Claustrophobia Would Be Very, Very Bad

The oncologist's office called this morning to say that the insurance (finally) approved the PET CT scan, and asked me to schedule it. So the surgery is delayed until the results come back from the PET CT.

So the PET CT is scheduled for next Tuesday morning. It will take approximately 2 hours. From what I've read online and from what others have told me, they will inject me with radioactive material, let me sit there for an hour, and then send me through the MRI tube.

As usual, the scheduler asked me if I had claustrophobia. I told her I had just been through the MRI two weeks (more information than she wanted, I'm sure), and that it was a good thing I wasn't claustrophobic. I could see how that would be quite frightening. I have a friend of a friend who just went through one and she's claustrophobic; thankfully, her friend (my friend) sat with her and held her hand during the entire open-air MRI. Now, that's a good friend.

The oncologist, Dr. Stern, should have the results by the next day. And, I imagine, that's when Shirley will be asked to schedule the surgery.

It looks to me like we're looking at mid to late March for the procedure.

In the meantime, I'm cleaning up around home, making lists of things, trying to get the tax prep all done before that date. And when I get the date, I'll start telling people.

I told one friend today, George, and since his wife has had multiple cancers, he had some good advice (he always has advice) and some kind words. We're working on our retiree newsletter together, and this one will be the last issue for quite awhile.