The calm before the storm

Happy Friday!

Today, I had the pleasure of having back-to-back scans; three CT scans (chest, abdomen and pelvis) and a bone scan. In preparation, I got to have a super fun breakfast of berry smoothie-flavored barium. Oh, and for what it's worth, "berry smoothie-flavored" is a flat out lie. It's more like milky chalk with a dash of berry flavor and just a hint of... what was that flavor? Oh, yes. Cayenne pepper. Yummmmmy. Once I got to the hospital, I headed to the nuclear medicine/cardiac pulmonary unit to get my IV started and yet another contrast. That contrast was for the bone scan and it needed approximately three hours to work its way through my system. While I waited, I headed down to Imaging to drink grody fake berry smoothie-flavored barium drink #2 and get my CT scans.

The CT scan machine looks kinda like a big donut. I laid on my back (no need for boobie holes!) and was told that it would only take about five minutes or so. The nurse explained that once me gave me the contrast (yes, this takes me up to four), it would "feel very warm and just like you've peed in your pants - but you haven't." Oh, yay! With that, they started the machine. The nurse announced that she was giving me the contrast and within about 3.2 seconds, a lovely warm feeling turned into "wow... it DOES feel like I peed! How 'bout that?!?" Yep, I snickered to myself. I'm such a child. Minutes later, I was done. The nurse took my IV out and I was on my way...

I had about an hour and a half before the bone scan was done "cooking", so Matt and I went to grab breakfast. The real kind. About hallway through the meal, I realized that with my big ol' bandage wrapped around my arm and the ID bracelet still on my wrist, I probably looked like an escapee. "Don't worry, folks... She's a dork and not harmless at all..."

The bone scan was likely the most uneventful thing I've had done thus far. Prior to going in, the nurse told me to please empty my bladder because otherwise, it looks like a big blob on the scan. A pee blob. Pretty. I was starting to sense a theme here. Since the contrast was ready, I didn't need another IV. I was told that it would take about 20 minutes. The nurse simultaneously moved me into the machine and moved the top of the scanner down. I felt oddly like a semi about to barrel under an overpass that was lower than expected. I'm sure I must have grimaced because he said "don't worry, you still have about three of four inches clearance". Whew!

A bit later, I awakened to another nurse telling me that she was going to look at my pictures to see if I needed more and then I was done. I had actually fallen asleep! It was so nice and cool and quiet... How could I not? I looked over to see four orange images on the computer screen. "Is that me?", I asked. She smiled and said, "It sure is!" Waaaaay cool. (By the way... No pee blob. Woot!)

Shortly after Matt and I got home, Dr. Hubbard called to let me know that he had my CT results. In his exact words, "They came back squeaky clean!" This was the best news that I had heard since I began this journey. I did not one, but TWO happy dances!