Scans!

Well today's PET scan was a much bigger deal than I was expecting! I thought I'd done my homework pretty well, but apparently the radiology center has a new protocol for PET scans: barium! I drove myself up to Montgomery General Hospital for the scan since I figured it would be super boring for anyone who came with me. It was a nice drive up there and not too far. I was basically driving past small farms, then clusters of giant mansions. I wonder if the homeowners who chose those areas for their houses realized that if they all build giant mansions there, there won't be quaint little horse farms anymore??
Anyway, I got to the radiology center, got checked in and settled down to read Gourmet magazine when the receptionist called me back up. She'd finished up all the paperwork, gave me back my insurance card and then told me she'd go mix up my drink and be right back. My drink??? I was under the impression that a PET scan only involved a shot. She said no, that they would give me my shot later and to drink up the two 12oz cups of diluted barium she put in front of me. I was trying to figure out how I was possible going to get that all down when the PET tech came out take me back to the prep room. He got me settled in a big chair and left me there with my nasty drink. Luckily, I had been given a straw, so I just stuck the straw as far back in my mouth as I could and tried to suck down as much as I could in one go. I opened my eyes and it looked like I hadn't even touched it. And I started coughing and gagging. I took a nice long pause, then tried again. I got the first cup down that way and then the radiologist came back to prep my IV and give me my radioactive glucose. He was a pretty nice guy who was really impressed when I told him a bit about how I work with birds and have to draw blood from them sometimes. Every phlebotomist/nurse/tech I've ever told that to thinks I must be some kind of super human to get blood from a bird. If only they knew how easy it actually is...transparent skin, easy to see veins, no needle-phobia... I'd rather take blood from a bird over a human any day! Anyway, he got me set up with my radioactivity and left me to finish the remaining half a cup of barium nastiness. I tried to bargain with him so I didn't have to finish up, but he then told me I actually needed to drink a THIRD cup! So the bargain was this: finish cup #2 and then just try to get down as much of #3 as you can. I decided to just get #2 over with since I would then have an hour before #3. I got to sit and relax and enjoy the luxury of TV for a little bit. He eventually came back and gave me cup #3 of barium, hardly diluted, in all its thick, fake orange glory. I think I managed three big sips before I gave up. I got to head into the scanner and get all comfy and then just chill there for the scan. It took about 40minutes and I pretty much just closed my eyes and relaxed through the whole thing. I actually thought happy thoughts about Gwyneth the baby lamb and the day she was born. Newborn lambs are a pretty calming thing to think about.
I finished the PET scan, then got to head over for a CT. I thought I was safe and all I'd have to deal with would be another odd iodine contrast shot, but no! The second I sat down, a tech came out and poured me ANOTHER cup of straight up undiluted barium. I gave her a dubious look and told her I'd been having trouble getting it down. Yeah, she totally ignored that. Then right as I settled down to try to drink it, they brought a woman with her husband in for a CT scan. They ushered the man to the chair right next to me, so not only did I have to choke down this awful drink while gagging and desperately trying not to puke it all over the floor, but I also got the pleasure of an audience. I got a bit down and eventually got it half-way gone. The tech passed by and when I told her I didn't know how much more I could handle, she said to just finish half of what was left. I chugged that last bit, coughed and was done with the barium. The CT scan was uneventful. Someone had stuck little fish stickers all over the scanner. It looked like a kid did it, but I was told it was actually a female tech. Still, they were better to look at than the plain old scanner. I got all done, got my IV out and was sent on my way. They were kind enough to send me off with a snack, but it was icky (and warm by that time) OJ and a Quaker Oats granola bad....with raisins...the one flavor I can't have. I picked around the raisins and it was ok.
I had been told my Gloria at Dr Chhabra's to head to his office when I was done with my scans. Being full of barium and hungry, I decided to stop at home first. I hung out here for about 30 minutes then drove over to the office. I'd arranged with Josh to meet me there, but I walked in only to find the office dark and locked. So much for that. I would have been pretty annoyed, but since my goal for the meeting was going to be trying to hold off on an inpatient admission and chemo until after the weekend, I was pretty relieved. No battles to fight with the doctor and now I can still go to Brenna's party! I will definitely be having a conversation with Dr Chhabra about his office staff though.
The rest of my day was pretty nice. I had a visit from Jenny & Ellie this morning that was a lot of fun. Apparently my house is awesome because 1. I have stuffed mice and I don't care if they get baby slobber on them. 2. I have wooden spoons to chew on! and 3. I have an old laptop that doesn't work, so curious babies can play with it rather than my beautiful macbook (Amazingly, Ellie sitting on the keyboard of my Dell got it to start up somewhat normally). Ellie was amazed by my rats, especially Fudgey, and kept getting down low so she could see into the ratty igloo. She got to touch Fudgey, but since she has a stuffed rat she loves to chew on, Fudgey didn't stay out too long, lest her tail end up in Ellie's mouth!
This evening has been pretty uneventful. After all the talk about how hungry I was yesterday, I had a really tough time choking down dinner. I was really excited about chicken fingers and mashed potatoes, but then, maybe that wasn't such a great choice.
I also got a ton of awesome mail today including a card from Sweden, a magic wand & tons of awesome artwork from my pal Charlotte, and some classic high school movies (Can't Hardly Wait and Romy & Michele's HS Reunion)--thanks Anna!
Oh and as a last note, I know I said I was covered for the Harry Potter books, but apparently they've gone missing at Jenny's house, so if anyone has books 3, 4 and 7, and could lend them to me, that'd be awesome. I'm really tempted by books 5 & 6 that are now sitting in my living room, but my brain would explode if I went out of order.