26.3.14

Breakfast was served at 6.15. A HUGE bowl of muesli to try and keep me going until after my scan. I do worry that i will waste away!
I did a little gardening, walked the dogs, and then bathed ready for my appointment at Bournemouth hospital.
Linda and I found the scanner. It always seems strange to me that the scanners are in portacabin type buildings. I suppose thats to keep the radioactive bit separate from all the other patients?
Strangely it was exactly the same staff that was at the last PET scan at Poole hospital. A nice thought as i remembered it went well the first time. No problem inserting the cannula and testing my blood sugar etc. Things like that mean a lot to me. It makes me feel safe and secure.
So i was asked loads of questions, and i signed loads of forms.
Then i was taken into an old fashioned, tired-looking 'office' (although not as tired as the one in Poole), where a nice young girl trained in nuclear physics (she must have only been about 14!), found a vein, and attempted to cannulate me. Instead of the huge bulging vein, she decided to use the one that you can't see!! Surprisingly, it didn't work, so a second attempt was made into the huge bulging vein. Eureka! Blood sugar was fine so i was taken into the second stage room.
A large padlocked box was sat waiting for me with a radioactive sign on it. Its all a bit surreal really.

Here i was given a very quick, considering it was intravenous, injection of radioactive glucose and saline, and i was left to sit quietly for an hour with instructions to not talk or do anything other than read a book, whilst the glucose did a race for life round my body. The cannula was removed and I'm left with 2 nice bruises. But thats the worse bit over and done with.
I don't normally like to sit and do nothing so i was armed with my iPad. At least i could do a bit of surfing, without leaving my seat. My seat was tilted at an angle. I felt i would slide out of it even if i didn't fidget. The foot rest was pulled out physically by the staff so that i could continue to sit and not end up on the floor.
So, no WiFi. What a disappointment. Poole hospital had WiFi! Not that I'm making comparisons!
I read an iBook, played a few games of Gin Rummy, and then my hour was up.
I was pointed in the direction of the special loo, for special radioactive patients. I have to flush twice to ensure any radioactivity is definitely flushed away.
And then i was placed on the table, arms over my head, pillow under my knees and i was off!
Like a roller coaster on a go-slow, i was shunted in and out whilst the scanner clicked and whirred.
Why is it when you have to keep still and not move a muscle, you get an itch on your nose?
15 minutes and i was cooked.
I very stiffly managed to get up, scratch my nose, and then i was deposited in the waiting room where it all started. I was given a cd of my scan again, but I'm unable to open it, again!
Then home to Lindas for the promised cream tea. It was scrummy. Ham sandwiches, scone, jam and clotted cream, and a cup of tea for 3 of us. Kerrie, Lindas girlie joined us. We had a joyous time eating and laughing about all sorts, usually rude stuff.
Stuffed, so ready for home to try and work some of it off in the garden again. A little more digging and weeding ready to plant some more bushes. And then Jenni was round again. As if i hadn't been through enough already today!!!!
She was a sweetheart. She's always very rude to me, but this time, whilst she was being rude, she gave me a foot massage! How nice was that?
And the most important thing......... i didn't get wedged in the scanner. If i carry on eating for England.............. maybe next time!