Dentist, PET Scan, Labs & Bone Marrow Biopsy
Had a pretty busy week this past week. It started with a trip to the dentist last Monday, 10-15-2012, to get an exam, X-rays and a letter clearing me for treatment at Karmanos for the Bone Marrow Transplant that we're gearing up for. That went well, and the dentist said they'd fax it to Karmanos for us that day, and we could get a copy on Thursday, when we're back in town on other business.
On Thursday, I got PET Scan, which involves getting a radioactive isotope injected into me, resting for about an hour while it works its way through my system, then laying on a moving table while it moves in and out of a donut shaped machine that takes pictures of my insides, lit by the radioactive juice.
We forgot to get the copy of the letter from the dentist and decided to do that on Friday, since we'd be back in town again.
So, on Friday, we went back in and got Labs, then a bone marrow biopsy, which isn't really much fun.
An hour before the biopsy, I took a prescribed pain pill and another pill that was supposed to make me forget the experience, but I remember the whole thing, and I don't know that the pain pill did much good either, to be honest.
I got a local anesthetic at the site on my back side on my right pelvis, which is like a bee sting. Then a couple more of those to make it even number, which weren't quite as bad, since the first one had started to work.
A few minutes later, a needle goes in, punches through the bone, and extracts some marrow to be tested. Then another needle goes in, and its job is to get a sample of the bone itself, which is supposed to come out in the hollow of the needle. That didn't work out so well, so the doctor had to try it again. Unfortunately, it didn't work out either, so he went in a third time, and finally got it.
The bone doesn't get numbed by anything, so you feel it each time. All you can do is breath deep, clench your fists and teeth, and squeeze your butt cheeks, while looking forward to it being over as soon as possible.
So, now it's all over except that the site on my backside feels bruised.
It's my granddaughter Gracie's 3rd birthday (yesterday, actually) and she's having a BIG party today, complete with a bouncy-house! Wish I could be there, but it's a few hundred miles away. Looking forward to seeing the photos posted though!
Happy birthday Gracie!!
On Thursday, I got PET Scan, which involves getting a radioactive isotope injected into me, resting for about an hour while it works its way through my system, then laying on a moving table while it moves in and out of a donut shaped machine that takes pictures of my insides, lit by the radioactive juice.
We forgot to get the copy of the letter from the dentist and decided to do that on Friday, since we'd be back in town again.
So, on Friday, we went back in and got Labs, then a bone marrow biopsy, which isn't really much fun.
An hour before the biopsy, I took a prescribed pain pill and another pill that was supposed to make me forget the experience, but I remember the whole thing, and I don't know that the pain pill did much good either, to be honest.
I got a local anesthetic at the site on my back side on my right pelvis, which is like a bee sting. Then a couple more of those to make it even number, which weren't quite as bad, since the first one had started to work.
A few minutes later, a needle goes in, punches through the bone, and extracts some marrow to be tested. Then another needle goes in, and its job is to get a sample of the bone itself, which is supposed to come out in the hollow of the needle. That didn't work out so well, so the doctor had to try it again. Unfortunately, it didn't work out either, so he went in a third time, and finally got it.
The bone doesn't get numbed by anything, so you feel it each time. All you can do is breath deep, clench your fists and teeth, and squeeze your butt cheeks, while looking forward to it being over as soon as possible.
So, now it's all over except that the site on my backside feels bruised.
It's my granddaughter Gracie's 3rd birthday (yesterday, actually) and she's having a BIG party today, complete with a bouncy-house! Wish I could be there, but it's a few hundred miles away. Looking forward to seeing the photos posted though!
Happy birthday Gracie!!
posted by Buckster @ 12:52 PM
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