Today was my PET-CT. I've never had one of those, so this was uncharted territory for me. It's not a bad test. Prep is eating no carbs and fasting for 4-6 hours before being injected with radioactive glucose. I chose 6 hours. The protocol said 4, but it was worded funny. So I looked online and found 6 hours. First they check your fasting sugar...mine was 87. Then the injection. Then you rest in a dark space with no phone, no TV, no reading and no working or talking for one hour. That was admittedly nice.
While in the resting area, I overheard another patient being checked in. The tech said to him "you're so lucky to get this PET scan yet today. Normally we schedule weeks ahead, but the snow storm opened up some appointments." So I thought to myself - God sent the snow! That allowed me to get the pulmonary function test yesterday and the PET scan today! Maybe it even influenced getting tomorrow's appointment with the expert in the pulmonology department.
The test itself is easy - takes about 20 minutes of lying still on the board that goes in and out of the CT tube. No big deal...except you have to keep your arms over your head the whole time, and no wiggling. My arms really started to ache after about 15 minutes. I kept thinking of Jesus on the cross and how uncomfortable and painful He must have been...and this, in comparison, is nothing! Next thing I knew, I was finished and dismissed. I got a call from a dear friend from West New York, NJ (originally...now she's in the DC area) and we chatted about prayer, the Lord's intervention, the Communion of Saints, etc. It was just what I needed.
By this time, I was starving! I started fasting at 8:30 and it was now about 4:30. I headed over to the Canadian Honker and got a table for one. It was early, so I didn't feel bad taking up a whole table normally meant for two people. A cheddar burger, fried cheese curds and their chocolate raspberry cake was on the menu. But I wasn't that hungry. I ate about half the burger (no bun), half the cheese curds, a third of the cake, grabbed some to-go boxes and was on my way.
I chatted with Bob for a while and now I'm in my hotel room, expecting to chat with Miriam in a bit. I don't know what tomorrow holds. I see the provider at 2 p.m. Interestingly enough, the instructions say that in that clinic you may not wear anything scented...no perfume, no scented lotions, no scented deodorants, etc. - because it impacts how some of the other patients breathe! I love it! I hate strong scent! Headaches for me.
I decided, unlike my usual process, to NOT look at the PET scan results in the portal tonight. I'm not in my wheelhouse. If it were thyroid cancer, I'd be reading it. But this is a whole new ballgame...so I'll wait (impatiently) for the provider to explain everything to me tomorrow afternoon. I'm sure he'll have a game plan for me. I'm checking out of my hotel - being hopeful that I'll head home after the visit - at least as far as Des Moines tomorrow. But, I'm flexible and if he indicates that things are urgent, I'll check into a different hotel and stay the weekend. A different hotel because I've not been happy with the cleanliness level of this one (Holiday Inn Express). I extended check out until Noon. I'll head to Mayo early and pass time in the business center and the chapel. I always manage to find nice people wherever I go. So it will be good. As my mother would say: "Pray with confidence." That's what I'm doing.
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