CT Scan

I have never been so nervous about a test; even more nervous than the biopsy.  I think the difference is that before I knew there could be a good outcome (although there wasn't for me) and this time I know the bad news but the outcome of this test could only make things much much worse, or the same at best.

Anyhow, I was really stressed and I don't think the operator handled it very well either.

I was seen really quickly so top marks to the busy hospital for that.  However, I was shoved in a little room and told to strip down to my pants (knickers for our american readers!), take off my necklace and go into the scanner room when I was ready.  I must have been standing there nearly nude for quite a few minutes feeling very embarrassed and nervous before I was told to lie down on the bed.

The scanner was quite impressive - a huge white donut with a control room worthy of an airport flight control next to it.

On the bed the nurse/operator basically shoved a needle into me as hard as she could after tapping the crook of my elbow a few times.  I cried out, she said sorry and then shoved it in more.  I swore at her.  I have never done that with any blood test or otherwise, she was brutal.  She was seriously mean or in a hurry.  It's a good job I was lying down nearly naked otherwise I would have left or fainted.  Yes, D, your wiggling the toes technique that Donald taught you didn't work this time although it usually does the trick!

The scan itself was easy peasy and a pleasant surprise in terms of not being uncomfortable.  The donut goes over your head (to the top of my chest in this case) and something seems to be whizzing round and making a kinda whizzing noise inside it.  The mean woman was speaking instructions to me all the time when I had to inflate my lungs and hold my breath for about 5 seconds.

Then they inject the radioactive product into the line that you are holding that's connected to the needle just poked in your arm and you're told you'll feel warm at the back of your throat and in your lower stomach and not to worry about it.  This was exactly what happened and it was weird but not unpleasant because I'd been warned.

A few more whizzes through the donut and it's finished.  The whole thing took 15 minutes and I was free.  If you ever have to do a scan like that, do not worry your head about actually doing it.  It is nothing (apart from the needle thing).

I have a whacking big bruise on my arm already and it's all swollen and black.  I might complain about this one to the oncologist.  dh said 'yes but she had to do her job'.  Yes, but her job is dealing with humans and I am human, not just a body and a person that deserves respect and tenderness and kindness.  Part of her job is to put people at ease and make things as easy as possible.  Cow.

Results tomorrow morning after 9h.  I hope they don't show any more cancer.  That's the scary bit people.