Another scan

Darn! Just when I thought I was out of the woods, I find out I have to have another body scan. Dr. K, my newest doctor (the one who took the place of my primary surgeon), suggested the first time I saw him a month or so ago that he wanted a PET scan, in addition to a CT. So I thought both would be done at the same time. Problem is, nobody ever actually scheduled the PET, so all I got was the CT, which looked fine.

So, after I saw my oncologist, Dr. W-G, and heard that all was well, I asked her if I needed the PET. She didn't think so, but told me to call Dr. K to see if he still wanted it. So I called and talked to his assistant, who said she would "make sure he sees the CT" and let me know.

Well, a few days ago she called back and said that, yeah, he still wants it. Even though the CT looked good, the PET is better for the kind of cancer I had, she told me. The PET (Position Emission Tomography) looks at the body's functional processes, such as tumor metabolic activity -- something no other test does. For the test, I'll be injected with a radioactive sugar, FDG, which is taken up by cells that use sugar, such as cancer cells. So it will actually be a better way to determine if any cancer is still there.

The test is scheduled for 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at Barnes-Jewish West, and should take about two hours.

Please pray that the PET also shows no cancer, and that I am truly "cancer-free."

Until next time ...
P