Two tests down....one more to go right now!

Well, I finally did it! I was able to get my MRIs done on my spine. My sister found a place where they do the MRI sitting up. Yeah! The staff were unbelievable and very accomodating. It is still a very large machine! I was in scrubs with a HUGE TV right in front of me on the wall. The noise from the MRI was very loud but we they turned it up to tune out the machine.

The hardest part was that I had to sit without moving for 2 hrs. Try to sit in an upright position, feet planted firmly in front of you, a brace around your neck, your arms are positioned on a bar so they cannot move, they put this emergency button in my hand and then walk out of the room and say, "don't move a muscle or we have to start the test all over again because we have your hip lines set up for testing" and then see if your nose doesn't itch, your feet all of a sudden feel cramped and you can't move. Mom went back with me to do the tests but of course, you can't talk or anything. So, they would put something on the TV to keep me focused and mom would look at me and say, "blink your eyes if it is too loud, smile if it is too low, frown if you want another channel"....I don't think we were ever able to communicate with those signals...it was funny watching mom try to accomodate me. :-) Thank you Mom!

They sent home a copy of my actual tests from the MRI and they are sending the actual results to my Oncologist on Monday. The tests show all my organs and so an uneducated person looking at these pictures notices all the spots on other organs. They are unbelievable clear pictures. As I was looking at them, I see 3 spots on my lungs. I kept thinking what is this, what is that??? I know they are focused on my spine but I hope they give an analysis of everything else. I just believe everything is okay and that the doctors will confirm it. :=)

So now, I only have a breast ultrasound, which is the test they keep asking if I've taken. We try to set appointments when we know it will be a good day or a day that I can ride in the car. It limits availability. I'm going to try to set up a time when I'm getting my chemo bag removed so I'm already at Emory. I have #4 Chemo treatment this week so I'm not sure I can get in at this late of date so I may have to wait 2 more weeks. For some reason, I think I'm stalling on this test. I guess because they already found 3 lumps in the mammogram and I just don't want to hear anything else unless it is positive. Not that I think I will hear anything but I'm sick of tests, being poked, going to the hospital, etc. 2 surgeries in the last 2 months and chemo has been enough for me. I feel so bad for those who live their whole life in hospitals. I can't even begin to imagine. I've lived 39 years without this....that is alot of years compared to many so I don't have anything to complain about.

Today has been a lazy day for me. For some reason, I woke up very tired and went to my recliner and went right back to sleep until noon. I then went to the family room and fell back to sleep. I didn't even realize I was asleep. Angela, my youngest, left for work and said she told me goodbye but I didn't even hear her. By the way, please pray for her. She has bronchitis and the doctor gave her a breathing machine since she has asthma to help her. Of course, she is my first concern while also knowing I could also get it.

Well, I guess I'll return back to my laziness today and lay down. Thank you again for the constant cards I receive each day. Each day I look forward to the mail and now Kimberly, my oldest daughter, plans to make a scrapbook of all the cards that I've received and continue to receive. This will be my Life book that I'll treasure for many years in the future. It will not only be my inspiration but will remind me of God's goodness through all of you. Your blog comments, e-mails, etc. are a constant source of interaction and you can't even imagine how important that is to my staying well through this journey. :-)

Love to all,
Leah