DonTopaz

Gpanda typed: <i>They also did an EKG to confirm that I had a heart.</i>

This is a routine procedure for all patients in your profession.

bookchick

Gpanda, and Rizzuto, they did one on me, too, right before my "urgent" admission to the hospital. Then once I was an inpatient, they did an echo-cardiogram. They discovered, much to my amazement, that I, too, have a heart. (Although in my case, I don't believe my choice of profession influenced it one way or the other!)

Gpanda, I will begin thinking soothing thoughts for you every Thursday. And take it from me, after the first couple of scans (which I know you've already experienced), it gets easier every time. I'll be having another set of scans in the next month or two.

BC

mohan

very good. rizzuto.

Gpanda

I will get a scan every fourth Thursday. All I can hope is that the next one is as good as the last. There's good reason to believe that it will be. Pandas Forever!

Bokhara2

Right. We'll have champagne in the 'fridge every 4th Thursday, then.

BC, you'd best have your scans on another day so we can have
extra celebration rations.

Very best to both of you.
Bokhara

Gpanda

The excitement is building. We're contemplating booking our flights quickly. The fares are good now and unlikely to go significantly lower.

Robbietravels

Book that fare
Pass that scan
Let the fur fly
And plan, plan, plan

So glad to hear of your positive results. If an alien (non Asia board Fodorite) compiled the collected wisdom about BKK on this board, it might recommend you spend 1 more day with Tong, 1 more day at S & J, 1 more day at Cotton. House. Me, I'd take a boat up to Ayutihaya and Sukhothai for a few days.

simpsonc510

Robbietravels, I would agree with that boat up to Ayhthaya and Sukhothai. I have not done that (yet) but I do think it would be very pleasant.

rivet

Does the enclosure of the MRI bother you or are you finding it getting easier after repeated scans?

A word of caution Panda:
Beware of the secret ploys in diagnostic imaging.

Once you enter the magnetic field, and the structures in your head begin to resonate, any loose thoughts are then available to be transmitted via the wires that go to the ECG monitor.... the excuse of "looking to see if you had a heart" is only a coverup: sometimes the information is posted on You Tube within minutes. You probably noticed various "wave patterns" printing across the page. They will read your thoughts just like a book though don't ask How. The exact methodology is difficult to explain. Certainly the positive deflections correlate to your thoughts about Fodor friends and hopefully your imaging technologists - this might not always the case if they miss an Intravenous or two for the contrast.

Gpanda

I'm noy claustrophobic. Even though I take up most of the area in the machine (they do ask whether you weigh more than 350 pounds), I have no fear or anxiety about the process. Of course, I do worry about the results, but I've obtained two straight very good MRI's. Paraphrasing Alexander Pope...Hope springs eternal in the panda breast....

BostonHarbor

Gpanda, I could not be happier for you and Beth. All of Asia (as well as the forum), is whooping it up with your news. What would Asia be without your insightful onsite reports? Your adherance to Panda standards and reporting thereof is the Six Sigma for Asia.

Yes, indeed, let the fur fly!!

Gpanda

I'm only aware of one stigma. I hesitate to ask what the other five are.

Don'y worry BH, I'm actually flattered by your obscure reference. Just trying to keep it available to Bob.

Marija

The only appropriate Six Sigma term in this discussion is Six Sigma outlier. (And I hope that's what you'll be when the data from your drug trial are analyzed.)

Gpanda

Marija-that's exactly our hope that once again I'm an outlier. The two good scans are the frirst steps in acheiving such. There will be updates every 28 days. Just before the full moon. Who knows what this means?

CFW

Fabulous news! Congratulations! Keep planning & flying. We're all rooting for you.

Becalm

Tumor - schmoomor It's already history in my book....just a shadow of its former self and fading fast.

What I want to hear about are the details of your poker escapades. Say, how about we organize a Fodor's GTG and rooting section for you at your next Foxwoods tournament? You in a Gpanda suit and us Dogster costumes waving Gpanda dolls. HA! that would surely give you a competitive edge, produce a few priceless video clips and a GTG report really worth reading.

indianapearl

Sigmas? Standard deviations? Even gpanda isn't six sigmas from the mean.

Congrats to you! Keep up the good work!

I liken an MRI to being shoved head first into an empty water heater lying on its side, then having someone beat the outside with a baseball bat for 30 minutes. Piece of cake . . .

rhkkmk

andy has had some set backs this week, not from the cancer, but with his general outlook.

he will be off line for a while until he feels better.

he has appreciated all of your comments in the past, but for now will not be viewing them...

keep him in your thoughts...

bob

Becalm

Thanks Bob for letting us. I will certainly keep Andy in mind every day and send him positive energy.
A true friend like you is something everyone should be lucky enough to have.

Marija

When you're being aggressively treated for cancer there's no such thing as "not from the cancer." Experimental therapies, radiation, surgery, as well as the tumor itself, can cause numerous side effects both physical and mental.