Pages

Friday 24 March 2023

Bone scan

Back in May last year I had to have a bone scan to check if my bowel/colon and prostate cancer had spread to my skeleton. The results were negative, but as part of my ongoing treatment for prostate cancer I had to have a second bone scan yesterday.

The scan took place at University Hospital, Lewisham, and Sue came with me to keep me company … and to drive me home if I felt unwell afterwards. My appointment was for 10.30am, and I wanted to make sure that I was in the Nuclear Medicine Department well beforehand. In fact, we were so early that we were able to go to the local bakers – H Hirst & Sons – for breakfast. We both ate a delicious sausage in a bun, washed down with a very good mug of cafe latte.

Accompanied by Sue, I signed in at Radiology Department’s reception desk and then we took the rather tortuous route from the desk to the seating area outside the Nuclear Medicine Department. Once there, I was asked to fill in a questionnaire about previous scans that I had had before I was fitted with a cannula. I and the other patients then had to wait for the radioactive material we were going to be injected with to arrive from Bart's Hospital. Its arrival was delayed by heavy traffic, but the courier finally delivered it at 11.00am.

By 11.30am I had been intravenously injected with a small quantity of radioactive material and then told to come back in three hours for my scan. I was also told to drink at least a litre of water during those three hours. This three-hour gap and the water was to help the radioactive material in my blood to fully circulate around my body.

Sue and I decided to go for a walk to fill part of the time we had on our hands, and although is was very overcast, we were able to walk around the edge of the northern part of the nearby Ladywell Fields, ...

... a distance of nearly 2.5 miles. With the occasional stop for me to drink some of the water I had taken with me, this took us just over an hour and a half. We then returned to the hospital and after walking what seemed to be at least a mile along corridors that snaked through the hospital's buildings, we found the onsite restaurant where we were able to have a very reasonably-priced snack lunch.

By the time we had eaten lunch and returned to the Nuclear Medicine Department, it was just after 2.00pm, and although I was not expecting to be scanned before 2.30pm, I actually went into the room housing the scanner at just after 2.15pm. The scan took about thirty minutes, and at the end I was told that there had been no change since my previous scan ... which was good news.

It had begun to rain by the time we got back to the car park, and this and the slightly heavier traffic we had to drive through to get home slowed us down somewhat. Nevertheless, we were back home by 3.15pm and having a refreshing drink ... and a chance to rest and recuperate.

22 comments:

  1. Bob,
    That is good news from your recent test- you must be very pleased indeed. I recently had a CT Scan with Dye- receiving the results early next week- the Scan was of my Abdomen. In the previous week I had a Chest X Ray- results were "All Clear"...so that was good news. Now back on my full amount of Tablet Medication, Insulin and absolutely NO SUGAR in my Diet- feeling good now and a whole lot better. Best Wishes. KEV.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kev Robertson (Kev),

      Cheers! Good luck with your results … and I’m pleased that your medication is working properly and that you are feeling better.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  2. Good news indeed Bob.
    Good news is always, errr… well… “good news”. 😉😎
    All the best. Cheers,
    Geoff

    ReplyDelete
  3. The radio-active injection sounds like the scintigraphy procedure that was used in my Vet School for horses (no offence). I looked after the computer which managed the process. The theatre was concrete floored which directed any fluid released into a central drain which included any radio-active urine from the horse. Wellingtons were necessary while in that room as well as radiation meters. I organised my visits to be as infrequent as possible.

    Good news about your results.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jim Duncan,

      It sounds like it was ‘fun’! (I mean that ironically, by the way.) At least the staff didn’t need Wellington boots during my scan, although I was pretty desperate to go to the toilet after it, and had to use a separate one reserved for patients who had been given the radioactive material.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  4. Good news Bob, and I like the way you both made a day of it with a walk in Ladywell park :) I know it well thanks to a school project where we traced the River Ravensboure from it's source at Keston to where it flowed into the River Thames over several school trips. I wonder if children still get to do things like that now days Bob? Anyway, all the best to you both.
    Lee.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ‘Lee,

      Cheers! Sue and I were grateful for the fact that the park is next to the hospital’s rear entrance and we could go for a walk there. The alternative would have been to go for a walk to Catford or Lewisham and back.

      I used to enjoy taking students out on field trips, but by the time I left teaching the paperwork required was ridiculous. I was required to give safety briefings on such things as how to get on and off the coach, how to cross the road, what to do in an emergency etc.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
    2. Bit late to the party on this. That's great news Bob.

      Re: the Ravensbourne and Lee's comment. I was wondering about this when I saw the map. Wonder how much of the course of the river is walkable. Having walked the course of 3 similar rivers over on the SW side of London, my mind turned eastwards.

      Delete
    3. Nundanket,

      Cheers!

      I’m not sure how far you can walk along the banks of the Ravensbourne as it runs through quite developed parts of southeast London. If you do manage to walk it, I’d be interested to read how you do.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  5. Bob,
    Very pleased to hear that all went well and the scan results were negative. I hope you have had a good rest and can resume wargame-related activities today.
    Best wishes, Arthur

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Arthur1815 (Arthur),

      Cheers! I had hoped to get some work done on the Compendium today, but Sue and I spent most of our time sorting out our Lasting Powers of Attorney. I’m hoping that I’ll have some free time tomorrow … but as I’m on jury service for the next fortnight it may well be my last opportunity to do some essential shopping.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  6. Hi bob
    Good new about the results. Best wishes.
    Steve

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stephen Smith,

      Cheers! Thanks very much for you best wishes. They are much appreciated.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  7. Hi Bob

    Great news. It's a long journey, and not an easy one. But glad to see you are making the best of even a stressful bone scan. I remember the tension and stress of waiting for my single bone scan, even after 19 years!

    One step at a time, its the only way. And make the best of each day. That is the one "benefit" of such stressful medical challenges. It makes us appreciate how important it is to make the best of every opportunity.

    Thinking of you

    regards

    Paul

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thistlebarrow (Paul),

      Cheers! Funnily enough, I found the bone scan quite relaxing, and actually began to doze off during it! There is hardly any noise, unlike the CT and MRI scans I’ve had. The fact that I managed to have an excellent breakfast and lunch helped, and to be honest, the drive home was probably the most stressful aspect of the day.

      You are right about taking things a day at a time. For example, until recently I would have fretted about not getting the next PW Compendium done by Easter, the date I’d provisionally set for its publication. Nowadays, I take a more laidback attitude. If it is ready by Easter, it will be; if not, it’ll be ready soon enough.

      Keep safe and keep well,

      Bob

      Delete
  8. Good to see you in good spirits, with positive test results and from your description of radioactivity becoming the first WD X-Man Super Hero! Do tell if you develop spider sense or mutant powers. Keep gaming Bob .. I can recommend Nimitz ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Geordie an Exiled FoG,

      Cheers! I learned long ago that I need to worry about things that I can do something about and not to worry about things I cannot do anything about.

      My superpower seems to be to the ability to trip over our cat, which I have managed to do twice since I got back from the hospital. Other than that, nothing else seems to have changed. Perhaps next time ...

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  9. Great to read that your scan results were positive (meaning good)!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ed M,

      Cheers! Its nice to know that the cancer has not spread to my bones.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  10. Glad to see things have stabilized. Hopefully you're treatments will be effective.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark Cordone,

      Things are certainly not getting any worse, and in fact they seem to be getting slightly better now that I have a drugs regime that is effective. The next stage will be radiotherapy, which I hope to start withing the next couple of months.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete

Thank you for leaving a comment. Please note that any comments that are spam or contain phishing messages or that come from Google Accounts that are 'Unknown' will be deleted.