I had a phone call on 3rd August saying my PET scan appointment was on the 5th at 9.30am. As it was short notice they'd email the confirmation to me rather than send me a letter. The nurse gave me some information such as no food prior, just drink water, loose clothing, no metal in clothes etc. The scan was in a hospital over an hours drive away. As it meant an early start, we didn't want to burden anyone with having the kids so we took them with us. I had to go in on my own anyway so the plan was to drop me at the hospital and they'd go and kill a few hours in the city then pick me up when I was all done. I'd even booked a table at a local Pizza Hut for lunch as a treat (my boys LOVE pizza). Perfect, plan all made.
Everything was going swimmingly. We got there in plenty of time, I found the department I needed, we completed all the paperwork and I was weighed and measured. Then a nurse came to collect me and take me outside to the lorry. It was a portable PET scan unit, very swanky! I was asked if I got claustrophobic in scans. I didn't know, I'd never had one before. The nurse took me to see the machine and I decided I would be fine. It was a big white shiny tunnel. I knew it wasn't going to hurt so there was nothing to be worried about. I said I would be fine and declined the offered sedative. I was taken to a small room. It wasn't actually small, it was tiny. But we were in a lorry so space was in short supply. The nurse explained the process about how I'd be injected with a small amount of radiation, left to sit for up to an hour and then scanned. All I was worried about was needing a wee as I'd drank about a litre of water that morning. She asked how I was getting home and told her the hubby and kids were picking me up. She stopped in her tracks. Everything went from going swimmingly to sinking. She told me I couldn't be around children as I'll be emitting small amounts of radiation over the next 6-8hrs and it could be harmful to them. Oh crap! Panic set in. Maybe I'll take that sedative now after all! I called the hubby and explained the situation. He called a friend who agreed to have the boys so set off a 120 mile round trip. Oops, that'll teach me not to check if there's an information leaflet attached to a confirmation email (it was by the way, I just didn't see it). So catastrophe averted and in went the radiation. I was then left to sit in the nice soft chair for an hour whilst it made its way all around my body. They even dimmed the lights for me. It was lovely and relaxing. I was allowed to use the loo before going in the scanner, thank goodness! After 2 children, my pelvic floor isn't good at holding onto a litre of water for any length of time. I had to whip my bra off (no metal allowed) and hopped onto the bed. I spent 20 minutes in the shiny white tunnel. I think I even dosed off for a short time.
Once I was scanned, I was allowed to get my bra back on and sent on my way. The hubby was still 30 minutes away so I found the coffee shop, got a drink and chocolate bar and sat in a quiet corner. Every time I looked up from my phone, there were 2 people looking at me. I thought maybe I was glowing slightly, like the Ready Brek man. Or in my haste of getting dressed I'd got a boob hanging out my bra. I checked myself and decided it was neither of those and maybe they were just admiring the speed at which I can demolish a galaxy caramel bar and medium cappuccino. I was collected by my knight in shiny VW Tiguan and driven home. For the rest of the day I hid away upstairs until my 8hrs was up and I was no longer emitting radiation. I went downstairs and gave the boys a kiss. The youngest looked me up and down and asked why I wasn't bald yet. Hmmm, well at least it shows he paid attention when we did the cancer talk 2 weeks previously.
(Yes, I did take a selfie with the scanner!)
