PET Scan

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--