Scan and ReScan

Henry had his post RAI scan yesterday. It was another missed day of school (that's 21 so far this year if you are keeping track, which I am) and a drive down to Huntsman Cancer Hospital. The scan was easy. He laid on a table and a machine took three pictures - 1 full body and 2 of his neck area. The reason for the scan is two-fold: to check that the radioactive iodine is absorbing in areas that it should and to check for any sign of distant metastases. We know that his cancer was metastatic since it was in his lymph nodes but we're hoping that's as far as it got. Anyway it was nice and easy - no needles, no medication - and we were on our way back to Cache Valley by noon.

Unfortunately they called me while I was driving north and said that they needed another picture. Since I was already in Willard and the weather was deteriorating rapidly and I needed to get home to pick up Tessa we had to schedule another trip down for another scan. He goes back on Saturday afternoon. We would have scheduled it for the morning but he has a Cub Scout swim that he doesn't want to miss. I'm not sure why, since he doesn't really swim that much, but this way he can do both.

Speaking of Cub Scouts, last night we attended Henry's first Blue and Gold Banquet. It's a yearly scouting dinner/awards ceremony that honors everyone from the youngest Cub Scout (Henry's group) to the teenage Boy Scouts who are working on or have already received their Eagle Scouts. Henry received an arrow point to go along with the few that he's already gotten. Thank heavens for a little invention called Badge Magic. It's an adhesive that allows me to avoid pestering my friends for the use of their sewing machines every month when Henry gets something else that I'm supposed to stick on his uniform. Badge Magic is, well, magic. I think it's brilliant and makes my life so much easier than if I had to sew the patches on his uniform, especially since my sewing skills aren't that great to begin with.

So, to recap, we scanned. And we need to rescan. But we're not in the hospital this week or on a special diet so life feels more normal. I actually feel like I can breathe again and concentrate on other things. Like whether I need to make a trip to the Scout store for some more Badge Magic.