GREAT news!

Tuesday I went to the plastic surgeon early in the morning, had another drain out (only one left!) and begged them not to expand my expander's yet. I don't know why but the thought of the expansion process sounds painful! Anyway, I really didn't want them expanded because at 12:30-3:30 I had 2 other tests to do and I didn't want to be in pain.

We saw this in the parking garage at the hospital. I totally agree!!

At 12:30 I went to nuclear medicine where they started an iv and I was injected with some radioactiveness for my bone scan later. After that injection I went to CT where I had a CT scan of my body and had more contrast put into my body. The CT scan was easy and quick. I went in and out of the machine 4 times. After my CT scan, they took out my iv and we met my mom for lunch in the cafeteria.

Around 3:30 we went back to nuclear medicine for my bone scan. I had to laugh because during every test they told me that I had to put my hands above my head. Obviously, for me, that's impossible. So during the bone scan she put something around me and I tucked my arms into that. The 2nd bone scan was a little more difficult because it spun around me and I had to hold my arms up at my chest which is painful after 17 minutes. George was able to come into the room with me which made the time go by faster. The tech told me that one of the pictures of my head of the first scan is me with a giant smile on my face. When the scan was hovering over my face I had my eyes closed so I wouldn't feel claustrophobic and when George came in the room I opened my eyes and I laughed because I couldn't figure out if the scan was actually moving or if I was hallucinating.

First bone scan. Starts at your head thisclose to your face and slowly goes down your body.

2nd bone scan. This one rotates around you.

These were the scariest tests for me so far. If they found anything then that means my cancer metastasized and I don't know how I would have handled that. I spent most of Monday in tears with worry. But at some point Monday night I thought "nope, this isn't going to happen. It CANNOT be anywhere else.". And that was it. No more tears.

So yesterday my surgeons office called me to say it WASN'T anywhere else. I cried SO hard! This is seriously the best news ever!! I now feel like there really is a light at the end of the tunnel for this cancer journey. Thank God!

Also yesterday I met my new oncologist. I LOVE her. She's so personable, so understanding and so easy to talk to. She talked to us like we were friends and that's what I was looking for. We talked about the fertility stuff and I asked her if she was me what would she do and she said she would definitely freeze her eggs. George and I decided to see what the timeline and expense for that would be and go from there. Hopefully the timeline works out like I think it will.

Next week I'll have an echocardiogram to check my heart before chemo, a mediport put it (semi permanent iv so they don't have to stick you every time) and go to chemo class. When I was at the doctors office I also had to have blood drawn (which I'm getting pretty good at...funny that that was my biggest concern on July 10!). To get to the lab we had to walk through the infusion center when they do the chemo. This is the picture I could get from where we were sitting without anyone in it or anyone seeing me! Every station has its own TV, obviously you have to either have headphones or not hear it, and every station has a nice recliner for the patient and other chairs for family members. There is a fridge with drinks and you can bring and eat food.

 

I'm glad that I saw the infusion center because it made me feel a little better about chemo. Obviously no one wants chemo (except that it gets rid of cancer) but to actually see people getting their chemo and that they looked relaxed and like it was no big deal makes it better in my head.