P.E.T. Scan May 2014 (P.E.T. Number 2)

P.E.T. Scan May 2014 (P.E.T. Number 2)

A Positron Emission Tomography scan is a type of imaging test. It uses a radioactive substance called a tracer to look for disease in the body. A positron emission tomography (PET) scan shows how organs and tissues are working. This is different than MRI and CT scans. These tests show the structure of, and blood flow to and from organs.

The night before the scan, when I should have been fasting I ate two bars of chocolate and drank about 2ltrs of fizzy orange or more. I could hardly sleep and I was very thirsty. So I arrived at the radiology unit at 9.30am still parched. For PET scans they do a blood sugar/glucose test. This is basically a tiny needle into the top of a finger to draw blood which is dabbed onto a strip. The reading comes up on the screen in seconds. Last time I had one of these was prior to my first PET scan in March 2014, that read was 5.6 – very average. So the nurse preforms the procedure and looks at the screen 33.5 – she looked me and said “this unit must be faulty I’m going to get another” she arrives back with a slightly bigger unit and a radiologist. They redo the test 33.5 again. Like most people who have never experienced diabetes I had no idea what this meant, I knew however that it sounded high. The radiologist left the room to make a few calls. This radiology unit is not in the same location or the same hospital that takes care of my chemotherapy. The radiologist returns a few minutes later and tells me they can’t do the PET as the likelihood that my body would go into shock during the scan and cause a coma was high. He asked if I had a lift home and I said yes. I could see him considering options but he told me to go home and expect an urgent call from the oncology unit. So off I went home. And as we do I went onto the internet and consulted Dr Google. To be honest here I was getting more and more confused. There were so many different types, stages, ages, causes and explanations it was impossible to really understand. I was home about an hour

Then the mobile rang – it was the oncologist

“Get in here right now” okay this felt bad

Casually walked into the ward and was placed in bed, blood sugar/glucose test immediately 33.3 I looked at the nurse and said “it’s dropped” “What do you mean?” I told her it was 33.5. She then asked had I any idea how high it was and I said Nope. It was actually the highest she had ever seen. Enters the oncologist who proceeded to explain that I had Chemotherapy Steroid induced diabetes…. it appeared that the level of steroids used in ABVD therapy had a negative effect on me. I was classed as Type 1 insulin dependent diabetic. Now we have to add to that as the cause is more medical than physical so the diagnoses is actually Chemotherapy Steroid Induced Type 1 insulin dependent diabetic

The Actual scan was done a week later when my body had adjusted to insulin. I was quiet nervous about this scan. My body felt like I had battle Mike Tyson for 12 rounds. But the results came back and it appeared that the ABVD was working its was through killing cancer cells, the PET scan looked like only half the Christmas tree lights were on