Thanks Everybody. Hearing everybody's good news helps to keep a positive attitude and reminds us everything is not doom and gloom.
Here's an article I came across comparing radiation doses of standard CT scans with other tests and with background radiation.
www.radiologyinfo.org/en/safety/?pg=sfty_xray
Depending on which studies you read you will hear different opinions as to the risk of these radiation doses. Some say it's no big deal and others will say we're all going to die of radiation induced cancers. I suspect the truth is somewhere in the middle. It's something to think about and be aware of, but if a CT test is truly needed it should be performed. Like a lot of things in life it should induce a risk VS benefit analysis and thought process. Don't forget there's risk in skipping needed tests as well as in getting too many.
Mike's loss is on my mind as well. You think about him and you wonder if you're making the right call with your own care. All of our cases differ, so our treatments shouldn't all be the same either. Somebody with an invasive tumor might be worried about mets while I'm more concerned with missing a reoccurrence of another non-invasive tumor or missing a new tumor on the kidneys or in the ureters that would allow the cancer to become invasive or metastasize. We just have to make the best call we can at the time and move forward one day at a time. Being an active participant in your care certainly improves your chances for a successful outcome.