So I've mentioned previously that the initial, pre-op CT Scan showed two "suspicious nodules" in my left lung. To determine what those two nodules are, as well as check for additional metastatic spread of the original testicular tumor, my new Oncologist ordered a follow-up MRI (a wut?) for my noggin and a PET Scan (and that is?) for my torso, pelvis, and lungs.
For whatever reason, those simply had to be scheduled on a Friday afternoon. I emphasize that because depending on the results of those tests, the currently prescribed round of chemotherapy could shorten or get longer. If, for example, the MRI showed it had spread to my brain -- which is not uncommon -- the chemotherapy could go 4 rounds (12-weeks) or more. So while my current prognosis remained excellent, there was a large asterisk next to it pending the follow-up scans. You know what's fun going into a weekend? Not knowing if you have brain lesions.
The night before the scans, I was instructed to abstain from any carbohydrates and eat a high protein meal, followed by nothing except water the day of after 11 AM. So I arrived at the imaging place at 2 PM slightly hangry and anxious to get it over with. First up was the MRI, here's what that looks like:
This is a real book in the waiting room. A real, smutty book.
Have an IV put in your arm for the "contrast fluid";
Remove all metallic objects from your person;
Lie motionless in a large metal tube for roughly 30 minutes;
Read Harlequin novels in the waiting room and wait for the PET Scan
So basically, you lie on a table that they push into a huge tube. Because they were doing the MRI of my brain, my head was put in a sort of harness to keep it as immobile as possible. They also told me the MRI is very loud and offered a pair of large, over-ear headphones to listen to music while the imaging took place. Not quite Beats by Dre® more like a pair you get at the Public Library to watch educational content. They offered my choice of music and, since Insane Clown Posse wasn't one of those options, I chose "Classic Rock".
They really aren't lying when they say the machine is very loud. After they push you inside the tube, they talk to you via the headphones. What followed was an endless process of,
"Alright Michael, are you okay? Okay, this scan will be 3 minutes. I need you to remain very still.",
"Okay Michael, are you doing okay? This scan will be 6 minutes." [Insert Rolling Stones 'Fade to Black' over the sound of a machine].
What does an MRI sound like? So glad you asked. Here's an MRI simulator for you. Why does it sound like that? Because magnets are loud and medicine should occasionally terrify you. After about 15 minutes, the MRI tech came back out, injected the "contrast fluid" into my IV and the process repeated.
All told, the process is pretty painless, but you always end up with an itch you can't scratch while getting scanned. When you're not getting scanned, you're also not supposed to move in case it shifts your head, potentially creating a "shadow" on the MRI or blip that they mistake for something more sinister. So, you know, don't move so we can see if you have cancerous brain lesions and if you do move, we might think you have cancerous brain lesions when you don't. Fun, right?
So after the MRI, I went back into the waiting room to get better acquainted with exactly what a rancher does while undercover (I'll give you a hint: it's sexy) and wait for my PET Scan.
Mmmm feel the medicine.
The PET Scan is an interesting one because it involved radioactivity and a whole lot of waiting. So the process is very similar to the MRI with a couple important differences. First and foremost, the needle they inject the "contrast fluid" with is encased in lead. Why is it encased in lead? Well because it's radioactive, of course. After that injection, you get a cup of cloudy liquid to drink and then you wait for an hour and 15 minutes because -- I'm just guessing here -- the radioactivity really needs to sink in. Before you go into the PET Scan room, the tech asked me if I would be "handling" children or the elderly after this appointment. Who... Knows how to respond to that question so I said, "Well.. I mean... Maybe?" Apparently you aren't supposed to come into contact with either party for at least 4 hours after because you might make them also radioactive. So that's fun.
The PET Scan machine is very similar looking to the MRI machine, but it's mostly silent. Also unlike the MRI, you don't stay motionless in waves but instead you stay motionless the whole scan. 25 minutes with no music, no dialogue, just thinking. What do you think I was thinking about that whole time?
Luckily, by the time I was coming out of the PET Scan, I received a voicemail from the Oncology Office: the results from the PET Scan wouldn't be in until after the weekend, but the MRI images were in. There was no evidence of tumor activity in the brain. Have you breathed an actual sigh of relief? I don't think I had really until that day. What it really meant was that the prognosis likely couldn't get worse, it could only get better with the results of the PET Scan. That was good to know going into the weekend since I would have to mentally prep myself for starting Chemotherapy on Monday, September 11th.
That's the subject I'll cover next time to get you all up to speed.
