Pet scan Thursday 17th March 2022
My pet scan was booked for Wednesday the 16th. The night before I sat up worrying most of the night. Only to be called in the morning to say that the radioactive medication was compromised. So my appointment was moved to Thursday at 10:30am. And to be honest I have no idea why I was so worried. First what is a pet scan? A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that can help reveal the metabolic or biochemical function of your tissues and organs. The PET scan uses a radioactive drug (tracer) to show both normal and abnormal metabolic activity. (Googled helped with that answer) As scary as a pet scan sounds. it’s really not. It’s more the answers that are scary. As we opened the doors to the PET, the cold air hits us. It’s like winter in here. We where early so I popped off to do bloods and then came back to winter wonderland. I walked down the passage, to a tiny room with a single chair, blankets and a pillow. This is where I would sit well I waited for the radioactive tracer to work it’s way around my body. The lady wheels in a trolly with the injection as well as a central line. Now trying to find a vein. I think it was a few tries and then she moved to my hand. She decided to just inject straight into the vein. I now have to sit for an hour. So she closes the door and turns off the lights. As I put my headphones in to listen to my chill music, I completely zone out and fall asleep. The next minute I hear Ashleigh, Ashleigh. It’s time. I walk into the Pet scan room and the machine is so stunning. Wow! It is however like 6 degrees and freezing. As I climb on the table/bed I’m covered with blankets and so we begin. It’s like a ct machine bit the donut is fatter. 20minutes of lying still as can be was over and I was all done. Now the wait begins……
18th March 2022 - PET scan results.
As we walked in Doc is his normal happy self. He asks what’s been happening? And so I begin to tell him, how terrible I feel, my panic attacks that I’ve been having, my not sleeping and over all my body is tired. I did the pet scan yesterday and in walks his PA with the results.
How do I even put into words what the next 20mins of our conversation was. I held Brandon’s hand so tight, I’m not even certain if I was hurting him.
In short and to the point, treatment being Perjecta, herceptin and anastrozole, after 1 year, has stopped working. The cancer in the liver is progressing. As the Doc says “it’s a good prognoses in a shitty situation.” We knew from day one that I have stage 4 mbcancer and it’s Incurable. The cancer is still in the liver, in the spine, breast and in nodes in my chest and abdomen. Upside is it’s her2 positive so I have more options.
What now going forward? New medication needs to be approved by the medical aid. Doc, asks if I want the herceptin in an injection and I laugh. “I just installed a port,” we need to use it! Ok, drip it is. I need to test drive this port and do an update on it. I’ll then move onto chemo tablets, 2 times a day. We will then watch what the tumour markers do. And hope this one lasts another year. This is how we go forward. Ups and downs, highs and lows.
My body, keeps taking a beating. The hamster in my mind is running like crazy. But I’m still here fighting. Lots of tears arrived and so many messages. I was at a loss for words, as digesting it all in, took me some time. But I’ve got this! It’s shit and it’s going to be hard, but I have an army behind me.
Tumour markers up from 35.2 to 38.5.
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