Bone scan results, sort of.

Okay, so I had my bone scan but the results are very weird. I have three spots on my back (posterior) ribs. They are symmetrical, two on one side and one on the other. Cancer does not generally spread symmetrically, so what the radiologist thinks is that I fractured three of my ribs. So, at first glance, that is good news. Broken ribs are sure a lot better than the cancer spreading to my ribs, however, it raises another question and causes me to pause…how did I break three ribs without knowing it? The only thing I have done is paint my room. And if I broke three ribs painting…again, that concerns me …how do I break three ribs without knowing it? I didn’t fall, get in a car accident, cough hard…but I fractured three ribs. To me, that is very weird. I didn’t get a chance to really explore this with the radiologist. He said he was cautiously optimistic, but wanted the scan to be reviewed by another radiologist. So we wait until it is reviewed by the radiologist who has more expertise in bone scans.

I asked the radiologist if they biopsy bones and he said that if they biopsy bones that have been broken and are healing it looks very much like cancer because the cells are regenerating. So, he believes it is a game of sit and wait. If the pain doesn’t go away or gets worse or there is additional pain, then we will do another scan. If the pain starts to go away, then we will figure it is probably fractures. Regardless, there will be another scan in February or so and we can see where the spots are then, hopefully they will be gone.

But I am still wondering…how the heck does someone break three posterior ribs without even knowing it?

I guess it will be awhile before I know the answer to that question and it seems to me that it is easier on everyone if this whole thing is pawned off to broken bones and we all say “yea its not cancer!” I agree with the “yea its not cancer” wholeheartedly, but still want answers to my questions, and I don’t think that is an unrealistic expectation.

But for now, I just wait.