I'm Radioactive

So today was the infamous, ever distressing and elusive PET/CT. When this morning came, I couldn't believe that I was actually having it today. Mind you, that on two other occasions I thought I was going to have this test, neither of which came to fruition, much to my stomach's dismay.  I guess the third time's the charm.

The difficult thing about the Positron Emission Tomography CT scan is that it involves a lot of preparation, both mental and physical! The night before you have to eat a high protein dinner, stay very warm, make sure you don't exercise within 24 hours of the test and the most important, and obviously the most difficult, consume no fluids, food or sugar after midnight.

I was well on my way to a successful test with a full belly of Smith and Wollensky filet mignon until I woke up this morning and all I wanted was water, juice, coffee - any fluid would have fit the bill. Needless to say, that wasn't in my cards. I knew that things were going to get a bit shaken up as I was walking out of the house, my stomach was grumbling and I was feeling a bit woosy from the pain medicine.

Our trip through radiology registration was very quick and within minutes I was being setup for an IV and told that I would have to drink two and a half bottles of a delicious, paste-like pina colada wannabe sugar agent and then would need to wait another 60+ minutes before the test would even begin. As I was processing all of this riveting information I began to cold sweat, proceeded by nausea, lightheadedness and then the compulsion to pass out in the room all while the technician was trying to finish my IV. This escapade then resulted a nurse having to come to check me out to make sure it wasn't anything "serious."

Finally, the technician walked in with the steel box full of radioactive IV liquid that he proceeded to push through my poor bruised veins. If all of this wasn't enough, I had another hour to wait before the 45 to 50 minute test even began.

After a nice nap, I had to put myself back on the defensive for the test knowing that I was going to spend the next hour completely still in a small tube. I'm not sure if any of you have had a CT scan, but an integral part of it is that they inject you with a dye contrast which happens to make you very warm, allllll over, and typically feels like you have peed your pants.

After CT scan number one, I think I could have done without that feeling ever again. How lucky was I that today, I got the dye contrast TWICE - this dye must have been stronger or something because the burning, warm sensation streamed through my entire body including my esophagus, belly and the waist down which obviously made me feel like I had peed. It was so dreadful.

Thankfully it is all over and I am apparently no longer radioactive - at least I don't think so...

Tomorrow is a big day, treatment one begins. Expect another post soon.

xoxox

T