Great Scan Results !!!

Friday morning, I had my PET/CT scan at UCSF in China Basin near the Giants Ballpark. This worked out well because we took the kids with us, and Marchus took the kids over to the ballpark while I did my scan. A PET/CT scan is where you get injected with some radioactive sugar, which is then metabolized faster by the cancer cells and some kind of "contrast" dye is also injected into you for the CT part of it. That way they can overlay the two images and see what is going on. You lie on your back completely still while you go into a giant tube. It's a little claustrophobic cuz you are in there for about 30 - 40 minutes, but they play music, and I kept my mind focused on other things. I know it is far more complex than this, but that's the gist of it.

Anyway, after the scan, which ended around noon, we waited and waited until late afternoon when I put in a call to my triage nurse, Janine. Janine called me back around 4:30 with some preliminary findings from the scan. Basically, she said all of the cancer that showed before is significantly smaller or not visible!!! All of the metabolic activity (which is what they measure) is decreased. She told me that my oncologist is "really happy!!" with the results and that I couldn't ask for a better scan!!! I am beyond relieved. I knew that this cancer was going away because I can feel it getting smaller - but it is great to know that modern technology that specifically measures it agrees with what my sense is!! :)

I will get more specific information when I see my oncologist next Friday as to what exactly the report from the radiologist shows. But for now, I can sleep better knowing for sure that the chemo is working and that I am well on my way to being cancer free. I'm still feeling great, thanks in part, I'm sure, to my fantastic acupuncturist. I still have quite a bit of hair - not good hair, but I do have hair, and it isn't falling out much at all now. I'm glad I didn't ever get around to shaving my head cuz it is kind of nice to have something there to keep my head warm at night. :)

And so, as this Mother's Day weekend begins, I couldn't have been given a better gift than knowing that the cancer is retreating and that I can begin to look confidently ahead to a long life, watching my children grow up and sharing my life with so many people that I love and hold close my heart. You have all bolstered me through this and with the support of each of you, this battle is being won!!! Thank you again for being a part of my life and my team!! We are WINNING!!!