Another wee update,as it has been a while. August used to be my favourite month-my birthday is in August , and I got married in August twenty nine years ago!
I had a lovely birthday and got spoiled as usual,but my poor mum was in hospital as she had fallen and broken her leg two weeks previously,so that put a bit of a dampener on things.
Another ct scan(my routine six monthly one) was due on 9th August.I was getting used to them by now,so they held no fear for me.My clinic appointment for the result was on the 16th August,so not too long to wait for the result!A lot of my bowel cancer buddies call the feeling of waiting for results "scanxiety"-a great description.
Anyway,scan came and went, but mum was not really doing all that well-she had survived the operation but went in to renal failure.My sister , husband,and the rest of the family and I were working during the day and spending visiting  times with mum.
At 3:30 am on Friday 16th August I got a call from the hospital to say that mum had taken a turn for the worse.I phoned my sister,and we(Bill and I and Rosie) went to the hospital,only to be told mum had already passed away.I kind of suspected that,because you don't generally get a call during the night with good news!The next few hours are a bit hazy,but I did have an appointment to see my oncologist at 10am that morning and felt I shouldn't miss it.
Bill and Rosie went with me to the hospital and I was taken in to see the registrar,which is unusual because I usually see the consultant. Anyway,he told me that there was a lesion on my pelvis which would need further investigation.At this point my consultant came in to the room and explained that he did not know what the lesion was but it was highly suggestive of a secondary deposit.I was quite numb,probably because I was so tired after being rudely awakened during the night!He said it was about 2.4 cm , but I would need a PET scan to determine what it was.He also said the best option at this point would be surgery,and they would discuss my case at the MDT meeting the following Monday.
Got a lot of bloods taken,as I am still on the SCOT trial,then just went home and started to arrange mum's funeral.
The following Monday afternoon,my oncologist phoned me and said my case had been discussed at the MDT meeting.The surgeon who had done my previous surgery was there and said he would do any surgery I needed-this immediately bucked me up.because I have a great deal of faith in his expertise and judgement.
Mum's funeral went ahead on Friday -lovely service-she would have approved!
So basically.we are in limbo at the moment-I had my PET scan this afternoon (30th August) and won't get the result till next Thursday. I must admit,the scan itself was nothing to worry about-Fasting for six hours beforehand,but drinking plenty of plain water.Injection of a radioactive sugar, drinking Gastrografin,lounging about for about one hour to let the isotope circulate,then lying still on the scanning couch for about half an hour. If anyone is going for one,I would advise they take some reading material , or a personal music player. If you are in to meditation,lying on the scanning couch would be the perfect opportunity to do it! I am not in to meditation,so just lay there trying to let my mind go blank( maybe that's what meditation is!)! I was told I would be radioactive for the rest of the day,so had better keep away from folk for the moment!