Tests - MRI

Last night was our first night in the new apartment in Houston. It's a pretty good place, close to the hospital & also across from Hermann Park.

Today was Day 1 (of 3) of tests. MRI day. The prep isn't anything special for an MRI. The machine looks similar to a PET or CT but operates on a different principle. I had a Pelvis and Abdomen scan, so it took about an hour & a half. They prep with some IV contrast, but it's not the iodine stuff you get with a CT. MRI scanners are very noisy. Clank, clank, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, zap, zap. 90 minutes worth. They even give you earplugs. The folks giving the test were all very nice and explained everything along the way.

We also met with the urologist that will be assisting in the surgery. They pretty much take their lead from the primary surgeon removing the tumor. They actually go into the bladder and insert temp stints so they can easily identify all the "plumbing" during the surgery. If there's anything left after cutting out the cancer, they stitch it all back together (more or less). Easy! The length of the surgery depends largely on exactly what they find when they go in there. We did have a bit of good news today in talking to the doctor. They had already looked at my MRI this morning and they THINK that they may be able to keep some parts that we thought might have to go. The bad news is that if it's worse than they think, we might lose a kidney. That's why you have 2 right?

Tomorrow is my PET scan. Then inject you with radioactive sugar and scan to see where it goes. If part of your body sucks up more sugar than it should, that's an indication that there might be cancer there. The prep tonight is to have a low carb dinner (salmon, broccoli, salad) and only water the day of the procedure. The good news is the procedure is in the AM so I won't have to be on low carb all day. The bad news is I immediately start the prep for my colonoscopy the next day. I can have sugar, but no solids. Gatoraid, Jello, broth. Yummy. And there's the Phospho soda stuff. More later on that, I'm sure. So, I'll be ready for a nice meal Friday night.