Pinched nerve or bone mets?

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  • shelleym1
    shelleym1 Member Posts: 298
    edited February 2015

    When you say neck issue is that something benign? Or is it showing bone mets to the neck?

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    it's the same area that was "concerning for metsatses" from the MRI that prompted the bone scan. They don't know what. It is at this point. If the PET comes back clear of organ involvement we still won't know if the neck issue is malignant or simply benign degeneration . We will simply have to watch and see if the damage goes further with scans

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  • shoppygirl
    shoppygirl Member Posts: 694
    edited February 2015

    I think this is good news too! Scans always show crazy things, I have a nodule on my lung that they are "watching" with nothing happening. It's been 2 years so it's considered benign.

    I think you can take a breather now from all the worry!

    Hugs to you and your family.

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    well the PET Scan is scheduled for 1:00 this Monday. This is the scan that neither of us have ever done so it's unknown territory which is a bit scary in and of itself. MRI, Bone scan and PET in less than 2 weeks. We are praying it's a lot of tests and we end up on surveillance

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  • Professor50
    Professor50 Member Posts: 220
    edited February 2015

    Als920, Your anguish these last few days has just been a testament to your incredibly deep love for your family. It has taken my breath away. I hope that you "end up on surveillance." While you are watching and waiting you are also living and loving and healing and growing. There are so many frightening things in the world. But the world also has sunrises and sunsets and children and laughter and people you love and who love you right back with abandon. Please take good care of yourself.

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    When DW and I were sitting down this afternoon I realized that it has only been 4 days since I took an extended weekend to be here for the test and results. It feels very surreal in the sense that I don't feel like it was our life that was going on and it still doesn't. I catch myself truly longing for our old problems that I felt were such a big deal such a very short time ago. My stomach feels as though it was hit by a truck and even though the PET is not until Monday we know we are not out of the woods by a long shot. We are both so tired, it almost feels like we are being conditioned for an endurance run which I truly hope is not the case. Our little girl was lying on me yesterday when we were initially waiting for results and lifted her head up to tell me "Dad. I think you need to eat something, I can hear your tummy." Granted I had approximately 6 saltines yesterday before 7:00 PM so she had a point but I could not think about food. This morning she told me "Dad, you ate this much yesterday (holding up a closed hand) so you need to eat something today." She looked away briefly and then turned right back around, looked me in the eye and stated "EAT FOOD". She and DW are the level headed ones it seems.

    This time next week will bring a sigh of relief or knowledge that we are headed into a very dark place.

    In the meantime I am trying to remember to breath, eat, work and be grateful that we don't know anything yet so until then nothing is there.......but it's so hard.

    Sorry for the run on this evening.

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    Does anyone know if spinal stenosis would show up on a PET scan?

    We're just trying to brace ourselves for what may show up next week when it's done and that was listed on the MRI in the "concerning" area..

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  • shelleym1
    shelleym1 Member Posts: 298
    edited February 2015

    I think this sounds like good news too. For them not to immediaty know it was mets from a bone scan is a good sign. I'm thinking this is not cancer related. Please let us know about the PET scan results. I believe that is pretty similar to an MRI.

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  • shelleym1
    shelleym1 Member Posts: 298
    edited February 2015

    I believe an MRI or CT scan are the best ways to diagnose spinal stenosis.

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    THank you.

    The MRI picked up the stenosis a few weeks ago which is what started this whole scenario for us. The PET is this Monday and I'm trying to stay in the moment and enjoy the "nothing until it's something", I'm at work just trying to follow the "take a breath, take 3 steps, repeat" rule right now but it's not helping much.

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  • Luvmydobies
    Luvmydobies Member Posts: 766
    edited February 2015

    Just hang in there! Negative bone scan is good news! Hold onto that! I understand your worry. I'm currently waiting on pelvic ultrasound results for some lower abdominal pain. I may have to see my gastroenterologist and/or get a CT scan, if the ultrasound is negative. I hope and pray it is negative, but as you know it's the unknown that's hard. Try to let things go until Monday. I'll give you and myself this advice: don't put the cart before the horse! HUGS

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    Thank you.

    The thing that is eating is that bone scan was not negative per se, it still picked up the area of her neck, just nothing else. Please don't get me wrong as we are happy that nothing else showed up and are hanging on to the thread of hope that is there. And you are absolutely right, the unknown is the hardest. That and hearing all of the people in the office talking about how badly their colds are affecting their lives and plans right now. I would love to be in their shoes. :-(


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  • Luvmydobies
    Luvmydobies Member Posts: 766
    edited February 2015

    Ugh, I know what you mean about people complaining about colds and allergies!!! I want to scream at them sometimes and say I wish a cold was my only worry! My Onc said bone scans will be positive even if you have a hair line crack in a bone from an injury.So positive doesn't always mean cancer. Remember that. Just breathe and try to relax a bit. I know it's hard, believe me. I understand the feeling of helplessness and worry. We all do and you sound like a great hubby and dad. We can tell how deeply you care for your wife. She's blessed to have you!!!

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  • vlnrph
    vlnrph Member Posts: 1,632
    edited February 2015

    Wow, you guys have certainly been through a lot! What a sensible daughter: "eat food". Perhaps she will become a dietitian...

    Nervous before & after my two uneventful imaging studies last month, I decided 'at least now I have CT & bone scans on file so that if anything real ever comes up in the future, we will have a baseline for comparison'. Hoping that you will be able to come to a similar conclusion very soon.

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    I had forgotten to mention that she has had pain/tenderness in the breast lately where her lumpectomy was. I am hoping it is just cycle related which just started a few days ago.

    Things just keep happening and I'm just hoping for a break in our string of luck for the better.

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited February 2015

    Good evening all.

