I met with my Oncologist today to review my PET scan from this past Tuesday, and it was clean and clear with no evidence of disease present. Which is very good.
Per my Doctor:
"The PET scan is very good and exactly what you'd want to see, but it's not a microscope- so we highly recommend radiation."
And he's totally right. However because of my scan, I will have the minimal amount of radiation needed: 17 days, which should start around Wednesday or so next week (I'll know later today).
So this afternoon I'll have to go back to the hospital and hang out for a few hours getting fitted for my radiation stuff, and have a CT scan. I'll also know when I start radiation and what time I have to get up in the morning (I did request afternoon times though).
My doctor also showed me CT images taken on Tuesday of my lungs, which still show some residual spots from my pneumonia a few weeks ago. He said it would just take some time to clear, but my breathing was very good and should slowly improve over the next few weeks.
Me: I feel about as good as I did before I
started treatment
Doctor: Well I hope not, you had cancer and some tumors
before treatment
Me: Well yes, minus the cancer and giant lumps on my face
and neck
I can have my port taken out at anytime now, although doing so after radiation would be best. He's the conversation I had with my doctor regarding that:
Doctor: You can have your port taken out at any time, unless you're attached to it.
Me: I don't mind it, as long as it's not in me.
Doctor: (laughs) Well you can keep it in a jar on your desk.
Which I do plan on doing.
I was just thinking earlier I wonder what the radiation has been like for Dennis. My doc discussed with me a good possibility I will have radiation at the end of treatment. I figured there'd be something up here, so I rushed in to read. And you delivered! I wondered if you ended up using anti-anxiety medication during the fitting? That part sounds like it sucks, what is it like 2 hours. Is it 2 hours alone with your thoughts or can you listen to music? Have you used sleeping pills or anything like that since this all started?
ReplyDeleteThe fitting does suck. I didn't use anti-anxiety meds, as I'm not very claustrophobic, but still- it *totally* sucked. If anyone has even any slight anxiety with claustrophobia I'd recommend meds, and during radiation therapy too if you're wearing a mask. It was on my face for maybe 20 minutes as they fitted it. The whole prep for radiation took about about 2 hours though.
DeleteMy hospital does allow music though- bring in a MP3 player and you can listen to whatever you want.