Bone Scan

"Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity."

~ Henry Van Dyke




I had my bone scan yesterday. I got there at 10:45. They injected me with the radioactive isotope at about 11 am. I had to come back at 1:30 for the scan after I was good and radioactive.

The scan itself took about 40 minutes. I could see my skeleton coming up on the screen but it was too far away for me to really see if any areas were darker. If an area has a problem it shows up darker because it absorbs more of the radioactive isotope. I could see that my knees were darker, but that is pretty normal. The rest I couldn't see. The techs didn't really look at it and they gave me no indication of anything. I have to wait for my doctor's office to call and that will be Monday at the earliest.

They always make you wait. It is tough. I am better at it now than when I was first diagnosed. At that time waiting for the bone scan and Ct scans was excruciating. I did get a call from my oncology office about my chest x-ray. It is normal.

I couldn't go near Julianna for 6 hours after the injection. Now I can, but she can't sit on or next to me for any long periods. With radiation it is a time/distance thing. So, she can be far away for long time periods but close for less. I also have to flush twice. I am supposed to fly on Wednesday. They said it should be out of my system by then but they are giving me a special note just in case. A lot of my friends ask me if I am worried about the radiation in the new scanners they have at the airport. It just makes me laugh. I think it is like spitting in the ocean for me.

I also found out some interesting information about the doctor who was monitoring me on the overnight when I had my original surgery. Yes, that's right, the idiot who had no idea what he was doing and caused me to lose the newly reconstructed breast. Well, it turns out he is a dentist and not a doctor. Yes, a dentist. He was doing a year of surgical residency in order to be an oral surgeon. So he didn't learn anything in medical school because he never went. I am outraged by this and I am looking into it further.

Thanks everyone for all the support! We love you all!

Herceptin, bone pain

I had my herceptin yesterday. I was up all night last night with bone and muscle pain. It is really bad in my right hip but I do have the pain all over. I do worry that the cancer is in my right hip. I realize that it is extremely unlikely to recur while it is actively being treated but I sometimes have trouble not going there. The fact that I have pain all over, although less intense, does give me some comfort. I think it is unlikely that I could have it everywhere. I had a bone scan a year ago and there was no cancer. I think it is impossible that it could be everywhere in a year. Breast cancer is considered to be a slow growing cancer.

I have been told by my oncology office that bone and muscle pain is not really a herceptin side effect. However, I go on the herceptin web site and breast cancer.org and it seems most of the people are having the same issues. On the drug manufacturer's website it is listed as a side effect.

When I was getting my herceptin I had to get more appointments. The nurse told me I had to get herceptin until March. I kind of freaked. I told her the doctor told me it would end in December. Then she asked me when I started chemo. I advised her that it was December 7th. She asked me if I was sure. I told her I would bet she could ask anyone in the room when they started chemo and they would know the exact date for sure. A few women were nodding their heads. There are some things you know for sure and that is one. I am sure I will always remember the date my daughter was born, the date I was diagnosed with breast cancer, the date the chemo started and, for sure, the date it ended.

In the end she checked with the doctor and he said it should end in December unless there is some type of recurrence. If there is a recurrence I will need herceptin for the rest of my life. That would be the biggest bummer ever.

I have an appointment with the physician's assistant at the oncology office on Thursday. She is going to go over all my blood work, MUGA scan (they already told me it was normal) and a lot of other things.

On a positive note, my stepmother Betty is home and doing well. She is very happy to be home. Julianna is enjoying her new school. She is a little ray of sunshine, always happy and full of life. She really does keep me going.

Thanks everyone for all the positive vibes, good thoughts and prayers!!!

MUGA Scan

Today I had a MUGA (multigated aquisitional) scan. I got there at 7:30 and they injected me with stannous (tin) ions. After that I went back to the waiting room for 20 minutes so it could circulate through my body.



I then went back into the treatment room and they injected me with a radioactive substance, technetium-99m-pertechnetate. The stannous ions bind to the technetium and keep the technetium from leaking out of the red blood cells. The technetium "labels" the red blood cells.



Then they attached 3 ECG leads to my chest. After that I was told to lie on the table and it was moved into the machine. I was allowed to remain fully clothed. I had to cross my arms above my head and hold small rope holders to keep my hands in place. This wasn't so bad this time but it was torture when I had it just after my surgeries.



The machine contains a gamma camera. The gamma camera is able to detect the radiation released by the tracer (label). It can then produce computer generated movie images of the heart. It can very accurately evaluate the pumping function of the ventricles (lower chambers of the heart).

The reason for the MUGA scan is that the herceptin I get every three weeks can cause heart damage. The oncologist wants me to have the scan every three months. It has actually been six months since I have had the scan. The scan itself isn't so bad but I have to try to stay away from Julianna for a day or two because of the radiation. I can be in the house with her but she can't sit and cuddle with me or get hugs.

I won't have any results for a week or so. I am not worried about them though. Thanks everyone!!

On the table but not yet in position

View from the side

Here you can see where they did the injections

Almost all the way in

This is as deep in there as I got. It wasn't bad