- About this Blog A short description and how to post comments...
- Email address... if you would rather send a note privately instead of using the
- Sandy's website... Living with a Brain Tumor
- LiveStrong Challenge 2010 Help us raise money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and Cancer Research
- See Bicycles and Motorcycles My personal campaign to help make bicycle riding safer
Deirdre Kohler, a friend in South Africa -- Art, Brain Tumor and a Coffee Shop- Wenatchee Brain Tumor Support Group Sandy's friends from her Brain Tumor Support Group
- Photos of our journey to Stanford in October '05 A few photos from our stay at Stanford for Sandy's first surgery.
- Mike and John's website - Spinning Southward... bicycling from Alaska to Argentina to raise money for brain tumor research
- October 2010
- January 2010
- May 2009
- August 2008
- April 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- October 2005
Posted by: Dan @ 8:59 pm
Today (Tuesday) was Sandy’s second brain MRI since the surgery at Stanford (she will get them every two months from now on, the last one was in early January). We won’t know the results of today’s MRI until Friday. A CD of the MRI is also being sent to her doctors at Stanford for evaluation.
And though it’s certainly not as romantic as getting the spa treatment on Valentine’s Day, at least we’re together for it… We have had a tradition for all of Sandy’s MRI’s - she has had over 20 since 1999 - that I am with her during the MRI, holding her hand or rubbing her feet. This helps her through the noise and claustrophobic nature of the MRI experience.
If you are not familiar with MRI’s, this is what the machine looks like (click image to make it larger):
The picture looks so high-tech and almost peaceful, belying the incredilbly loud noise the machine makes - sort of like a grinding, pounding jackhammer - so loud you have to wear earplugs, which barely lessens the sound. For Sandy, and I her faithful hand-holder, this goes on for about 40 minutes. Though halfway through she gets a break - they slide her out partway and inject a chemical into a vein in her arm which helps highlight and contrast any changes in the tumor area - and then slide her back in for more of the loud MRI scans.
Like I said, not exactly a spa treatment, but we’re thankful such technology even exists. And besides, it makes for a truly unique romantic experience you just can’t get anywhere else. Holding hands has never meant so much.
So we wait… and pray… for Friday.
Good night,
Dan