In the quiet of early morning today, I almost went to my computer and started writing about this. Then, I decided to wait until I finished what I had to do today so I could tell you how it went down. Plus, I knew I needed to stay in bed in an attempt at getting some sleep. 

​Way back on December 12, 2013, I posted about how my very first, and hopefully the last, MRI went. (spoiler alert, not good). Well, today I had an early appointment to have a PET/CT done at the hospital. I understood that this was kinda similar to an MRI. ewwwwww. You remember me complaining recently about how I am having difficulty walking? Well, I went to the Oncologist's office last week and talked to my Nurse Practitioner, Mindy. We decided to go for this scan, since being off the cancer meds hasn't made any difference in the pain in my legs and I am still walking like a cowboy (or a giant toddler). Now, we are trying to figure out what is causing the problem. I am pretty sure that some sparklies (cancer cells) have not metastasized in my leg bones, but I had to have this test first to find that out before we can look further. I want to know what is really going on and then solve this problem.

The scan consisted of putting radioactive (?) stuff in glucose and shooting me up. I couldn't eat sugar or drink caffeine, or indulge in bread, pasta, and a whole bunch of  other good stuff for 24 hours before the test. Just pretty much meat, eggs, and water. No big deal. It was all very do-able.

​I got to the hospital about 7 AM. After getting the infusion of glucose mixture, I had to lay down for 90 minutes and stay completely still (no reading or playing on my tablet!). Next they took me to a special X-ray room and  put me on a bed and started running me through a tube. Then the scan began.

Now, I kept remembering that awful MRI experience way back in 2013. But this test was not bad! It was loud, but they played neat music over the intercom. And it only lasted 25 minutes, not an hour like the MRI. I did not get overheated, or nauseated, and it helped that I got to lay on my back instead of being face down, with my cheek bones crushing against a steel face plate.

​I will get the results on Tuesday. If there is something going on cancer-wise, the X-ray will show bad spots glowing. Let's hope there is nuthin' there, okay????

​So, to make a long story short, it happened again . . . kinda. Not the nasty MRI. More like an MRI's mild little sister. So glad!

​Sad News:  Jenna had to put her little dog down today. He was filled with arthritis and was in misery all the
                   time.

​Good News: Jenna sent me a school picture of Alec with ANOTHER medal! He earned it for doing a record
                    number of ball  spikes(?). We're not quite sure what that means, but it must have something to do
                    P.E. I am very proud of our guy. 

​Another major event in Alec's life:  He had to have oral surgery last week. After 16 years, he finally got two cavities. Since he is terrified of dentists, he had to go to the hospital and be knocked out in order to have fillings put in. While he was under, the doctor also took out his wisdom teeth and then sealed all the rest of his teeth so he won't get any cavities from now on!!  Super news.

​When they put him out, they had to give him a bit of gas to start, before they inserted the IV for the anesthesia because he wasn't having anything to do with needles!. When they put the gas mask on, they let him hold his phone and continue playing with it, to keep his mind off what was happening. Jenna said it was so funny when his eyes closed and his hand went limp. The attending nurse was there to catch the phone in mid-fall. When he woke up, he was fine and didn't fuss at all. What a champ! He is getting so grown up.  Love him!

​                                                                          GOD BLESS YOU ALL

​​PUT YOUR BIG GIRL PANTIES ON AND DEAL WITH IT.

​Hi, everybody! I am trying hard not to be a Wendy Whiner. Yup, that's what I've been up to lately. Whining. I can't seem to stop. And what's funny about this, is that I'm whining about teeny tiny stupid things. For example, the other night I was cutting up vegetables for a salad. All of a sudden, WHAM! I sliced my left thumb (I'm a right-hander so that makes sense that I was cutting with my right hand and cut the left thumb--oh, you get the picture!). No big deal, right? But later I found out how very, very important my left thumb is to me. Did you know that you have one heck of a time buttoning a shirt or blue jeans when your thumb has got a jagged, deep cut in it? Oh, and pushing the buttons on the TV remote with that hand, because you are holding a phone or a tablet in your right.  Where you push the buttons is exactly where my gash was. Torture!

​Another thing I have been stewing about is my face.  In October, after waiting three months to get a stinking appointment date, I went to a dermatologist because I have some dark spots from sun damage that are driving me nuts. AND I had this ginormous knot on my face under my left eye. I appeared suddenly on July 3rd. I remember. And it grew and grew until this ugly growth was really looking bad. Well, after I finally got in to see Dr. McUseless, he informed me cheerfully that the dark spots were from sun damage (ya think?) and also the knot was another form of sun damage. (I don't think so). Actually, I was very relieved to find out that it wasn't skin cancer. Anyhoo, when I asked him what could be done to get rid of these unsightly problems, guess what he said? You're gonna love this.  "You are just overthinking this too much. Your glasses frame conceals the knot somewhat, and your hair falls forward to hide the dark spots on the side of your face."

Wha . . . ?

​He finally wrote me a prescription for a $80.00 tube of "poor man's face peel". I tried it and it burned like the dickens. I have since tried it again, but only after looking on line to see what the best procedure was in applying it. It helps if you mix a pea-size dab of the medicine and a similar dab of moisturizer together. That way the stuff spreads easier and doesn't burn like hell!  ooops 
​So far it isn't doing much, but I made an appointment with another doctor for the end of this month to see if there is some lazar treatment or some other kind of treatment that would help me. I've been waiting  FOUR months to get in to this guy. sigh

​Then there's my hair. Since I have been growing it out, it is so thick and heavy that it has decided to part on the top backside of my head. I have a cowlick (you know, one of those swirly things where your hair grows in a small circle). It literally looks like I have a hole in my mop of hair. Hubby is constantly telling me, "You need to brush your hair. You've got a hole back there."  Excuse me!


​Can you believe that I have been fussing and fuming about such trivial things? But then I got to thinking about some really tough problems. I feel so bad for those people in Puerto Rico. It appears that some of them still have no clean water to drink. And if clean water is at a premium, can you imagine not taking a bath or washing your hair for long periods of time? Or clean clothes. Or having water to cook and clean up what they still have. That must be a luxury that so many of those people are dreaming about. 

​The news is full of people that are so much more unfortunate than I will ever be. And it sounds like a lot of them are taking it all in stride, waiting and hoping for better times ahead, but in the meantime, getting on with life. That takes a lot of courage and strength to go through all those horrible predicaments.


​So, I have decided to "put on my big girl panties" and deal with my petty issues. But I thought you might like to see how Little J demonstrates my issues.  So I have supplied visuals for your amusement.

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