PET Scan

Today I had my long awaited PET/CT scan. The whole process took about four hours but of course the torture began waaay before that, LOL. I had to stop eating any sugar or carbs for two days prior and while I only eat natural sugars, like those in fruit, I had a tough time with this one. I was crying all over my Vita-Mix when I couldn’t make any smoothies. And my husband can attest to this…no smoothies made for a very grumpy girl. It is amazing that even when you eat natural sugars and not much of them that you still get a little bit of those sugar blues you hear so much about.

I was also not allowed to exercise or do any strenuous physical activity which also made me grumpy. All of this was forbidden because it would alter the integrity of the scan. Unforunately I had to go pick up some CAT scan films from the cancer center and there was absolutely no place to park. So I had to park in a parking garage no less then a half mile away (one way) from the building I needed to go to. So I walked with a two year old and a six year old all the way to the office, dodging traffic the whole time and when I finally got there I was not happy. I told the receptionist that their parking situation sucked and then I think I mumbled something about my scan being ruined and that I was sure I was going to be told that I had cancer in my thighs now. The receptionist looked confused. :)

Before my scan they tested my blood sugar to make sure it was within the range they needed and it was. Then they inserted a small bit of radioactive material mixed with glucose into my IV and I had to wait one hour and relax. I called my hubby and talked to him for that hour. Of course all the while I was waiting I was wondering why in the heck I was letting myself be injected with radioactive material.

After my hour was up I did the scan which lasted another hour…during which I had to lay perfectly still. Then my PET scan was followed by another CAT scan which was a surprise. Oh and they gave me a snack bag because I had not eaten all day and it was 4:00 by this time. I looked in the bag and there were those nasty orange crackers with peanut butter in the middle and a bag of gourmet cookies….oh brother. My first thought was “THIS is the snack that a Doctor gives you?!”

Oh well, it is over now and I came home and made myself a smoothie first thing. Now I am stressing over the results of the scan. I hope they come back fast.