First Post Treatment PET

Joel4
Joel4 Member Posts: 263 Member
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Tomorrow morning I have my first post-treatment PET/CT scan. I had surgery in late April, SCC unknown Primary T0N1M0, and no rads or chemo.
My scans prior to surgery showed all sorts of activity in my left and right tonsil as well as a number of lymph nodes. Post surgery pathology revealed all negative except for the one lymph node with no extracapsular spread.
So I got a new dog two weeks ago, a 6 year old Chocolate Lab named Sasha, and I've been with her in the backyard yelling COME HERE SASHA!! like a million times. So I notice some pain in my throat and I wonder.....
I have had bad allergies this week with the post nasal drip and I feel some discomfort in my throat and I wonder...HMMM?
I have been nervous for this scan but I know that that is natural. My faith in Christ has gotten me this far and I have faith that all will be well. I get results on Monday and I'll be sure to post those here.

Comments

  • stevenl
    stevenl Member Posts: 587
    #2
    Don't Worry
    Hey Joel,

    It's probably just a cold or something simple. Keep positive thoughts and keep praying!
    My thoughts and prayers are with you also.

    Best,
    Steve
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #3
    Sounds Good So Far
    Joel,
    If we asked everyone on this site who doesn't get nervous at scan time to stand up, I'm sure most (including me), if not all of us would remain comfortably seated. Odd - I got my first post tx scan at the end of June, and I had post nasal drip a couple weeks before, too. Hmmmm. I'm sure it'll still be a really long weekend for you. Let us know. Do well.
  • miccmill
    miccmill Member Posts: 248
    #4
    Pam M said:

    Sounds Good So Far
    Joel,
    If we asked everyone on this site who doesn't get nervous at scan time to stand up, I'm sure most (including me), if not all of us would remain comfortably seated. Odd - I got my first post tx scan at the end of June, and I had post nasal drip a couple weeks before, too. Hmmmm. I'm sure it'll still be a really long weekend for you. Let us know. Do well.

    Thinking good thoughts
    and sending prayers and positive energy your way.
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #5
    miccmill said:

    Thinking good thoughts
    and sending prayers and positive energy your way.

    first
    PS/CT is the breeze, so soon after the C's battle with C&R. All will be well.

    Believe

    kcass
  • lady4darknight
    lady4darknight Member Posts: 90 Member
    #6
    Post Treatment Scans
    Joel, I get my post treatment scans on Tuesday and I am terrified. But unlike you I did have surgery with rads. I have had a horrible sore throat this week and so of course I have thought the worse. My 18 yr old son Max(in cap and gown in my pic) put it to me this way. he said "Mom, for 2 yrs you have never sneezed or had to deal with your allergies and for 2 weeks all you have done is sneezed and blown your nose. Quit worrying, it is all post nasal drip and it will be fine. I bet you never thought of that huh?" Leave it to a teenager to make you wake up and figure out the obvious. See, I have worn a trache for 2 years because my tumor completely blocked my airway. If I am sneezing and blowing now, that means I have an airway. I have to cover the hole in my trache to blow but I can breathe thru my nose with my trache capped. Something that hasn't happened in 2 years. I am still terrified but if I can breathe than I know my tumor has shrunk and that is progress. My cancer was stage 2 BOT and right tonsil with unknown primary and I had 5 surgeries before I did radiation. I am thinking positive right now because if everything goes right I may get to have my PEG and my trache removed and my son is going to take me floating to celebrate. Gives me something to look forward too. Please keep us informed to your results and know you are not alone being scared.
    Debbie
  • Joel4
    Joel4 Member Posts: 263 Member
    #7
    lady4darknight said:

    Post Treatment Scans
    Joel, I get my post treatment scans on Tuesday and I am terrified. But unlike you I did have surgery with rads. I have had a horrible sore throat this week and so of course I have thought the worse. My 18 yr old son Max(in cap and gown in my pic) put it to me this way. he said "Mom, for 2 yrs you have never sneezed or had to deal with your allergies and for 2 weeks all you have done is sneezed and blown your nose. Quit worrying, it is all post nasal drip and it will be fine. I bet you never thought of that huh?" Leave it to a teenager to make you wake up and figure out the obvious. See, I have worn a trache for 2 years because my tumor completely blocked my airway. If I am sneezing and blowing now, that means I have an airway. I have to cover the hole in my trache to blow but I can breathe thru my nose with my trache capped. Something that hasn't happened in 2 years. I am still terrified but if I can breathe than I know my tumor has shrunk and that is progress. My cancer was stage 2 BOT and right tonsil with unknown primary and I had 5 surgeries before I did radiation. I am thinking positive right now because if everything goes right I may get to have my PEG and my trache removed and my son is going to take me floating to celebrate. Gives me something to look forward too. Please keep us informed to your results and know you are not alone being scared.
    Debbie

