PET Scan or Science Experiment?

We went to the East Tennessee Diagnostic Center this morning for a PET Scan. The paper they had gave me said I would be there for approximately 2 hours and I was. We arrived at 8:30 am. After filling out the usual new patient forms I was called back fairly quickly. An extremely nice male nurse took me into a small room and told me to sit in a recliner. He placed a pillow behind my head and covered me with a blanket!!!! (I have thought about taking my own blanket to my previous Dr. appointments. The offices are always so cold, I feel like they think if they don't keep us cancer patients on ice we might spread!!!!) He told me he was going to start an IV and I told him that was fine as long as he got the vein the first time, I am usually stuck two or three times before they hit the vein. He said, like all the others before, "No problem, I'll get it the first time." Well, I guess he meant he would only stick me once, the fact he had to wiggle the needle around after it broke my skin in search of the travelling vein, didn't count as missing!!!! He then informed me the The Radioactive person would be in in a moment. The radioactive person came in carrying a small box. He placed it on the little table beside my damaged arm. When he opened it up I had to stifle a giggle, I felt like I was in a science fiction movie. He pulled out what looked like a 2 inch round stainless steel barrell with a needle on the end. He then told me it was radioactive isotopes, he was going to inject it into my IV and then we would wait 45 minutes to an hour for it to travel through my body before beginning the scan. After injecting the radioactive isotopes (I like saying that, It adds dramatic effect to my science fiction experience) into my veins he carefully placed the contraption back in his little box and dimmed the lights for me and left the room. As I sat there looking at the spot where I had been injected the room started spinning, black hair began growing on my arms and body, my eyes began to cross...
Just kidding..that was for dramatic effect too!!! Actually I fell asleep until he came back pecking on the door. He then led me to the little girls room to ensure I had an empty bladder for the scan. Then he took me into the room with the PET Scan machine. I was really glad I have lost 21 pounds, the table they have you lay on is only about 10 - 12 inches wide!!! He then wrapped a strap around the table and my body and strapped my hands to my sides. For a moment I almost started freaking out, internally, I can't stand being held down unable to move, I quickly forced my mind to think on other things. The scan lasted about 20 minutes and then I was through. And we were off to KRISPY KREME!!!!
I was so busy preparing for Grace Anna's shower at my house this past Saturday that it was early evening and I had not taken the time to do "therapy" on my mouth in order to get it open enough to put in my mouth piece. (I take it out to sleep at night.) So I had not eaten all day! I was so hungry and pressed for time that I decided to try to eat without taking the time for the mouth piece. To my surprise I was able to eat better without it than with it. It is much easier to chew and swallow without the hard plastic piece in my mouth. It sems like I get no more food going in the wrong places without it than I do with it. So I haven't put it back in since Friday. I am able to eat a larger variety of food without it!!! I had my first Krispy Kreme doughnut since surgery today and I was able to eat a Chick Fillet Sandwich!!!! (The doughnut took about 30 minutes to eat and the sandwhich I ate over a span of about 4 hours, but hey, better slow than not at all!!!) I may be getting closer to being FREE OF POTATOES!!!!!