MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

marlegal

Eli and Diana, sorry for the sucky news Eli, I hope your friend responds well to further treatment. Like you said, great track record for bone mets. No mets is better, but ....



Diana, do you have any idea what your markers were in the past? I would think that might be a better guide than a random number chosen by doc, no?

Meece

So sorry to hear unfortunate news, Diana and Eli~.

Dianarose

Eli- sorry about your friend .

MO just called and moved my bone scan up to tomorrow. NERVOUS NOW.  I have to be there for 8 for injection and then back at 11 for scan. Does anyone know if the crap they inject is similar to the one they use for a PET? Also how long does the scan itself take? Then on Monday I have a CT at 11. All sucks. He said he wants to see what is going on before he prescribes an AI. It is never good news. I don't want to know anymore.

Marlegal- that was the first time for the tumor marker tests. I did read that kidney stones can elevate them as well which I had a week ago. He did say that the CA15-3 was normal, it was the CA27-29 that was elevated. From what I read they are similar other than the way the test is preformed.

elimar86861

Dianarose, The bone scan should be over in about 45 minutes more or less.  I think mine took a little over half an hour.  The injection is different than for PET because with the PET one, you have to sit still for an hour, but as you know with this one you will go about your business for a few hours and then come back.  If I remember right there was no fasting involved with bone scan, like with the PET.  The bone scan is my "favorite" scan, if you can call it that.  (Maybe a tie with an MRI, because I do like the industrial noise sound of the MRI, but the bone scan is a little quicker.)

I have a chainsaw symphony going on in my back yard today.  Is it costly tree trimming, you might wonder?  No.  It is storm damage limb hanging across the main power lines.  It's been threatening the power for about a month now because that's how long it took to get the utility crew out here, but the good news is when it on the lines, they foot the bill.  Better than $200 out of my pocket.

I won't speak of weather, but a couple weeks back some golf ball sized hail (most were smaller tho') put lots of little dings in my car.  I'll have to live with that now.  Of course I was complaining about that, but then, as a cosmic joke, my son was driving by a golf course and a golf ball came flying onto the roof of the car and left a new dent bigger than the rest.  Ridiculous! 

Loral

Elimar FYI...Your comp. insurance covers hail damage if the dents are deep enough to be fixed. I had mine fixed years ago from large hail.

elimar86861

The comp insurance came off years ago.  My car is an old Honda, but its mileage is only middle-aged, like me.  I don't have the "trade in for something newer" gene.  Luckily, neither does my husband.  Har-har! 

Anonymous

Eli, sorry about your friend. Thinking of you today.

Eph3_12

That's so karma'd re: the golf ball!!

elimar86861

Robot surgery is SO last year, if you want the cool, happening surgery now, you're going to want SMART KNIFE! 

p.s.  Ooops, it seems that the link to the article is not working, but you can get the idea from D's post below.

Dianarose

http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/07/17/smart-knife-helps-surgeons-cut-cancer/

Eli- this is a good article that explains how this knife works. True progress. Is the bone scan loud like the MRI? I didn't like that one. I didn't mind the PET scan. Are there any side effects from whatever they inject in you?

marlegal

Just in case Eli is busy tonight, no noise with bone scan. I agree that it was a favorite if there is such a thing. I personally would rather a bone scan over an mri.

Dianarose

Marlegal- thanks, I like quiet. Wish I could read my book during the scan.

marlegal

Diana, just don't forget to wear the pants with the biggest pockets, I know you draw a crowd! (Even if we're just hoping for some of your baked goodies!) I'll bring water and oj

barsco1963

Dianarose - you will do fine tomorrow. The bone scan is usually 40 minutes or so. They always tell me an hour, but I have never been that long. And if you can see the screen - DON'T freak out when you see lots of spots lighting up. I have always seen lots of spots, but scans always come back clean. I haven't heard of anyone experiencing side effects from the injection. I usually just close my eyes and kind of drift off to lala land when I have an MRI or bone scan.

I will certainly be there to jump in your pocket - I have some fresh green beans and peas from the garden that I will bring. I know - not quite the delectables that we normally have, but they are so plentiful right now.

