No.
Can’t think of anything I hate more…
with the possible exception of waiting for scan results.
But I can’t complain too much about the PET I got this morning, given that I have to basically throw a tantrum every time in order to get approved for one. It’s just that I have a little extra anxiety about getting the scan at this particular facility, because of what happened the first time I went there.
Everything seemed normal at the start, bit of a drive to the big, fancy, brand-new building (oh really, Group “We Can’t Afford to Pay for Your Scan” Health?), bit of a wait in the waiting room, but no real problems. Then the man came out to take me in for my appointment. We walked down a long hallway, through a door, down another long hallway, through another door, down another hallway, into an elevator, down several floors…ok, so the scanning room is really in the bowels of this place (haha..."bowels", see what I did there?), but that’s pretty normal for radiology stuff, right? Then he escorts me out one last door, and into…the parking lot. And in front of us is what appears to be a taco truck.
1st thought: Oooh, I can get a taco before I go! Awesome!
Then I notice the taco truck doesn’t have any windows.
2nd thought: Oh no! This guy is actually a serial killer who abducts unsuspecting cancer patients and dismembers them in his little silver trailer of horror…after giving them an unnecessary scan. A killer who likes to add insult to injury! (It is possible that I had been sitting at home watching way too many horror movies at this point in my life).
Guy notices the look on my face, says, so they didn’t explain to you that we have a subcontractor who comes once a week with a trailer to do the scans?
Oh. Heh…
Well, it’s good to know that I won’t end up stuffed in the trunk of a car in the Group Health parking garage.
But I’m sorry I won’t be getting a taco.
Think I'm blathering here...sorry. The scanxiety always gets the better of me. Hugs~AA
**Just got an email from my doc...NED! This makes 14 months of no cancer. I think it's finally time to get my port out. Can always get it put back in if needed. In October of 2011, I was in the hospital for palliative surgery for my metastatic cancer and things were looking very sucky...now I'm here. Definitely walking wounded, but alive. Gotta keep up the hope.
Joined: Mar 2010
Now it's time to take
Now it's time to take yourself out for a taco to make it all worthwhile!
Hugs,
Alice
Joined: Apr 2012
scans
The thing I don't like about scans is the contrast I have to drink before them. It gives me diarrhea for at least a day LOL
Joined: Mar 2010
For CT scans, there are 2 types of contrast
I can't tolerate the Gastrografin (the clear one, commonly mixed with Crystal Lite). Most people prefer that one, but I find that it makes me sick for about 5 days. I do better with the Barium, which gives me diarrhea for about 3 hours, starting almost immediately. However, 3 hours later, I'm fine. Most people have worse reactions to the barium. However, for me it is much better. It might be worth asking about trying the "other" contrast next time, to see if you tolerate it better.
Alice
Joined: Oct 2011
What I find odd
is that I have a PET/CT done, but they never have me drink the contrast. I just have the radioactive gunk injected into my veins. Seems like this might not make the Ct part of the scan as clear as it might be. Despite not drinking the goop, I still feel sick all day. Probably just nerves...or maybe not getting my morning coffee.
Joined: Dec 2012
This is wonderful news!!! It
This is wonderful news!!! It is so nice to hear stories like yours!
Judy
Joined: Jun 2006
aa
ahhhhh what wonderful news....couldn't be better.....yayyyyyyy
mags
Joined: Feb 2012
Wonderful!!!
So happy for you to hear this great news and so thankful. Whew! Just wonderful.
Sandy
Joined: Oct 2011
Great news
You deserve more than a taco!
That is a terrible experience.
I have had scans in picky areas. One of the waiting rooms was playing some murderer movie and I asked them to turn it off!
I hate the anxiety and seeing the looks on each patients faces and wondering what they are feeling.
Great news. Enjoy and the best to you!
I have learned recently to push more but I am on very high alert.
Barb
Joined: Oct 2012
happy happy happy
for you !!!!
zach
Joined: Apr 2011
That's what I was hoping to
That's what I was hoping to see. Way to go, Ann!
Joined: Jan 2010
Wonderful News!
So very happy for you and your great news.
May your NEDness continue for many many years to come.
Marie who loves kitties
Joined: Jun 2012
Congrats!!!
Congrats!!!
Joined: May 2012
AA
YAY! That just goes to show you never know. There is always hope. Congrats and may you always remain NED.
Sandy :)
Joined: Apr 2010
LMAO
Lovely description of your scan taco truck!!! Imagine my same surprise when that happened to me at our Dominican Hospital here. I was like, really??? OMGoodness, glad to know I've not been the only one. Love your description of it all, gave words to my thoughts about the whole thing with it being in a semi-trailer.
WONDERFUL UPDATE, whoooo hoooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You go girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Winter Marie
Joined: Sep 2012
Awesome news. So happy for
Awesome news. So happy for you. If I were you, I would re-think this whole dairy thing. Maybe you should do exactly what you've been doing for the past 14 months. If Steve is fortunate enough to get a surgery or procedure, he will definitely be taking cimetidine!
Congrats!
Chelsea
Joined: Oct 2011
That would be pretty funny...
(in a not-so-funny way) if I gave up the dairy, and BOOM! My cancer came back all of a sudden. Could probably get a job as a spokesperson for the National Dairy Association...
Joined: Sep 2012
awwwww....that is so
awwwww....that is so awsome!!!! That is just really great news for you!! YOU ROCK!! I agree...you need to have more than a taco for that news!!! Keep goin' girl!
Joined: Jul 2012
YAY!!!
