On Thursday, May 25th, I have to have a PET Scan and Bone Scan to see if there is cancer in any other parts of my body. Bob is out of town. Riley wants to accompany me. It gives her peace to be with me. Auntie Dee and Uncle Jerry meet us at the hospital. I'm glad they were there to sit with Riley as I had no idea how long the tests would take. And they did take some time.
I get called back first for the PET scan. I'm given FDG (Fluoro Deoxyglucose is a type of glucose (sugar). FDG is the most commonly radiopharmaceutical used in PET scans. It tastes god awful and of course I have to drink it within a certain amount of time. I am given a sucker to help offset the taste. Thank God for the sucker. Once I've completed the task, I'm sent back to the waiting room. I must wait an hour while the radioactive compound distributes throughout my body.
While waiting Uncle Jerry explains what will happen during my tests as he has had them. During the PET scan I will in a MRI type machine. I will just have to lay still. He did say that at one point I will feel heat from my groin to my throat. Heat from where to where? How hot? How long will it last? My mind goes into overdrive. Bring it back Carey. Stay present.
The hour is up and I'm off. I put a gown on and lay down into the machine. It looks like a slab that will move me into a tube. The test begins. While laying there, I go to my fallback, I begin to say the Our Father and Hail Mary. It brings me into calm. The technician speaks to me periodically and warns me of the heat to come. And it does. Zing! Streak of hotness from my groin up to my throat. It lasts nor more than 5 seconds. Test is done. On to the Bone Scan.
Since I'm the last test of the day and the office is virtually empty, we're all brought to the next test area. The technician offers to let my family in with me during the test. Uncle Jerry opts out. I don't blame him, he's already been through it.
Auntie Dee and Riley come with me. I'm to lie on a table and a machine will move over my body. It will come very close to my body. Okay, then, can you say claustophobic? The last test no problem, this one might prove a little more taxing.
Auntie Dee stays by the door. Riley stands near the machine where I can see her. The test begins. The machine moves over my lower body and works its way up. I close my eyes and breathe. And the prayers start.
The test takes about an hour. I'm done. These tests are important. They will tell if I have cancer anywhere else in my body. These tests will determine my plan of action. I'm finally wrapping my head around having breast cancer. Will I be able to handle it if it's elsewhere in my body? It's Thursday night, right before Memorial weekend. I won't get the results until Monday or Tuesday. Will I be able to stay present while waiting for the results? It fear it's going to be a long weekend.
After eating dinner with Auntie Dee and Uncle Jerry, Riley and I head home. I ask her what she thought about the test she witnessed. She told me she stood close to me so she could watch me and surround me in the white light of protection. I've always told my children I surround them in the white light of Christ for protection. And now my sweet giving daughter was doing that for me. Yes what I'm going through is horrendous but look at what gifts it gives me?
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