CT and MUGA Today

I had my 6 month CT scan and my 6 week MUGA scan today.  The MUGA was first--at 10 am.(Rich drove me in the truck because the roads were bad from over a foot of snow! He's my hero!)  The nurse accessed my port, then withdrew some blood.  They have to call for an RN to do the port--the tech can draw blood from veins, but not the port.  They mix the blood with a tracer (nuclear stuff), let it set for 20 minutes to combine, then put it back in me.  For the scan I lay on a flat, narrow table and a machine moves over me and stays in one place for 10 minutes, then it moves closer and stays there for another 10 minutes, then it's done!  Very easy!  Well, unless you have a painful shoulder, like I do!  My left shoulder has been bothering me since my mastectomy.  It is getting worse.  For the first of the 2 scans I had to have my left arm above my head for the whole 10 min.  It hurt so bad.  I'm glad the tech left, because if he had been in there I would have told him to stop the scan.  I could hardly stand it--my whole body was screaming out for me to move my arm.   I was praying and praying and thankfully the time did seem to go faster.  The 2nd 10 min. scan I was able to keep my arms down--and that scan seemed to take forever.  But I didn't mind--I was happy to just rest there after the pain I had just endured! 
When that was done I went back to the imaging waiting room for the CT scan.  I had to drink 4 cups of that awful berry flavored chalk.  I remember thinking this stuff wasn't so bad (I've heard of people throwing up from it!), but this time it made me gag.  The other flavor was banana, but I hate banana flavored stuff.  After an hour of drinking that it was time for the scan.  The scan itself is very quick; I think I was only gone for 15 minutes. At the end of the scan they inject me with some "contrast".  The contrast is different somehow from the stuff you have to drink, and helps them see different things on the scan. I have what's called a power port, or smart port, so the contrast can go right in through the port. If you don't have one of these, then they put it in through an IV.  Another reason I love my port! Anyway, sometimes at the end of the scan I get this intense nausea that only lasts about 5 minutes, but feels awful!  I told the tech that so she could run the contrast in slower.  That seems to help, as I did not get the nausea this time.
After my tests were done, Rich and I went to eat at a Chinese buffet.  I was very hungry, but my stomach was starting to gurgle, and I wanted to get home, so we didn't stay too long.  I forgot how that stuff affects my guts.  Let's just say there has been much gurgling and frequent bathroom trips!  Right now I just feel sort of wiped out, have a headache, and my stomach still doesn't feel to great.  If it doesn't get better before bed I may just sleep in the recliner.  That is my favorite place to be when my stomach bothers me (which happens quite a bit since my colon resection!).  It also helps Rich sleep--he gets up so early, and doesn't sleep well the way it is, and I don't want to be bothering him all night.
So, about 3 hours after the ct was done, I got a call from my oncologist's nurse, Carol. She said Dr. J has seen the scan results and wanted me to know everything looked clear!  So, good news!!  I still have that mammo and mri to get through in April, then I will be really excited!
I really had no "scanxiety" this time.  I kept waiting for it, assuming it would hit, but it never did.  I am so thankful to God for giving me peace!  He took away my fears, and took away the nausea that I used to get everytime I was on my way to Regions Hospital.  Yes, He allowed me to go through 2 cancer diagnoses, but He has been right by my side through it all.  I have learned so much about my Lord, and that's what really matters.  As I like to say---it's not about me, it's all about GOD!
I'll check back in a few days, after meeting with my wonderful Dr. Jahagirdar!
Please say a prayer for my cousin Jim, as he lost his wife unexpectedly this weekend--very sad!
Tina