Thank you so much for sharing your good news!! It's so important for us stage 4's to know NED is a possibility!! I HATE the scans too mostly because the iv needle is bigger and my poor veins don't want to co-operate anymore (plus I usually get a trainee who misses the first go). We use something called Telebrix instead of the redicat. It's tasteless and you mix it with a cup of water. Easy peeezy. I could never finish all the other stuff.
So glad you are clear!!!! Enjoy and CELEBRATE!!
Joined: Jul 2012
thanks
for the post. you had me laughing! congrats on being ned!!!
hugs
judy
Joined: Sep 2011
To funny
I was laughing reading your trip through the "bowels" just to get to the scanner. Great news on the results. Pray you stay NED forever. Jeff
Joined: Aug 2011
Awesome! I hate to say that I
Awesome! I hate to say that I have been to "the taco truck", strange but cool.
Joined: Oct 2012
Such good news. Happy for
Such good news. Happy for you....
Joined: Apr 2010
Wow!! NED!!! I am so very
Wow!! NED!!! I am so very happy for you!!!! :)
Joined: Oct 2011
Thank you, Cynthia...
I'm happy but it's always tempered by the sadness of knowing that too many good people came to the end of the journey way too young because of this wretched stuff. Makes my heart hurt.
Joined: Aug 2012
Great funny post and awesome
Great funny post and awesome news! :) Enjoy the weekend.
Joined: Feb 2011
Great news on the scans,
Great news on the scans, congratulations!!!! Seems those trailers outside of hospitals are getting more common!!! Our hospital has a large one, not sure what kind of scans are done there, the CT's are done in the hospital. But, I've heard people being directed out to the "trailer". It seems to be pretty permanent and doesn't go anywhere.
Joined: Jun 2009
Tacos? But, Hold the Cheese?
My old cancer center had a roach coach sitting outside the bldg too...they did MRI's in there...oh well, a room is a room...and a machine is a machine...
Now, the new place...they've got scanners all over the campus...and even different satellite locations...no temp bldgs allowed...
Congrats on the clear status! I've kept this last port in (3rd one) until I know something...usually when I had them pulled, I was maxed out on my plan and the surgery was free...having not met the out of pocket maxiumum since treatment ended...it would be out of pocket of course if I wanted to do it (which I would)...so I'll have to hold for awhile...even if I scan clean soon.
It just seems "Cheaper to Keep Her."
All smiles for you!
-Craig
Joined: Oct 2011
The cost will be the same for me whenever I have it done,
but what keeps me a little hesitant is that the last time I had it pulled out, I was back in the hospital for emergency surgery just three months later. I am seriously superstitious about having it out after that little episode.
Joined: Mar 2005
AA, you rock! Keep doing
AA, you rock! Keep doing what your doing! I've done some many CT's that I've lost count. CT don't bother me as much as waiting for the results. To borrow a verse from Tom Petty, "The waiting is the hardest part."
Buster
Joined: Oct 2011
That song has pretty much become my anthem...
although I do love all songs by Tom. Seeing him in concert is on my bucket list, but he's getting kind of old, so I think I better get on it!
Joined: Mar 2012
Happy Happy Happy for you
Enjoy and get that port out. I had mine taken out in the hospital - it was a happy day.
Do not let them convince you to have taken out in office.
I said it was put in while in the hospital when I was knocked out (Zzzzzz) and that is exactly how it's coming out!!
Joined: Oct 2011
I had my port taken out once before...
which was a bad move...had it back in for more chemo in the blink of an eye. But I had it done in clinic, while I was wide awake. Talk about disturbing! I could feel the doc pulling it out...have never wanted to be knocked out so much as at that moment. Will take that into consideration the next time around.
Joined: May 2012
Great news!!!!!!!!! Now go
Great news!!!!!!!!! Now go buy yourself a celebration taco! And thanks for making me laugh. lol I'm also now two weeks NED. Verified by surgery biopsy. Go NED, go NED, go NED. Actually I'm going to rephrase that! Stay NED, stay NED, stay NED! lol
Joined: Feb 2008
It's not every day that a
It's not every day that a post on here makes me laugh quite so much. I know you were anxiouis at the time, but that's a pretty funny story. And I'm SO glad your results were so wonderful!
*hugs*
Gail
Joined: Mar 2010
Congratulations
14 months - is that a record for you? Excellent news. Enjoy. Love your comments and attitude. From a fellow librarian.
Joined: Oct 2011
Yup...definitely a record!
I was having surgery about every 6 months there for a couple of years. Getting over a year for a break is pretty thrilling! I didn't know you were also a librarian. Do you work in a public library?
Joined: Mar 2010
I'm a library director
of a small public library in Illinois. I'm more of a manager than a librarian these days. How about you - public librarian? We're renovating a building for our new library. Exciting and stressful! Bet you don't miss your semi-annual surgeries.
Best, Vita
Joined: Nov 2011
Yea!! they say time heals all
Yea!! they say time heals all wounds..
So happy for you!
Joined: May 2011
Happy for You
So happy to hear the great news. I still have my port in at 2 years because my Onc. said I may need it. Hoping for both of us that we continue NED and do not need to use our ports. Congratulations.
NB
Joined: Oct 2011
Last time I had it taken out,
I had to have it back in within a few months, so leaving it in longer might not be a bad idea. But I want to wear tank tops this summer without that ugly thing sticking out!
Joined: Jun 2012
Congrats on such great news.
Congrats on such great news. Hoping some day I hear those words...
Joined: Oct 2011
Thank you, Tedd...
I hope you do too. Hope all of us do.
Joined: Oct 2011
Thank you, Tedd...
I hope you do too. Hope all of us do.