PET/CT Scan

Today's update isn't much of one. I had the PET/CT scan, and that's about it.

I tried calling my dermatologist, Kimberly Kortuem, M.D., and the oncologist she recommeneded me to, Thomas Amatruda, MD. But by the time my 'fancy pictures' were likely ready, it was late afternoon.

So, the waiting game continues. In the meantime, I've been amusing myself with the temporary title "Radioactive Man". Since I've still got leftovers in my system, I have to do crazy things like avoid children and double-flush for 24 hours.

I believe it is this that I've got in my system:

The only other obstacle to a wider dissemination of PET-CT is the difficulty and cost of producing and transporting the radiopharmaceuticals used for PET imaging, which are usually extremely short-lived (for instance, the half life of radioactive fluor18 used to trace glucose metabolism (using fluorodeoxyglucose -- FDG) is two hours only. Its production requires a very expensive synchrotron as well as a production line for the radiopharmaceuticals.

The tech told me the half-life was 110 minutes, and they called it a radioactive sugar solution.

I really enjoyed my Culver's Bacon ButterBurger Deluxe after not having much of an appetite this past weekend. And I can still have some beers (until they tell me otherwise) while I watch the Monday Night Football season opener of the Vikings at the Packers.

The girls are watching the game at a friend's while I hang out downstairs and putz around with the computer -- the only thing extraordinary in that is that the girls usually come down and join me during the evening. Tonight has been "too quiet".

That's about all I've got for now.

Unpleasant News

Back in May, I believe, I was feeling very lightheaded and dizzy at work, so I drove to the emergency room. I seemed to get a clean bill of health, but one of the folks examining me recommended that I get a mole on my back looked at. The dermatologist was booked for quite a while, but I finally got in and had it removed.

On Thursday I got the result of the biopsy: malignant melanoma. I believe that my Breslow's depth was 5.2 mm. On Monday I have a PET scan to determine more.

I'll try to keep everybody posted.

Update: For the curious, here is what the paperwork might look like.

Mommy's Flowers

The new flowerbeds in back are looking good. Unfortunately, the flowers in them are not. The ones in front look much better.

Heather's 4-Year-Old Portraits

We just got them today.


Slideshow

Father's Day at Como Zoo

Today we went to the Como Zoo for a couple hours. It was Brooke's first time in the zoo -- we had tried previously but gave up on trying to find a place to park. We almost did the same today, but found a spot a long walk away.

Slideshow

Heather's 4th Birthday

My oh my, how time does fly.

Slideshow

Tornado Reported in Coon Rapids [Updated]

Yesterday our neighbors were refinishing their deck. Heather decided to supervise.

"A little bit off."

I was trying to start a new flower bed.

And today much of the same manual labor continued for my neighbors and me. They tilled and added stairs to the deck. I borrowed their tiller to work on the garden.

It was very humid in the afternoon, and the conditions were ripe for severe weather to develop, and it did.

Slideshow

The above pictures were taken in these vicinities to the east of us.


Initial reports of touchdown were in this area to the west of the above location.


Update: Here are some related news items:
Damage surveys start in storm-ravaged Minn. town
Tornado Wipes Out Homes in Hugo, 20 People Missing
Tornado hits Coon Rapids as storms barrel through the metro
1 Confirmed Killed, 20 Missing In Minn. Tornado