Meece

Diana, make sure if you wear pants with an elastic waist, that the elastic is strong.  We woulldn't want the weight of all of us draggin' your drawers down!

Is the smart knife like the cyber knife?

Dianarose

I love fresh green beans. Ours have flowers, but no beans yet. I did read that the color of the spots that light up or stay dark mean different things. I have a lot of hip pain, so I will soon find out if it is old age or something else.

Marlegal- an ice cold beer would be great. It is almost 10 p.m. and still in the 80's. Too dam hot. A storm is starting. The sky is full of lightning. For some reason a storm makes me sleep better.

momto7

Hi elimar  thanks I did not know that they has a shortage I told my daughters since they are going to go tp college hope every one is doing good tonight

elimar86861

Oh yeah, Eli is busy tonight...if by busy you mean losing my mind.  Do you mean that kind of busy?  Yesterday was the bad news about my girlfiend who is the closest thing I have to a sister.  Today, my son, the pizza delivery boy, totaled his car.  (Rain, hydroplaining, he's o.k. )  The car might be able to be reconstituted into a crumpled, ugly eyesore, ala Frankencar, but we'd have to be able to open the hood to check for internal injuries, which we cannot do now.  That's bad, right?  But wait, it gets worse.  This accident happened within ONE HALF HOUR, of him picking it up from being at the mechanic all day for maintenence and repairs costing HUNDREDS of dollars.  I seriously hope this is not one of those "bad news comes in threes" deals, because I can't take a third thing.

Anonymous

Oh, Eli! I'm so sorry! But thank God he is okay! Don't really believe in the "bad news comes in threes" thing....but if its true, I think you can count his accident as two.....one that he wrecked the car and two for the timing after the expensive maintenance/repair work. Just sayin

luvmygoats

Diana - I'll bring desert - ice cream and wet walnuts. I'll try not to weight your pants down with a draggy droop. WoHoo - never been to Maine. You got this girl!!!

Eli - So sorry to hear about your sister of the heart. Prayers for her. Does she have a plan yet? Gosh and about your son's car. You need a break today and not meaning McDonalds. About the repairs just done to it - I had a great uncle who would not get his car inspection done until it was almost expired. His reasoning - what it if got wrecked earlier in the month it would be a wasted inspection. Never knew him to even have a wreck. So very glad your son is OK.

My husband's niece was headed towards something medical. She got certified in sono about 20 years or so ago - could be longer. Mid sized KY town. Think she does rather well considering she came at it a$$ backwards.

Anonymous

Dianarose: I just made some Serrano pepper jelly, so I'll bring it to the party. It is great on cream cheese and we can wash it down with some cold beer. Mmmmmmmm!

heartnsoul76

Wow, I've been out of the loop! Wish I could say I've been having loads of fun, but alas, just regular ol' sheet.

Elimar - I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. I hate to hear that everytime it happens. We just never know.  I hope your friend has many happy years ahead of her.  The picture at the top makes me think of all of us when we were girls riding bikes with our best friends - makes me feel kind of happy and sad at the same time.

How awful about your son's car, but so glad he's alright. Must have been scary for him - hydroplaning is a terrible feeling! 

Speaking of <storms> my brother (next door) is without power again tonight.  Probably another limb or tree from tonight's bone-rattling monster storm fell on the wires again. Elimar, better the power company pays AND you don't lose power so maybe that's two good things in one! 

Last week my son and I were watching a movie around midnight when my dog started barking.  I hate it when she does that because then I can't hear whatever it is that she's barking at!  But this time she quieted down immediately when I shushed her.  I started listening (and the dog and cats were listening) and I heard a branch break way up high, then I started hearing a slow, but escalating swoosh!  My house is absolutely surrounded by huge trees, and I yelled, "Oh my god, a tree is falling!" and then we just sat there, paralyzed, listening, waiting. Actually, I was thinking while I sat - where do we go?  But I realized the room we were in was probably the best place to be - it has a 20-foot cathedral ceiling plus a 10-foot attic over that.  Ends up it was about 80 feet from my house in the woods between my brother and I.  It woke him up - he said he just laid in bed listening, too.  It was a scary feeling.

