I had hoped today would be my second Monday off, but it was a lot of work

Shortly after writing the Post dated February 20 I got a call from Laura at the BMT clinic informing me that I should come in on March 3 for a PET/CD scan at 7:30 AM, followed by a blood draw at 10:00 and a bone marrow biopsy at 10:30 and then I should go to the University of Utah hospital at 1:00 for a Dexascan (bone density scan) all in preparation for a visit with Dr. Atanackovic at 2:30 PM on March 11.  Oh, by the way, bring a 24-hour urine collection with you and if you want Radiology to use your Port come in at 7:00 to have a line inserted in the port.  We had been invited to the older granddaughter's home on Sunday, March 2, for an early dinner/celebration for the younger girl and I did not want to be encumbered with the collection gear so I called Mike, their father and our "family" MD, about starting the collection on Saturday instead of Sunday.  He said that as long as I could keep it cold, even freezing it there would be no problem.  But he told me that I should have somebody drive me because the 6-hour fast that would immediately precede the scan could lead to dizziness (and perhaps trouble) on the road.

Emma insisted that she would get up with me and do the driving if necessary and Laura, our granddaughter also volunteered to drive me to the clinic.  So we got up at 6:10 this morning with neither of us having breakfast and got to the clinic on time to start the strenuous program.  It seemed there would be lots of time for reading while waiting for the next step so I took a fresh magazine, but there was very little down time.  Susan placed the line in my port and while she was at it also drew 11 vials of blood so that we could skip the scheduled blood draw and go for breakfast instead.  Then waiting during or between the other procedures except in the Univ. Utah hospital where the tech was waiting for me and got right to work.  She said that my calcium/with vitamin D pills that I take twice a day along with the Aredia infusion I get every 3 months have improved my bone density in the year since she saw me last.  I thought I would fall asleep during some of these procedures, in particular the 75 minute wait in a dark room for the radioactive tracer to circulate, but the only nodding off was during the Dexascan where the tech had to push my left foot up several times. 

Next Monday will be day-one of the next 4-week cycle, but when I asked if I should plan on coming in  next Monday morning before leaving I didn't get a definitive answer.  The new doctor may change my schedule after reviewing the data from these tests and I guess I will have to wait for word from the clinic and perhaps regard next Tuesday as day-one of whatever the new schedule will be. 

Emma continues to feel good and to say that she is going to resume going to the aquasize classwes at the Cottonwood Rec, Center and I tell her that I will gladly get up with her and even offer to set the alarm so that she can be sure to have enough time, but she usually declines and wants it turned off.