Tomorrow I am having a PET scan done. The scan is being done
to detect whether there is any more cancer in my body. Basically, small amount of radioactive
material (tracer) is injected in my body through an IV. I wait for about an
hour as the tracer is absorbed, and then I lie on a very narrow table and slide
in and out of a large tunnel shaped scanner. The scanner then takes the pictures for my
doctor to read. The process isn’t really
all that bad. I mean, I get to sit in quiet and read for at least an hour (or
sleep). Then I lie down and get covered with warm hospital blankets and I get a
nice cushy pillow put under my knees, so I am comfortable. I don’t get that
kind of treatment at home.
Those of you who have had a PET scan before, know that 24
hours prior to your scan, you must be on a no sugar/low carb diet. I know, 24
hours is no time to be complaining about, but if you would have heard me
whining today, you would have thought I had to go carb free for 24 days.
There are good reasons behind this. The doctor is looking for
glowing in my body, which would indicate disease. Organs in your body that process
sugar will do some lighting up in the pictures, so you want to eliminate as
much sugar as possible, so there won’t be any “extra” glowing. Normally, I am ALL about the glow. Not the
one you get from tanning, but the inner glow that comes out when someone makes
me smile or laugh or when I look at my kids. But tomorrow, I don’t want any
kind of glowing.
So instead of being nervous about my possible results, I
have been a whiney baby about not being able to have my carbs. I went to get a salad from a nearby bakery
and saw that they had chocolate babka. Yes, as an avid Seinfeld fan, I have
always wanted to try babka, especially chocolate babka, but have never EVER
come across it. Guess who found it on no carb day???? Can you see why I am so
bitter? I think the only thing that could have been worse, was a babka with a
hair on it- or having the saleslady cough on it.
Odd fact about me: Prior to my first trip to New York City, about 100% of my knowledge of NY and the North East came from Seinfeld episodes. After my visiting as often as possible in the last 10 years, now it’s only about 60% of my knowledge. Check out The Dinner Party episode to see where I learned about Chocolate babka.
Yes, I love carbs. I have never met a piece of bread that I
didn’t like. However, if I were being
totally honest, it’s the sugar part that is the toughest. Not because I love
sweets all that much. Nope. It’s because no sugar/artificial sweetener means NO
coffee for me. Anyone who knows me know that me and coffee go together like
peanut butter and jelly, mac and cheese,
rice and beans, salt and pepper,
Jack and Jill, Tom and Jerry. Ok. So you get the picture? I was up at 5:30am
today to make sure I got my two cups in before 7. So far, I haven’t been too
bad, besides the drives past several Starbucks today while all alone (that is
my favorite time to go!) But tomorrow
morning, well, I feel sorry for anyone who looks at me the wrong way until
after my scan.
Truth is, sometimes we have to go with whatever distractions
come easily, rather than think about things that are not under our control. So
maybe worrying about the little things, like no carbs for a day will help me to
move about my day smiling and laughing for the most part. So far, it’s worked.
(Although I could REALLY go for a salted caramel mocha right now, with a
sandwich on the side). I am trying to stay positive. I am praying
that my lymph node was just larger than a centimeter due to the nasty little
germs my kids have been passing around between the family, and that tomorrow
nothing will be glowing inside of me. Well, nothing other, other than
excitement I will have thinking about that cup of coffee and huge carb filled
lunch I will be having as soon as I am out.
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