    The anxiety of the pending scan has weighed on both DW and myself in different ways today. This morning I felt a strange feeling of acceptance for what is happening and may yet come. I have the easiest time at night and she has the hardest at that time. I went out for a little while today just for "fun" for the first time in about two weeks and at the end I felt guilty for doing something even remotely enjoyable for myself when I cannot even imagine how she is feeling and if she is able to do the same? I truly apologize for what seems to me like I have turned this into, more of a blog.

    When I was driving this afternoon I was on a different side of our "small" city which was where we lived when we first got here. It brought back way too many memories of a calmer, happier time. It also brought the song that we danced to on our wedding day that I would like to share though I don't know if it is against the rules of the boards? If so I do apologize. The song is by a band called Big Star from Memphis that never quite got their due until they were long gone but influenced so many others. It is a very sincere and sweet ballad (and short) about young love and no we were not that young when we married. I wanted to attach the link for anyone who may be interested in one of the most beautiful and lasting songs that I know of. DW and I have promised each other that we would dance to this again on our 50th wedding anniversary on many occasions.

    Moderators please let me know if this is against policy so that I do not make any other mistakes, I would hate to jeopardize my ability to be a part of this community.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pte3Jg-2Ax4

    Cheers everyone and take care tonight.

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited March 2015

    Hello all,


    I hope this finds everyone well.

    We really tried over the past few days to push the scan thoughts and possible consequences of a poor result out of our heads and just enjoy but it didn't really work very well. The scan preparation started yesterday at 1:00 with basically an Adkins diet for 48 hours prior and no caffeine 12 hours prior. The scan is at 1:00 tomorrow and given the length of time it will take a certain that we won't hear anything until the following day. They say that when it rains it pours and if that is the case I feel like we haven't seen the sun in a while. Yesterday was a wash when a friend of the family was able to fix our little electrical SNAFU but then looked at another issue only to let us know we have a leaking valve in our upstairs shower that has to be replaced so we are looking at a 4-5 hour plumbing job. We are really feeling the physical, mental and now financial strain as the bills from all of these things are starting to roll in.

    We have stopped asking what else can go wrong because there seems to be something there that has it out for us right now.

    Wondering what our lives will be like in less than 72 hours?

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited March 2015

    And here we go again. DW just left for her PET scan appt and we will know something by this time tomorrow. It's amazing how much can change in 24 hours one way or the other. I know that we have all had these things go through our heads, only 'x' days, wee,s months ago everything was normal and now it's not or may not be. I feel somewhat calmer than I did last week for the bone scan but still uneasy, if I wasn't I would be concerned.

    Well, looking at the clock she should be going into the "machine" in about 15 minutes.

    Take care everyone.

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  • Nan54
    Nan54 Member Posts: 93
    edited March 2015

    Praying for an all-clear for your wife! And for some peace of mind for both of you. Please keep us posted!

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited March 2015

    DW just got home and they told her the scan would be read today. That however does not mean that we will hear anything until tomorrow.

    I was coping really well, took our daughter out for a walk and picked up our oldest at school. But as soon as she walked in the door exhaled and said it would be read today my stomach just bottomed out. Also, it turned out to be a PET/CT combo after all.

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  • LittleMelons
    LittleMelons Member Posts: 273
    edited March 2015

    I have been following your thread and am keeping my fingers crossed for you, hoping you get the results today.  I have been through this situation  a couple of times involving multiple scans and waiting for results after suspicious findings on a bone scan and spots on liver.  It is torture for sure.  Fortunately, mine turned out not to be cancer.   I hope yours does too. Thinking of you and your DW!

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  • Luvmydobies
    Luvmydobies Member Posts: 766
    edited March 2015

    Als, I'm thinking of you guys. I hope and pray for negative results. LittleMelons situation shows that "suspicious" doesn't always mean cancer! I am having a CT scan for left sided abdominal pain, so I'm also on edge but trying not to panic just yet! Hang in there and keep us posted. HUG

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  • Tomboy
    Tomboy Member Posts: 3,945
    edited March 2015

    Hey, luvmydobies, that's very strange, I am having a CT scan tomorrow for the very same reason. When are you having yours? Praying for you both Als920. Well, all of us, really.

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited March 2015

    Thank you LittleMelons, Dobies and Tomboy. Very scared at what tomorrow will bring us.

    Tomboy-Agreed and I am praying for us all as well.


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  • Luvmydobies
    Luvmydobies Member Posts: 766
    edited March 2015

    Tomboy, my scan is Friday. Thanks for the prayers! I'm praying for everyone too. My GI doc ordered it. I had a pelvic and vaginal ultrasound last week and it was negative so my PCP suggested seeing my GI. I don't think he's thinking Cancer but it's hard not to let my mind go there!

    Als, we'll be waiting with you!

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  • slv58
    slv58 Member Posts: 1,216
    edited March 2015

    ALS, thinking nothing but positive thoughts for all of you today.

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  • Luvmydobies
    Luvmydobies Member Posts: 766
    edited March 2015

    Als, just wanted to say I'm thinking of you today, praying and waiting with you! XOX

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited March 2015

    Thank you. Very scared and keeping the happy face for the kids right now. They're excited because it's snowing and not too cold but DW and I are not really able to enjoy the moment unfortunately.

    Just praying that when the phone rings today it's good news.

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  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited March 2015

    I've been following too....I hope you get the call soon to put an end to the worry. ((hugs))

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  • Als920
    Als920 Member Posts: 89
    edited March 2015

    this is so hard and I cannot imagine what is going on in my wife's mind right now. I am so scared and feel the tears on the border waiting to come out and its all I can do right now to keep them at bay with our 4 year old playing in the other room.

    After dropping our son off at school I felt so envious of the other "healthy" parents that were with their kids enjoying the snow

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