bulletandpima

Somehow, they do test her every 2 weeks, I don't know if it is blood, Cat or MRI, so right now she is "clean"...for all I know it might be white count.

I do worry because she had a CAT, and an MRI last yr due to another reason, nothing was visible in these test, yet one yr later she had a tumor the size of a tennis ball, which makes me worry that it is aggressive to develop that quickly and get into the nodes.

MiamiDAP

^That is exactly what I am afraid of. In addtion, MRI is not something you want to be doing very often. All my dental X-rays already worry me too much. Unfotunately, I have very very bad and sensitive teeth and dentists do not have any procedures that would not involve x-ray after x-ray......

bulletandpima

I don't think she is having an MRI every other week, but you would have thought that a CAT and an MRI done on her intestines a yr ago would have shown it.

BunsenBurner

Miami - just an FYI: MRI does not involve radiation. CAT scans are X-Rays, MRI is based on a different principle.

B&P, I'm keeping your MIL in my thoughts. I hope her chemo treatment goes well.

downtoearth

yes it had been awhile a I wanted to check. they probably check her WBC every two weeks prior to chemo, (if she gets it every two weeks) to see if she can get the next dose. tests are not exact , they are just what we have out there and everyone makes their choices. I have alot of trepidation about the amount I have had but life has not given me a choice. yet I still even after having one already dread the colonoscopy. Someday I wish for the star trek machine that doc can wave it over you and tell you what is wrong with you and FIX IT. anyway wanted to know how she was doing and tolerating things and wishing you all better times ahead.

aibarr

MRIs take your water molecules, which have poles like magnets, and using a very large spinning magnet, they set all your water molecules spinning. Those spinning water molecule act like tiny magnets and give off an electromagnetic field (if you remember from college physics, spinning magnets produce electromagnetic fields), which the scanner picks up. No radiation dose, just dizzy water molecules.

It's always fun having a radiologist in your family.

Thinking good thoughts, B&P.

dragonmom

Thank you to bulletandpima for a timely update. DH goes in for more testing next week. I learn more from this forum than hours of googling.

ucsd_ucla_dad

miamidap:
If you're referring to colon cancer screening - it's usually a fairly slow growing cancer that can be caught fairly effectively if colonoscopies are done at recommended intervals. If 'pre' cancerous growths are found they can usually be snipped out at the same time as the screening process and the cancer was just prevented. This screening saves lives every day - not prolonged agony - but saved lives with no suffering at all.

The colonoscopy is really not that big of a deal. For those of us who have seen people suffer with the disease we realize that a colonoscopy is nothing compared to that. It's worthy of consideration.

bulletandpima:
I wish your MIL and your family the best through all this.