Like Daughter - 43

It has been forever, loves, but there is finally an update on the Cancer Clan. Janina has bravely endured 3 weeks on her low-iodine diet, and has her nuclear scan tomorrow. This scan will determine one of three things: 1) if she is clear of thyroid cancer, 2) if not, she undergoes more radioactive iodine, or 3) she undergoes another surgery. Of course, we'd all prefer #1, but if that isn't the case, then I'd much rather her go through #2 than #3. I don't think I could handle seeing her go through a second surgery. She would take it well, though, knowing her. She's braver than any woman I know. But, let's not dwell on all that, shall we?

Mom is due for her scan soon. She's going to have it on a day she's off work, so I can go with her. She told me the other day that she has to brace herself for a nap. "It's too long of a scan," she said. The scan is an hour long, and it hovers about an inch away from your face/body, and it sloooowly moves down and up your entire body.

I've had about four of those scans. They all took place in the first, oh, year and a half of my treatment, so I was pretty used to them. If I had one now I'd probably just shrug and say, "OK!" By the time my last treatment came up, I knew everyone in the nuclear medicine facility by name. They were fantastic people, minus the woman who did the faulty Geiger test on me in my previous post. And, no, I'll never forgive her for that. ;-)

Anyway, during these scans, I would be nervous, of course. They pretty much determined what my next six months, or year, would consist of. To help this nauseousness subside, I would sing soundtracks/CDs in my head. For example, during one of my scans, I went through the entire Rent soundtrack/Rent movie in my head. By the end of the scan, I had pretty much gone through the whole film. During another scan, I "listened" to the whole Wicked soundtrack. It took all I could not to smile during the scan, and it comforted me.

These kinds of things kept me going during my entire journey. Sure, I had my family, friends, and then-boyfriend, but when they couldn't be by my side during the scans and treatments and surgeries, I had my memories, my songs, my slideshows. I thought of anything and everything about these people in my life and the other things that made me happy. I would instantly come alive at the thought of any of these things, and it reminded me that, no matter what, this too would pass.

As always, sweeties, I wish you all love, happiness, and -- most importantly -- good health.