It all comes back to me now - the abstinence from exercise, caffeine, tobacco, carbs; the staying warm on the way to the Imaging Center, filling out the forms for the bazillioneth time, the finger stick to check my sugar levels, drinking multiple cups of barium. I am smug thinking that since I have a port, there will be no need to find a viable vein, but I discover to my chagrin that ports hog all the radiation and can't be used. Phooey.
Still, I will not need any fluids and can't have the contrast, so they only need to use a small butterfly needle to insert the radioactive sugar water. The radiologist holds my hand and searches for a candidate vein. Hum. He wraps my hand in a warm blanket, has me hold my hand down low so gravity will help, slaps the back of my hand repeatedly until I am tempted to start some rhythmic clapping and break out into calypso song.
He finds a spot and successfully makes me radioactive. Then the good part - I am swaddled in warm cozy blankies, tipped back in the reclining chair, and encouraged to sleep. They turn out the lights and tiptoe out, leaving me alone with the ticking clock. Too soon the hour flies by and I am once again lying on the skinny tongue of the donut machine being whirled in in in and ever in to the maw of the great magnet whirling laser lighted scanner.
Despite a momentary fear of the machine catching on fire (really - I smell burning wires!) everything goes well and soon I am headed for Panera's and a chocolate chip muffie (after all, it was a six hour fast and my stomach was rumbling loud enough to disturb the neighbors). This is the last test other than blood work before I see the oncologist for post treatment assessment. I fully expect an encouraging report - even for the bone part.
Right now though, I head back to work despite the tiredness that is creeping through my body. I can rest later.
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