Scan today

I know folks are waiting for me to post all about the retreat this past weekend. I am working on it. Maybe halfway done. But there is so much to say and it is taking me a bit. But I wanted to go ahead and post about this week before I get so far behind I am overwhelmed.

So I will start with today and work backward. I had a PET/CT scan today, one of my regularly scheduled cancer checks. I managed to talk them in to doing them at the same time without confirmation that my insurance will pay for it. They think Aetna will pay it, in fact they have verbal confirmation that they will pay it. And if for some reason Aetna won't cover it all, they say that will not affect my portion of it. So they are taking the risk they won't be paid for it all because I complained about how sucky it is to split them up. So now if it gets denied I will feel so bad. But I got my way this time and I can't say I am sorry I did.

The scan went ok. I was really latte due to leaving a little late and getting stuck in traffic. When I realized how late I was going to be, I called and gave them a heads-up. I was 30 minutes late and so embarrassed to come waltzing in. I told the lady at the desk I would reschedule if I needed to, but they said they could still take me if we hurried over. Seems there was more at stake than my table time with the scanner. My injection would expire and would be unusable. It was 9:00 and we had til 9:30. Not a problem for me. I was already in my yoga pants and t shirt with no metal anywhere on me. And I have had many scans there so the paperwork I needed was minimal. They just had to get my IV in and test my blood sugar. It only took two tries to get the IV started. They insisted on the big one, the 20 gauge, so it isn't pleasant. But they got it in and I quickly downed the jug of delicious barium before they whisked me down the hall to the uptake room. That is where they inject you with the radioactive sugar and leave you for an hour in a recliner covered in warm blankets with a heater blowing on you. I walked in at 9:00 and got settled in for my nap at 9:15. They were awesome to take me when I was so late, but I am sure they didn't want to waste the injection. It is probably pretty expensive and I bet they can't bill my insurance for it even though it would have been my fault it got wasted. It all worked out, thankfully.

After the scan I changed into my street clothes but before I could leave they called me back in to do another couple of scans on my hands. Apparently there was something weird on their pictures of my left hand. She asked me if I had injured it lately. I have no idea what it could be, unless there is something in my fake nails distorting things. I can't think there is actually anything wrong with my hands. I mean really, cancer hands? I don't think so. I will ask Dr. George what that was all about in a few days when he gets results.

Yesterday Jackson had a well-check first thing in the morning before school. I needed a wellness statement for the pre-school so had to go in. I didn't expect it, but he needed a shot. We were apparently behind on one and they needed him to have a Hep B shot. I wasn't prepared for that. I hadn't prepared Jackson for that. I didn't really have time to decide what to do or say to prepare him for it. I didn't want to explain what a shot was and that it would hurt and then sit there waiting for the nurse to come give it to him for 15 minutes while he grew more and more agitated. So I waited till the nurse came in with it and told him it was a shot of medicine to keep him from getting sick. It happened so fast I don't know if he understood me when I told him it might hurt a little. He was not prepared, though it probably wouldn't have mattered. He didn't start crying until it was done and he kept saying "Mommy, that hurt me!" Like I may not have known it and wouldn't have allowed it if I had. Poor baby. I took him to school afterwards, cause he still wanted to go and the doc said it was fine. My mom picked him up from school and kept him for the night so I could go to the scan this morning.

Sigh. That is all for now. I promise to write more tomorrow and work on my weekend essay for your enjoyment.