On Monday, I received a call from one of the administrative assistants, at the cancer center in Surrey, where I was treated for stage 3 throat cancer, in 2009. She started by identifying herself.

It was Mary Jane – I recognized her voice and know her very well. She has been retired for a couple of years but is now working at the center, on a part-time basis.

I had contacted the center and left a message earlier and Mary Jane was returning my call.

She confirmed that I had a PET scan on Friday, December 3rd, at the cancer center in Vancouver at 1:00 PM.

However, I explained that I also had an appointment on the same day, with my oncologist, at the cancer center in Surrey. Mary Jane indicated that she would contact the Vancouver office to confirm that I would be there on Friday.

Yesterday, I got a call from the Vancouver center, asking me if I could come for the scan tomorrow (on Tuesday), instead?

I agreed and confirmed that I would be there at 10:30 AM.

The lady explained that I could only have water in the morning – nothing to eat – and no coffee!

We have been experiencing a lot of rain and flooding, for the past couple of weeks and there is a storm warning for the next two days.

I decided to allow myself an hour and a half, to get to Vancouver from my place in White Rock. Usually, I could make it in forty-five minutes – but I did not want to be late.

The driving conditions were terrible but I did manage to get to the center at 10:10 AM, but could not find a parking space in the center’s parking garage.

So, instead, I parked up the street at the City Square Shopping Mall, on the corner of 12th Avenue and Ash Street. It was only a short walk from there to the cancer center.

When I got to the reception area of the MRI and PET departments, it was 10:25 AM – so I was relieved that I made it on time.

But when I gave the receptionist my medical care card, she indicated that she did not have a record of me having an appointment!

I explained that I still had the number of the lady who had contacted me the previous day, but it turned out to be the main number of the cancer center – and not to a specific person.

After several phone calls, the receptionist was able to confirm my appointment and apologized to me for the confusion.

A few minutes later, a nurse came into the waiting room and paged my name. She indicated that her name was Erin.

She took me to a room and had me sit in a recliner chair.

Erin said that she was going to give me a needle but would not be putting the radioactive tracer fluid for about ten minutes and that it would be done by a machine. They have everything timed.

When she brought the machine into the room and injected the tracer fluid, Erin indicated that I would need to lie quietly in the recliner – but could not use my cell phone or do anything but rest quietly.

However, she turned on a radio for me to listen to during the forty-five-minute wait for the procedure. Erin also dimmed the lights in the room, which made it more comfortable for me.

After the forty-five-minute wait for the tracer to make its way through my body, Erin asked me to go pee one last time.

Next, she took me to the PET scan room and had me lay on the table, with both arms extended over my head.

She explained the procedure in detail.

First, I would enter the pod twice to take a CT scan.

Next, the PET scan would begin by it beginning at the top of my body and working its way down my body in two-minute intervals.

It would take about twenty minutes to complete the scan.

During the scan, my arms began to ache from being in the one position – over my head – for so long.

I was tempted to ask them to stop the procedure because my arms were really feeling a lot of pain. But I did not want to have to do it all over again – and persevered.

Finally, the nurses came back into the room and let me know it was all finished and I was free to leave.

Erin gave me a letter, that explained the procedure – in the case when I traveled across the border, the nuclear radioactive tracer is detected by the US Border Patrol. Apparently, it takes 24 hours for the nuclear cocktail to leave the body.

I rubbed my arms and thanked the nurses for their help.

They really were nice to me.

The first thing I did when I got into my vehicle – was to drink a nutritional shake that I had brought along for afterward. But I had to drive for quite a while before coming to a drive-thru coffee shop.

I am drinking that coffee as I write this post.

Holly was excited to see me when I got home.

I have an appointment on Friday morning to see Dr. Karvat, my oncologist, at the Surrey cancer center.

Dr. Karvat is one of the people I credit for saving my life. He is an awesome oncologist and friend.

He was also featured on the North of 49 television show that featured me and my cancer battle:

For Christmas, my gift will be knowing the results of the PET scan and other tests.

And as I have previously written – I will never give up!

Dedicated to Carl Jonas – a talented singer/songwriter & friend

I hope my stories are a gift to your head and heart.

Hugs,

Danny

Today’s tune from Danny’s library (purchased):

The wind is playing in my hair, waves are crashing, my feet are bare,
a revelation dawning in salty ocean air.

This is more than just goodbye, it’s the ending of a lie,
a web of veils and wounds where I was your supply.

This is how I draw the line, this is holy ground.
For my heart to play and shine I will no longer be bound
to anyone who’s not aligned with this joy that I’ve found.
From now on, only love, only love, only love will be cherished here.

It doesn’t matter what you try to tell, I know your every word now all too well,
they can’t reach me now, cause I’m no longer under your spell.

This is not to judge or blame, loving truth is all I claim,
turning shadows to light was the essence of our game.

This is how I draw the line, this is holy ground.
For my heart to play and shine I will no longer be bound
to anyone who’s not aligned with this joy that I’ve found.
From now on, only love, only love, only love will be cherished here.

© Carl-Jonas Arnberg

Carl’s music is available on iTunes and other music providers