A Glowing Report

Walking back to the injection room in the back of the imaging center, my stomach growled.  Fortunately, the same nuclear medicine technician that performed my PET scan 2 months ago, briskly hustled several feet ahead of me, that he couldn’t hear it.  He prepped my arm for an IV and drew up the tube of blood to check my sugar level as I lay on the gurney with the heated blanket that warmed me after arriving through the chilly wind and driving rain.  After receiving my blood sugar result of 93 (normal fasting is 70-100), he injected the nuclear tracer into my arm and then promptly removed the IV.  Now, the waiting begins.  As I lay on the gurney playing games on my cell phone, my arms eventually tired of holding the phone in the air and my body succumbed to the warmth and I fell into a light sleep.  Naturally, after a day of a no-carbohydrate diet and 15 hours of no food at all, my dreams evolved around food and images of pizza, chocolate molten cake and raspberries swirled through my head.  Roughly 30 minutes later, the bliss ended as I walked back to the scanner machine. 

This time, they directed me to raise my arms overhead as if reaching for the sky in a yoga pose.  As the scanner moved me back and forth, my hands started to tingle.  This was not a position that I could stay in for long.  I was trying so hard to keep still, but my right shoulder actually started to shake.  “Was I really that weak in my arms and upper body,” I thought.  The next thoughts focused on trying to remain still for the imaging and trying to distract myself from this uncomfortable position.  “It will be over soon,” I kept repeating in my mind.  Then, I started thinking about what I would eat for lunch.  Again, food is the best distraction of all.  Eventually, the table started moving toward light and I heard the door open and knew that it was over.  Phew, I survived another one.  Putting my ring back on my finger, I gathered my glasses, watch and purse and returned to the waiting room, where fresh coffee awaited me.  Imaging centers and offices that provide coffee to their patients have a very special place in my heart, especially when they require you to fast in the morning.  Finally, I could devour the crushed granola bar that lay at the bottom of my purse (a remnant from our trip to California) as I sipped on my luscious java.

Since I was heading to review the images with my oncologist, I asked for a CD with my scan pictures.  Nearly 15 minutes later, the tech delivered the CD and off I drove, across the freeway, to the hospital.  I quickly found my way to the imaging reading room and asked the kind receptionist if I could meet with the radiologist who would be reading my scan.  After a brief wait, the radiologist escorted me back to the darkened cubicle where my images were displayed on a computer.  There were clear differences between the old and new scans.  Many of the enlarged lymph nodes were back to a normal size.  My spleen and abdominal lymph nodes no longer displayed the tracer.  My results, much like me, were glowing.  I immediately walked over to deliver the news to my oncologist and as we sat in the lobby with smiles on our faces, I couldn’t help but feel thankful and blessed once again for all the support, prayers and positive thoughts from friends, family, patients, coworkers and care providers.  God is good!

If God answers your prayer, He is increasing your FAITH.  If He delays, He is increasing your PATIENCE.   If He doesn’t answer, he has something better for you.  ~ Author unknown