A Morning at the HCI Spa?

On Thursday (May 1st) I spent the morning at HCI "Spa" for a PET scan. This is an interesting study that is designed to identify if you have other cancer cells floating around or settled in other parts of your body. The idea is that you check in at the Radiation Dept. and they inject some kind of radioactive material that circulates throughout your body and would attach to any cancer cells within your body so that they would "twinkle" as you go through the scanner. The reason for the scan was to decide if chemotherapy would be helpful - or not. If there was "twinkling" - I would be considered a Stage 4, and no chemo would be helpful. Hm . . . 

So after the radioactive material is injected, you sit in a nice, comfy recliner swathed in warm blankets, in a darkened room, drinking your pina colada (ok, it's really radioactive contrast material that they tried to flavor as "wild berry"), and you're told to not read, play with your phone, and don't think too hard . . . just relax for the next 90 minutes! That is actually pretty hard for me. The only "spa experience" I missed was the massage! Then they come and put you in the scanner where you can have another relaxing nap for about 25 minutes (the bed not quite as comfy as the recliner). What a deal! 

Happily, the results of the scan are that nothing twinkled! That means I can move forward with chemo. So Monday I am scheduled to have a port-a-cath placed under my left clavicle. I hear it will become my "best friend." I am excited because this will eliminate difficult blood draws and IV starts. I have pretty paltry, pathetic veins (they used the one in my foot/ankle for surgery last month - but can't use that for chemo). I am scheduled to start chemo on Tuesday, May 13th: 4 rounds with 21 days in between. So sad - I'm starting to feel really good again - hate to mess that up!

But ya just gotta know. The best part of Laurie's Life is Blake, kids, and grandkids. What a great blessing! This is a picture from the 2014 Beckstrom/Larsen Family Easter Egg Hunt. What a blast!