Round 12 Day 19 - CT Scan no. 2

I had my second CT Scan today.

My first CT was in July last year - to get an image of the tumor in my colon and find out if there was any spread. 

I didn't blog about it until September or so, so I was relying on my memory at a time when lots of new things were happening including chemo brain. Reading back I think I was slightly mixed up with CT's and PET's. Only slightly though.

I booked this CT weeks ago - so I got to pick a good time. 11am is perfect. You have to fast for 2 hours beforehand, so I was able to have breakfast first without having to get up too early.

Upon arrival I was given two cups of green liquid to drink. Then we wait. The waiting room at Radiology Tas is pretty nice actually. Comfy seats, warm (it's been a really cold day!) and some really nice art on the walls.

Why is it green? It didn't taste very good. I couldn't decide if they've added a bit of cordial to try and improve the flavor or if that is just how it tastes. And it came in disposable plastic cups. I took them home so at least they'd be recycled. I wonder if they'd let me bring my own cup next time.

After you're called through you go change into a disposable gown, have yet another cup of green liquid and then get on the bed thing while they put a cannula in. 

And here's a bit that I'd forgotten about completely - the stuff they give you via the cannula is really weird. It gives you a really strong unpleasant taste in your mouth, the staff described it as metallic but that wasn't quite how I found it. It was very bitter. It makes your face go hot especially around your mouth and nose and weirdest of all it gives you the sensation that you're peeing yourself. But you're not, thank goodness. 

None of that lasts more than a minute or two, and the procedure itself is very quick too, the bed moves through the big donut shaped thing a couple of times and then you're done. 

Easy peasy. Go home and have a nice cup of coffee. In a proper cup.

This evening there was a show on TV about the benefits of exercise for people with cancer. It was really compelling. I talk about the benefits of exercise quite a lot. It's possible I talk about the benefits of exercise more often than I exercise. It's good these reminders to actually get up and do it come along from time to time, as I do tend to drift away from my regimes to the point that I need a good shove to get back into it.

So I know you've all heard this before, but as of tomorrow - I intend to do my exercises daily and go for a short walk daily. Feel free to encourage/nag me as much as you like in regards to this!

And now we enter that strange place between a scan and the results. Which is similar but slightly different from the strange place between the results and the next scan. It's all strange places now. 

On any Tuesday last May, I was riding my bike to the rowing sheds in the morning before work, 6am I think? Then going for a row, then I'd cycle to work, work all day, then ride to my friends house for dinner - I'd arrive puffing and sweating despite the cold weather as the route has some massive hills. There I'd try not to stay too late chatting as I'd been up since 5am and had work the next day too and would ride home. What should I be doing this year instead? I shouldn't dwell on it.