3 years

mp327 said:

Congratulations!

Hi Ann!

Congratulations on hitting the 3-year mark!  I am so happy for you and very glad to hear you are doing well.  I think your advice to anyone currently in treatment is spot-on.  During treatment, it's easy to think that life will never be normal again, but we know that after things heal up, life can be very good!

I wish you continued NED and good health in all regards and hope you'll check in with us now and then for an update.  Take good care! 

Thanks for your good wishes! My last check up (drs, lab, PET scan) was in November and all was well.  I have an appt with colorectal dr in May and with oncologist in June. Used to be the same month for both appts. My 3 year post treatment mark will be June 1, which also happened to be my first official day of early retirement. The end of treatment and the beginning of a new chapter - Lol!

The P.E.T. scan place I went to has closed. It was an independent facility. My oncologist referred me to them and the staff was so nice. Their referrals were down due to doctors having their own scan equipment now - big business. So I'll find out in June if I have to be scanned again. It does offer peace of mind.

Ann

tbuchi said:

Thank you for your advice.  I

Thank you for your advice.  I probably need to hear that because I am suppose be,on my last week and now machine down and I will not be done until.next Thursday. I am stage 3b and had faith but this week I have been down on my self due to know having a to have foley cath and still.have urge to pee and all I do is pee blood not in the cath and doctor dont know why.  I also have temp cholestomy bag. I was doing good until 6 wk now I have swelling swelling in pelvic area causing me to get cath. So it was good to hear some in couragement. Thank you

So sorry that you're going through a difficult time! Hopefully, things will get better soon and the doctor will find the cause of the bleeding. Ups and downs are normal.  I can relate to machine being down. However, it happened while I was being radiated. Had to lay on the hard surface for about 10 minutes until the machine rebooted. This happened twice.
While the machine is down, take the break to rest and relax - easier said than done.
Hope you feel better soon! Take care!

Ann

mp327 said:

Ann

You mentioned having to go to a different facility for future scans.  I hope you were able to obtain all of your films from the old facility before it closed or still can.  Having the written reports is not really enough for comparison between past and possible future scans.  Radiologists rely on the films, not narrative reports. 

Congratulations on all of your good news and your retirement!  I hope life is very good for you!

Hugs-

Martha 

I have the PET scan CDs. I was given a CD after each scan.

Ann

mp327 said:

Ann

Good job!

I have an expensive CD collection. Lol! Also have copies of written reports I requested from my oncologist along with lab results that I keep in a binder. Binder is getting kind of full.

Ann

eihtak said:

Azannie....

Congratulations on the 3yr mark, (I am at a similar point as you). Until now it never dawned on me to get CD's. I too have a binder with hard copies of my scans and a few other "memorable" reports. Its funny, it sits on a shelf with my school portfolio......both proof of experience!

May you (we all) continue to move forward in health.

Katheryn

Thanks! After my scan, I'd sit in the waiting room until the CD was made. It didn't take very long. I never looked at the CD on my computer. Wouldn't know what I was looking at anyway and it probably required special software. I just put them in my binder. My oncologist would tell me the results and then I'd request a  copy of the results before I left his office.

Ann

TraceyUSA said:

3 Years - Congratulations

It's always encouraging to hear this kind of good news!

 

I never knew you could get CDs of your scans.  I always got the reports, now I'll have to request the CDs.  There's always something to learn from the people on this board. 

I just assumed that everyone received a CD of their PET scan. I didn't even have to ask. They just gave me the CD. Maybe it depends on the facility. 

Ann