Postpartum and PET Scans

Posted Oct 5, 2012 9:47pm

 

Happy Friday everyone!

I've started doing it again....writing blogs while I can't get to sleep, that is. But, this time I'm too tired to drag myself out of bed to get the iPad or laptop. Last night as I laid awake I wrote the most heartfelt and poignant things. It was a masterpiece! Unfortunately, that blog is now lost in the recesses of my brain never to be shared simply because I lacked energy. Clearly I have a lot to learn as a mom because isn't the first rule of mommy hood "What does lack of sleep have to do with it?!" Like I said, I've got lots to learn.

Most of the time on the blog I've talked about Ellis, but this is really about the two of us and our journey together. Today I had my PET scan. First off, let me start off by saying to all of my girlfriends who have been through childbirth - "You forgot to tell me about the insane hormones after childbirth!" Not cool, so not cool. About 5 days after having Ellis I turned into this crazy ball of hormones. I seriously cried every morning and every evening for about 6 days straight. I still have to give myself pep talks to avoid crazy crying lady. So, wrap all those hormones and crying up with a baby in the NICU and me with cancer, and the sheer idea of a PET scan was enough to whip me into a panic. We are talking sobbing, shoulders heaving, mascara running, hot mess. It wasn't pretty.
Thankfully over the last couple days I have started to calm down and my hormones are slowly leveling out. Today I was able to face my PET scan with optimism. I didn't cry. I kept my cool. I prayed a lot. I don't know how many of you have had a PET scan but mine went a little like this:

- IV put in and injected with a radioactive isotope.
- Drink nasty chalk stuff. (Ick!!!)
- Lay in a quiet room for an hour to let the isotope do its stuff.
- Go into PET scan room and ly down while a machine that looks a lot like a CT scans me for about 15 minutes.

Overall, not a terrible experience. I was afraid that I would start freaking out during my hour wait time, but I kept my cool. I was actually singing "This Little Light of Mine" in my head and just talking with God. He knows how I feel about the situation. I think it's unfair. I think it sucks. But, my cancer wouldn't have been found so fast if I wasn't pregnant. Life is funny... I certainly don't understand the situation but I'm going to choose to believe that it will all work out for the good in the end. I know that is all sappy, but humor me, ok? Oddly enough, I feel ok about the PET scan.
After the PET scan I went back to hang out with Ellis. Ellis is doing great! He is now 2lbs 14oz. Todd thinks he's going to break 3 lbs this weekend. We shall see. Ellis has been having some episodes where his breathing decreases and his heart rate goes down. It's a little frustrating since he sped through the bubble cpap and high flow cannula that he's now slowed down. But, he's still little and needs time to grow and mature. He's only 2 weeks old. He is eating all his food and they've been able to remove his pic line. Which means he can wear clothes!!!! I'm so excited about him wearing clothes. Thanks to a friend of my parents I am fully stocked with preemie clothes. They are still huge on a little 2lb 14oz boy, but its so stinking adorable!

Happy 2 week birthday Ellis!