PET Scan and Results

Hello from San Fran!!  

It is a beautiful day here and everyone is dressed in Giants gear  - so excited for the game tonight!

Your Support 

There is an over whelming amount of support coming my way from many different avenues.  From cards, to e-mails, to Facebook posts, etc.  It is undeniable that so many of you have me and my situation on your minds.  I am forever grateful.  My last post Disappointing MRI Results, has received the most views out of any of my previous posts to date!  Thank you.

Look out San Fran, we're here!

Nate and I arrived in San Francisco on Sunday.  He is in town for a Doctor's convention, so it worked out perfectly with the scheduled scan date and him already having a hotel room booked.  I always take photos of the bridges when we cross them!!

Yesterday, I woke up bright and early for my scan.  I took my first Cab (Uber) ride by myself, over to the Radiology center.  I arrived at 7am to check-in.  I went immediately get set-up with an IV, then they bring in the radioactive sugars in a metal box...

It is so interesting to me that even the syringe is incased in metal... but, somehow its ok for my body?!

I did really well with the Radioactive sugar injection and I didn't barf (last year I got really sick).  After waiting a hour for the sugars to metabolize, I was taken into the chilly exam room.  I was placed in position and propped up with various foam wedges and warm towels....Lets just say it took minutes for me to fall asleep!  Before I knew it the scan was over!  This time around, everything seemed to go much faster.  Maybe I'm an "old pro"by now?!!  Afterwards, I had a bagel sandwich and made it back to the hotel where I slept for most of the day.

Let's here some GOOD news!

Today, Nate and I woke up very early again.  My Doctors appointment wasn't until 8am but, I really wanted to grab a cup of blue bottle coffee first.  It is The. Best. Coffee. The End.

We arrived at UCSF Helen Diller comprehensive cancer center 10 minutes before my appointment.  I filled out all of the paperwork and we waited.  At 9:40, we were taken back into the room.  After some time the resident came in to conduct the initial exam and assessment.  

The Resident pulled up my PET CT images and I immediately saw two areas that were 'glowing'.  My heart sank.  From where I was sitting, I could read what he was typing.... My heart sank again.  Nate saw my face and decided to get up from where he was sitting and stand in-between me and the Resident!  He has said from the beginning that it doesn't matter what anyone else says except for Dr. O'Donnell - and he is right.  There he stood...and thought he was so funny!!  He always knows how to make me laugh!

After more waiting time, Dr. O'Donnell came in.  He examined my enlarged lymph node, my leg, and my range of motion.  He examined the area where the tumor was removed and all of a sudden, he touched an area that was very, very tender.   I never realized this.  He said, "This feels very full."  He and then sat down and started typing. 

After quite some time of him reviewing the last three months of my scans and comparing them to my PET CT scans, he then turned to talk with us. 

Assessment and Plan

Good news, he told me that the Fluid collection has shrunk!!  I am not in as much pain as I have been.  I haven't been pushing it too hard in the gym either, and I've noticed that it doesn't hurt as much.  He told me that constantly in the last 3 scans that I have had, they have all been consistent in noting that the size has shrunk!!!  Yayyyyyy!!  It was 7.4 cm (August 21st), 6.9 cm (September 30), 5.5 cm (October 5), and 3.9 cm (October 27).

More good news... Dr. O'Donnell told me that most likely my lymph node (1.6 cm)  is not cancer as it didn't glow in the PET CT scan.  Personally, I have noticed that it has shrunk.  Dr.O'Donnell told me that I also have enlarged lymph nodes in my chest (armpit area).  He will follow-up with these in a follow-up CT.

He told me that there is a ring of enhancement around the "Popliteal cystic fluid collection/mass".  In the past, the Sarcoma Board has thought that this area; the cyst and the tissue around it, were consistent with a Seroma.  He told me that when I had a tumor last year, the entire area lit-up with the radioactive sugar injection.  Visually, It was the shape of a potato.  However, this time the PET CT lit-up an area in the shape of a doughnut - Just the outer ring.  The cyst in the middle did not - it was still dark.  Because of these differences he is not certain that it is Sarcoma again!!!!  Last year, when I got the PET CT scan of my tumor the glow could be rated at a 1.5, however this area has now given a glow at 4.2 (much brighter).  He told me that he will be bringing these images to the Sarcoma Board on November 14th for further review.

Dr. O'Donnell told me that the second spot that glowed from the PET CT was the area in my gluteus major muscle (my butt) - more specifically my trochanteric brusa.  He told me that this could just be inflammation!!!  He's concerned with the fact that it glowed on the PET CT scan images. However, he wants the Tumor Board to review this as well.  Before the Tumor Board meets again, O'Donnell wants me to get another Pelvic MRI.  He wants it done at University Imaging.  This is the same place that I had the Pelvic MRI done last year.  They are also the place where I had my most recent MRI scan where O'Donnell raved about the quality!

He told me that I have a stable lung nodule.  It is abnormal (not sure what that means), but it is still 4mm.  

More Scans

O'Donnell told me that he would like me to "Take the Holidays off" from scans.  He wants me to get another Chest CT and MRI at the end of January.  He told me that he wants both of these scans done at UCSF.  He requested the MRI be completed on a 3-T (high-powered machine) again.  

Keep Praying!

O'Donnell told me that he would call me after the Tumor Board meets on November 14th. When I get back home, I will rush to get the Pelvic MRI completed and overnight the images to O'Donnell so that he may review them and bring them to the Tumor Board.

Thank you SO much for your support.  I think Nate and I were hoping for more conclusive result but, Im very thankful for how through Dr. O'Donnell is!!!  I really happy the cyst is shrinking and I have positive hopes for what the future brings!!  

Thanks for reading!