Diana - I hate those tests, too!  I hope your tests are over with quickly and everything is okay.  Good news about the CA 15-3 being normal.  Sounds like we're going to have a delicious pocket party!

Loral - I hope the hydrocodone helps.  It's definitely the scar tissue that hurts and I don't have a keloid.  Nothing to do but grin and bear it, and if you have a smartass technician like mine, smack her upside the face for me!

Oh, I forgot to click on the link before I started writing! Is the smart knife the one that detects cancer?  I saw the headline but haven't read it yet - very cool indeed!  I can't wait to ask my breast surgeon about it.  He loves to talk about science-y stuff. 

Valjean

So many things happening with all of you. Sorry I haven't stopped by for a while, have been off "doing stuff."

Just returned from spending a week with the grandkids. Little Mister celebrated his 5th birthday (he has developed quite a potty mouth which does not sit well with me) & the little Miss kept me very busy.  We had fun! Fabulous weather & beautiful waters. Can't ask for much more than that. Well, maybe another Margarita! 

I'll be in your pocket tomorrow, Dianarose. Wasn't sure what to bring, I was going to say water as that is my drink of choice but someone else has offered that up, so I'll just bring lots of best wishes & good thoughts.

So very sorry, E~, to hear of your dear friend. And very happy your son is okay!

Ô¿Ô

Eph3_12

What an absolute drag re: son's car E, but I agree with whoever said that the car fiasco can count as 2 in the "everything comes in 3's" myth!  So glad boyo is OK & you don't have to worry about THAT!

Diana it's noon-ish in Maine.  How are you doing?  I think I got some of chacha's jelly in my eye--it's drippy today!

And wherever it is y'all are having rain, please send it this way.  Melting here!

elimar86861

Thanks, everyone, for the words of encouragement.  You know how it is...that feeling of the regular annoying stuff in life happening ON TOP OF CANCER.  Who needs it?  One funny upshot of all this is that I ended up calling the guy my son rear-ended and the conversation ended with him presenting a job opportunity for my son.  Hilariously, it has to do with hail damage claims, which as you all know from a few post back is something that is a very real occurence around here.  My son is considering it, since he needs a lot of money for repairs now.  Maybe he could work off the damage to the guys bumper like an indentured servant.  ;-) 

So, Val, how many days of recovery do you need after the one week vacay?  I don't even have grandkids, but I remember the activity levels of the average five year old.  Fun AND tiring!

Momto7, Always nice to see the "head of Jackie" popping in...hope all is well with you. 

Dianarose

Was a few minutes late for my scan due to road construction, but got right in and got the injection. Then the wonderful 3 hour wait with nothing open at that time of the morning. The only part of the scan that I didn't like was when she did the skull. The machine is so close to your face. I'm glad you all came along as the tech was in the negative as far as a personality goes. She wasn't any fun. Offered her to have a beer with the rest of us, but no reply.

Barsco-I did see my hips light up like the 4th of July, but I read that it can mean arthritis as well so I will wait for the experts to read them. There were a lot of dark spots too, so who knows.

barsco1963

Eli - things seem to have come full circle regarding the hail damage to your car, your sons accident (glad he's ok) and now opportunity for your son to work processing the hail damage claims of others. Funny how things work sometimes huh?

Dianarose - glad you made it through the scan ok. It does get very close to the face - that's when I usually close my eyes and drift off. You are right to not read anything into the light/dark spots and let the experts read the scan. We could try and guess at what we see but like you said....Who knows? Fingers crossed for good news to come back to you.

Loral

I'm wishing for great test results for you Diana........

NativeMainer

Dianarose--when I had a bone scan I was surprised to see my sinus area light up so much, and it was all from chronic sinus infections!  Good idea about waiting to hear about the hips, it's far more likely to be arthritis than anything else.  The tech that did my scan told me that anyone over 45 lights up in the hips and knees, and often in the shoulders and elbows just from age-related wear and tear.  When will you get the report? 

NativeMainer

OK, I am not sure why some parts of my post got underlined, I ddin't do it.