Don't Fart during a Bone Scan

So today, Ginger was much better but we needed to get her to the pediatrician for a check up after yesterday's emergency room visit. So PJ stayed home w/ the girls and got them to the dr with Nancy's help, and my dear friend Jennnifer spent the day in lovely Cottonwood w/ me today.

Today I had the following scheduled: CT scan, MRI & Bone scan - in that order. They injected me with the stuff needed for the bone scan when I first got there as it takes 3 hours to start working. Also when I arrived, I was told I needed to drink yet another chalky drink which they comically call a 'smoothie'. It is not a smoothie or anywhere near a smoothie. It is chalk - cold liquid chalk made to have the essence of some sort of flavor. I picked BERRY. Woo Hoo. I thought I did so good drinking the first here at home at 8am - didn't know I needed to drink another when I got there. With much coaching and encouragement from Jennifer (and a straw, that helped) I got the other one down. Now I just felt like throwing up. So the scans went fine - creepy but fine. And the Verde Valley Medical Center was very strange. I'm not sure how to explain this, but it had the wierdest vibe - like a Twin Peaks Stephen King kinda vibe. I kept expecting a midget to come out dancing down one of the many empty hallways. It was just wierd. Everyone was nice, it was just - odd. Glad we don't have to go back.

So there was a break in time before my bone scan so Jennifer and I could get something to eat - but not really enough time to go anywhere - so we decided to pop over to the cafeteria and get something to eat since I hadn't been able to eat anything all day except the lovely smoothies. We ate the one thing that looked fresh (ok the freshest there) and enjoyed the lovely afternoon weather by sitting outside. So we get back in time for my bone scan, and now this lovely chalky stuff feels like it is burrowing into my gut. Not comfortable. A bone scan consists of me laying flat on a table for 25 minutes. My stomach felt like it was doing somersaults. But I got through it and we were on our way.

As we're leaving I explain to Jennifer that I am proud of the fact that I didn't fart during the bone scan because not only would that have been extremely embarrassing - but God forbid me have to redo the whole thing. She generously offered her car for me to fart in, which I declined. I figured I had held it this long, and Lord only know what was in that cafeteria food we ate - might as well wait until I get home. She's such a good friend - not many people would offer their car up to fart in ;-)

My girls are doing great - Ginger is staying on her meds and we watch her temp real close and she really seems back to her old self today. Madeline is great too. I just can't love on them enough. Yesterday still creeps into my mind, quite a bit actually. I had no idea how common this was - this was definately NOT in the users manual. Oh - and to put some people's minds at ease - please know this is not anything PJ and I are bringing into the house from the medical facilities we are frequenting. While I appreciate that concern, it is not true, and it is not helpful for us to hear these things. Our kids are in school and daycare - and kids spread germs. End of story.

Tomorrow we are off to the Verde Valley again for my echo and EKG. I am unfortnately missing the Mothers Tea w/ Madeline at school, but am planning our own Mothers Tea here at the house for Mothers Day. We are praying the tests come back as normal as possible with no more surprises so I can get started with chemo and start killing this stuff. I joined my first online support group today - which is a big step for me. I'm still coming to grips with the fact I have stage IV breast cancer - it's hard to commit to this diagnosis online in this manner. I don't know why it is for me - it just is. I joined, that's about all I can do right now.

Again, thank you for all your prayers. Please keep them coming - and thank you Jennifer for spending your day with me. Thank you Amy & Rachel for making it possible for her to do so.