I spent most of the morning in Radiology today, prepping and receiving radiation from the ct scan imaging machine, or from what i call the x-ray robot. I just read on the FDA website that the robot programmed to administer one ct scan is actually giving off radiation that is equivalent of 500 x-rays. AND the period equivalent to this morning's procedure is actually the same as receiving natural radiation within 3.3 years time. AND that for the last ten years I've been going about four times a year to get zapped. Basically, the robot that has been responsible in monitoring new tumor recurrence can and is probably creating the possibility of recurrence.
It's been six years since the last recurrence (in my liver) so I'll talk to my oncologist, Dr. Quinn, about going in once a year. Now I'm curious to hear what his thoughts are on this.
Did I mention I need to be pre-medicated prior to the scan? Yes, I developed an allergy to the iodine a few years ago. Too much iodine being filtered through my one remaining kidney could be the cause. So now Dr. Rhodes prescribes prednisone and benadryl which is what most people would take for any allergic reaction. Anyone else develop an allergic reaction to iodine? I wonder if it's common? I mean after 10 years, the body will hate getting injected with this stuff eventually.
My sister (Thanks, Jen!) usually picks up the barium the night prior to the procedure so I can take the delicious juice at home and then walk in to radiology at my scheduled scan time. Otherwise, I have to check in two hours prior and sit in the lobby sipping that delicious chalky stuff. Today it tasted orange-flavored, which is a slight improvement.
After my scan, I walked out of the hospital and ran into Dr. Weinberg, my amazing and very skilled surgeon who removed my tumor the first time in 1998. I hadn't seen him in eight years! We've kept in touch by mail. I usually mail him and his wonderful staff an annual Holiday card. I'll always be forever grateful for what he did as a surgeon and gp. Back when we found out that Adrenal Cancer was rare, he would confide that he was meeting with several doctors at UCI and at St. Jude about my condition because it was so rare. I was getting impatient because I didn't know what it was and wondered why the surgery wasn't being scheduled sooner. Before and after surgery, I would call him with a list of questions, and he would always call me back and answer them. About one week after surgery, this orange fluid was oozing out from between the staples in my abdomen. I called him and he said, "My professor in med school once told me, 'Better out than in.'"
At about 6 pm tonight, Dr. Rhodes called. My heart stopped and I sat down because he has never called the same day of the scan. If he was calling so quickly after the scan then something new must have appeared on the ct scan. The great news is that he was calling to say that everything looked good except for a new spot in the gall bladder, possibly a gall stone. He said he wanted me to know the news today so I could enjoy my weekend! Thank you, Dr. Rhodes!!! After talking to him, I started jumping up and down like a little kid.
First I see Dr.Weinberg, then Dr. Rhodes calls the same day of my scan to tell me that the scan is negative for tumor activity. All good news. To add to this, I heard from a friend today who I hadn't heard from in a long time.
The pessimist in me is wondering what bad thing is lurking just around the corner. Today was just too good to be true.
