • wbcgaruss
    wbcgaruss Member Posts: 2,464 Member
    #9

    Thank you all for your congrats and well wishes.

    MarineE5 I love that line you posted "Don't count the days, make the days count."

    Thanks, Zilla. Appreciated.

    Sportsfan just try to put it in the back of your head about the PET scan and keep busy and don't think about it. That way you can minimize the anxiety a little bit. We can not get rid of it altogether but make it manageable.

    OK Everybody Take Care, God Bless-Russ

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