    Scans
    Debbie, Wow you have been through so much more than I have. I will certainly pray that all goes well for you!
    Had the PET and CT scan on Friday. Sitting in the ez chair for an hour covered up in warm blankets doesn't sound so bad BUT that hour seems like it takes forever. Getting the contrast is probably my least favorite part of the ordeal but all that is a piece of cake compared to the waiting.
    I go to the ENT tomorrow for results. I kind of expect Ryan Seacrest to be there...."And the results of Joel's scans are in and.......will be available right after this commercial break!"
    I spent the weekend doing what I love most, hanging out with my family and photographing birds.
    Whatever the results tomorrow I will soldier on with the Lord at my side and all of you to lean on for support..
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #8
    Joel4 said:

    Scans
    Debbie, Wow you have been through so much more than I have. I will certainly pray that all goes well for you!
    Had the PET and CT scan on Friday. Sitting in the ez chair for an hour covered up in warm blankets doesn't sound so bad BUT that hour seems like it takes forever. Getting the contrast is probably my least favorite part of the ordeal but all that is a piece of cake compared to the waiting.
    I go to the ENT tomorrow for results. I kind of expect Ryan Seacrest to be there...."And the results of Joel's scans are in and.......will be available right after this commercial break!"
    I spent the weekend doing what I love most, hanging out with my family and photographing birds.
    Whatever the results tomorrow I will soldier on with the Lord at my side and all of you to lean on for support..

    Good vibes
    Sending the whiote light your way Joel. Hope you get that nice 'ALL CLEAR' form your Docs. Send the chills up your spine to hear those 2 words.

    Scam
  • Bigfuzzydoug
    Bigfuzzydoug Member Posts: 154
    #9
    Good luck on the 1st post-treatment PET/CT!
    May it be clean Clean CLEAN!

    It sounds like you're entering into what I call the fourth phase of cancer... The post-phase in which treatment is done and now you spend the next few years always wondering if it's truly gone or if it will come back. A good friend of mine who is a 9-yr breast cancer survivor says known of us have little headaches - we have brain tumors. Everyone else walks away happy for you, but you have to deal with the PTS of if it's truly gone for good. She says that fades over time.

    Here's hoping all you need is some Claritin. Good luck!
  • Joel4
    Joel4 Member Posts: 263 Member
    #10
    Bigfuzzydoug said:

    Good luck on the 1st post-treatment PET/CT!
    May it be clean Clean CLEAN!

    It sounds like you're entering into what I call the fourth phase of cancer... The post-phase in which treatment is done and now you spend the next few years always wondering if it's truly gone or if it will come back. A good friend of mine who is a 9-yr breast cancer survivor says known of us have little headaches - we have brain tumors. Everyone else walks away happy for you, but you have to deal with the PTS of if it's truly gone for good. She says that fades over time.

    Here's hoping all you need is some Claritin. Good luck!

    Thanks Guys
    Thanks for the encouraging words folks. I didn't quite get an all clear but they are not too concerned about what they did see.
    There were a couple of lymph nodes in the back right of my neck that showed up on the CT scan but they hardly lit up on the PET. My Oncologist believes they are due to allergies or a cold...he says it is highly unlikely cancer and felt no need to attempt a biopsy.
    He also noted my base of tongue was assymetrical but barely and is probably nothing...my first PET showed the same thing and a biopsy taken during surgery was negative.
    My scoping went horrible. They have not been a problem in the past but my nostril and throat were apparently inflammed and he had a hard time putting the tube in. It felt like a very bad toothache in my brain. We figure that is due to an allergy to our newly acquired dog...likely need to find a new home for her.
    So to sum it up I did not get an all clear but there was nothing there that there are too worried about. Not bad news I guess.

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