Radiology

It doesn't inspire confidence when you ask reception where the department of nuclear medicine is, and they look at you blankly then ask "pathology?". "No", I said, "the department of nuclear medicine". "Is that pathology?". After the intervention of someone who did appear to have a working knowledge of the hospital, I found my way to radiology, which contained the hallowed nuclear medicine department. There were lots of warning lights around and bright yellow warning stickers, which made it a bit exciting and like I'd walked into Spooks or something. A lovely nurse called Rachel explained to me that I'd be injected with a radioactive isotope in my leg which would then travel to the first lymph node and they'd mark it so the surgeons knew which to remove.

My scar was big enough that it needed 8 injections. The first six didn't hurt too much, the last two did but only for a minute. Then, I had to lie down on this big scanner and be shunted forwards into the cylinder so the camera could trace the isotope:

I had to lie very still on my back for 40 minutes which sounds easy, but after 20 mins, my lower back felt like it was snapping and I had a horrible itch on my foot. It was a very boring view but Rachel let me read my Kindle so it wasn't too bad:

After the time was up, they drew on my leg with a radioactive cobolt pen and marked the sentinel lymph node. I thought it'd be in the crease of where my leg meets my torso but actually it's just at the very top of my thigh.

I had to wait 40 minutes afterwards in case the isotopes went to another lymph node as well - Rachel, bless her, brought me a blanket because it was bloody freezing in the waiting room - then back onto the machine for another blast...only 5 minutes this time though. Apparently there was a chance there'd be a node in my knee that would also need removing - um, nobody told me that. But I don't have a sentinel node there so all well and good.

Here is a photo of it on the monitor. See on the right hand side, the white dot that looks like a star? That's the node, all radioactive and shiny.

My leg is aching now but oh well. It's a small price to pay and I won't be complaining. Right, off to indoor skydiving now! Then I need to pack my overnight case when I get back. 

Oh, last thing. This sign in the toilets amused me. I felt like I should be in the opening titles of The Simpsons - radioactive wee!