Put this gown on. And don't breathe...

I did finally hear from the Radiology department at the Cancer Center, about an hour later. My appointment for a CT scan is next Thursday. And, a little less than two weeks later, I'll be meeting with Dr. Stern to go over the results. The timing is very good.

The clerk told me this will be a barium scan, which means I'll have to drink the barium solution, then wait while it's being absorbed into my body. I won't be able to eat anything four hours beforehand. And the whole thing will take about 2 hours.

So, I made notes and will review them before I go to Berkeley.

I've never had a CT scan or anything like that which requires me to drink a solution. The last one, the PET CT scan, required an injection, and then we waited for an hour while I played "Angry Birds" on my iPhone. So this will be quite unusual.

Wikipedia says about the barium sulfate solution:

"Barium sulfate suspensions are provided by a radiologist in advance of a CT scan to allow for better computer tomography of the gastrointestinal tract. The patient is instructed to take nothing by mouth, which means to abstain from eating and drinking (fasting), with the exception of drinking the barium sulfate suspension.

"The amount of time for this fast may vary, depending on the instructions given by the imaging facility and the area of the body to be scanned, but generally lasts for several hours prior to the scan. The patient generally skips one meal, along with abstaining from all liquids, clear or otherwise, during this time. Consumption of the barium sulfate suspension begins 90 minutes to two hours prior to the CT scan, as instructed in the patient education provided. Consumption is paced, beginning two hours before the scan is to occur, with levels marked on the provided container indicating how much is to be consumed between each of the two hours prior to the test. A small portion of the suspension is reserved for the minutes just before the test, to ensure that as much of the gastrointestinal tract as possible is coated. After the scan is complete, the patient is encouraged to eat and drink normally, with special attention to plenty of fluids. The barium sulfate is excreted through defecation. Constipation is a possible side effect."

How pleasant. Time to put the gown back on!

Waiting for Godot

It's been three-and-a-half months since my surgery to eradicate cancer in the uterus. The plan was to have a few more tests in June, and see where I am.

I was told to go in early June to get my blood test, the same test that showed a negative result back in February. That was on June 1st, because, when it comes to this stuff, I don't fool around.

However, three weeks later, I'm still waiting to hear whether I have the go-ahead to do the CT scan. I called Dr. Stern's office today, and Shirley told me she had faxed over the insurance information to the scan place a floor below her. I called and they said they never got it, but gave me assurances that they would call me after they talked with Shirley.

That was 15 minutes ago, and I'm still waiting.

I have other appointments to make, phone calls to make, but those will have to wait because this appointment is and will be more important than having my home thermostat fixed, or figuring out when my next movie date will be.

In the meantime, my post-surgical status is excellent. There is only a little pain, and that happens only when I press on my stomach. Perhaps the only good thing that has come of that pain is that I stopped wearing a fanny pack. A stylish upgrade.

In the meantime, my phone goes with me everywhere. I have to get these tests in before I see Dr. Stern in early July, so that he can review them and tell me the results. If the tests come back negative from the blood test and the CT scan, I can breathe a sigh of relief with the knowledge that I am cancer-free.