Today Tom went in for his pre-op.
This involves more fun stuff than I can write in a single blog posting. I will try and summarize.
We (I use this figuratively) start with giving blood. I think Tom has lost 10 pounds in blood over the past weeks. He looks like a pin cushion :-) . Then he answers about 100 questions and we meet with the insurance coordinator. I would like to be an insurance coordinator. Basically they say they will call you later and if they don't bring your credit card to the operation (really).
Next we head to the MRI. Tom gets contrast in through an IV (another stick) so that the MRI can give a better image to the doctor.
Then they shave part of his head and apply fiducials. There are 8 fiducials applied in a circle around his head and 2 more placed on the tumor area. These are sticky circles that serve as markers for the doctor to use the next day. Read below for more information on fiducials according to Wikipedia.
-- Start complicated stuff:
In radiotherapy "fiducial" points are landmarks in the tumour so that treatment targets the correct area of the body.
A fiduciary marker or fiducial is an object used in the field of view of an imaging system which appears in the image produced.
Markers may be used to make otherwise invisible or difficult to distinguish features of an image more visible. Markers can simplify computerized image processing applications such as motion capture, by providing an easy-to-track feature in images which follows the movements of the marked subject.
The appearance of markers in images may act as a reference for image scaling, or may allow the image and physical object, or multiple independent images, to be correlated. By placing fiduciary markers at known locations in a subject, the relative scale in the produced image may be determined by comparison of the locations of the markers in the image and subject.
Images of the same subject produced with two different imaging systems might be correlated by placing a fiduciary marker in the area imaged by both systems. In this case, a marker which is visible in the images produced by both imaging modalities must be used. By this method, functional information from SPECT or positron emission tomography might be related to anatomical information provided by magnetic resonance imaging.
-- End complicated stuff
All joking aside we are so very happy with the medical care Tom is getting at Methodist. We recommend them very very much.
The next step is to go home and relax. Tom should eat healthy and not have alcohol AND cannot have any food or drink after midnight. Me on the the other hand can drink heavily and eat myself into a coma. I will try and refrain.
We start tomorrow very early. He should be out of surgery by noon. I will try and get on the blog as soon as possible after and update. Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers.
This involves more fun stuff than I can write in a single blog posting. I will try and summarize.
We (I use this figuratively) start with giving blood. I think Tom has lost 10 pounds in blood over the past weeks. He looks like a pin cushion :-) . Then he answers about 100 questions and we meet with the insurance coordinator. I would like to be an insurance coordinator. Basically they say they will call you later and if they don't bring your credit card to the operation (really).
Next we head to the MRI. Tom gets contrast in through an IV (another stick) so that the MRI can give a better image to the doctor.
Then they shave part of his head and apply fiducials. There are 8 fiducials applied in a circle around his head and 2 more placed on the tumor area. These are sticky circles that serve as markers for the doctor to use the next day. Read below for more information on fiducials according to Wikipedia.
-- Start complicated stuff:
In radiotherapy "fiducial" points are landmarks in the tumour so that treatment targets the correct area of the body.
A fiduciary marker or fiducial is an object used in the field of view of an imaging system which appears in the image produced.
Markers may be used to make otherwise invisible or difficult to distinguish features of an image more visible. Markers can simplify computerized image processing applications such as motion capture, by providing an easy-to-track feature in images which follows the movements of the marked subject.
The appearance of markers in images may act as a reference for image scaling, or may allow the image and physical object, or multiple independent images, to be correlated. By placing fiduciary markers at known locations in a subject, the relative scale in the produced image may be determined by comparison of the locations of the markers in the image and subject.
Images of the same subject produced with two different imaging systems might be correlated by placing a fiduciary marker in the area imaged by both systems. In this case, a marker which is visible in the images produced by both imaging modalities must be used. By this method, functional information from SPECT or positron emission tomography might be related to anatomical information provided by magnetic resonance imaging.
-- End complicated stuff
All joking aside we are so very happy with the medical care Tom is getting at Methodist. We recommend them very very much.
The next step is to go home and relax. Tom should eat healthy and not have alcohol AND cannot have any food or drink after midnight. Me on the the other hand can drink heavily and eat myself into a coma. I will try and refrain.
We start tomorrow very early. He should be out of surgery by noon. I will try and get on the blog as soon as possible after and update. Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers.
1 comment:
Hang in there guys! I'll be anxiously checking in tomorrow.
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