Scanxiety II

Kevin completed the PET/CT this morning. It took about 2 hours. While it isn't an intrusive test (read that as, "no one saying 'Doctor will want to have a little peek up there...'") it is a long test. You have to hold your arms above your head during the scanning which adds to the neuropathic pain in Kev's hands and lower arms. And lying down with his head partially covered by the scanner triggers Kevin's tendency toward clausterphobia. He says he did ok because he knew how it was coming but the morning wore him out.

In the early days of Kevin's diagnosis and later through periods of intense recovery or sickness, he was so wiped out that he processed only a small portion of everything being thrown at him. That's when we learned the essential nature of having someone along as an advocate.

One of the first things we make clear with a new medical office is that this is a package deal and I am going to be with him if it's at all possible. Works well for my hyper-vigilant anxiety and for Kevin's worry about not being able to hear and respond well to medical providers. Generally his doctors like the results too because they can double check with me when they have concerns that he might be downplaying a reaction or symptom.

Unfortunately radiological imaging is one of those areas where he has to go alone. Usually I can sit with him until the scanning begins and I've been known to camp in the hallway outside the door of a CT room. Kevin does better if he knows I'm nearby.

With limited space in the mobile imaging trailer, I couldn't sit with him for even the hour period of quiet rest after the imaging injection. Plus they want patients to be very quiet after the injection to minimize false positive results--nothing to stimulate cells into extra activity which might give a false indication of cancer cell activity.

Ha! I have no trouble imagining Kevin's brain cells functioning at warp speed during this "quiet time" as they assemble of list of why he doesn't want to be there. Better to distract them with trivality than taunt them into action packed resentment.

Kev looked a little like a lost kid as the tech collected him from the main waiting room. And he had relief all over his face when he came back 2 hours later and I was right where he had left me.
So when do we get results of the scan?

Beats me. Kevin didn't ask and doesn't remember the tech telling him.

I should have sat outside the door of the trailer.