MRI Day

Today I had my MRI with contrast done at MSKCC. They are very thorough. They gave me a shot of something-or-other that is used to quiet the bowel, to minimize movement.
And just before I went into the room, they took a wand and moved it over my body, to make sure I didn't have any metal inside me besides the 2 stents that I told them about.

After the test was done, the technician who was a friendly dude made a comment that really surprised me. He said "in all the years I've been working here, I don't recall ever seeing a recurrence of prostate cancer."
I'm like, "WHAT?" But I didn't respond or persue it, I just chose to believe it because we all believe what we want to believe.

Now I wait for the results. With a PSA of .03 as of end of May, I'd be shocked if it picked up any prostate cancer. But I figure, exactly for the fact that I'm not worried about it, they will probably find some collateral unexpected thing that is worse, like bladder cancer, or some other disaster. But if I didn't think that, I wouldn't be me.

One thing I know, if they do find that, I'm not having a cystoscope. No matter what. Ever.

The MRI was done only because the RO wanted a baseline, just in case I continue to see PSA rising. Guess I'll call next week for the results. I'm too scared to sign up for the MSKCC patient portal.

The technician may be right if he meant what he said literally - MRI is rarely used to detect recurrences and isn't very good at it, so he may have never seen an MRI that was positive for a recurrence.

Or some don't believe what they don't want to believe especially if it's good news and actually wear that as some kind of badge of honor...to be admired...very strange...but fitting and Orwellian...

Lol@ IT

Seriously I'm not at all concerned about met PC, doc told me it was just a baseline for future. Still, it's nerve wracking.
I'll be more concerned about upcoming PSA test but that's end of August.

Prato....please read the 'I don't give a crap' book, and RELAX, my friend!

island time said...
I'm all for giving the 'ol pat on the back....but the insulation that a bladder scope isn't a bad way of spending one's time is...at best...unique.

Well you know, everybody's gotta have a hobby.

Sheesh - I didn't even know what a cystoscope was until I looked it up. Made my eyes water....!
Pratoman, I really admire your 'stay ahead of the game' MO - you are fully armed and dangerous - YEAH!!

Skypilot56 said...
Prato glad to hear your MRI went good. Even tho I had a psa of 0.13 they still didn't find anything on my scan so not surprised that nothing showed up on yours..

Larry

Larry, you must have misread, didn't get the results. But I fully expect it to not show any PC, with a PSA of .033 as of a few months ago.

Prato,
I, too, think your tech was just making small talk.

Speaking of techs... A while back I had a CT with contrast. The tech was a young man who had much of the same banter and mannerisms as the fictional character Jesse Pinkman, who was a crystal meth cook and dealer on the series Breaking Bad. That was pretty interesting. Ha. Ha. (He was good with a needle, though.)

Sorry to hear that you feel too scared to sign up for the MSKCC patient portal.
I've found that since I signed up for the similar UCSF patient portal that it has help reduce my anxieties during the waits for lab results, scan reports, etc. I always have the option of not looking at it if I don't want to look at it, but, I usually get the results much quicker than from practices that don't use such portals, and I don't have to worry and wait in limbo until the next appointment. Getting some reports a bit earlier also allows time to look-up some of the terms on a report, and to take my time in preparing any further questions I may have when I do see the doctor the next time. But that's just me.

Hang in there!
Charles

If I am to get treatment at MSKCC, I d sign up for the portal, but this is a one off test. For now.
You are right in that it would give me time to formulate questions.

Good report Prato!