I was sent by my doctor to get a lumbar MRI. Have you ever had one?
I was very reluctant at first, because I had this lingering memory of an MRI I had to have done years ago that was over $1,000.00, I was quite happy to find out that if you pay cash... it cost about 85% less. Yeah, explain that to me... So I get there early enough to do the routine paperwork and sit down to wait my turn...
Oh, and while waiting, I finally passed level 147 on candy crush!! That will change my life dramatically... not.
When my turn comes up, a very nice tech takes me to the back and goes over the drill. I am given scrubs to change into... no metal allowed... and no, when they turn on the machine everything metal in the room does not suddenly and with great force and speed fly to the machine, of course it would be cool if it did.
So, I lay on this table that looked to be less than two feet wide, knees slung over a wedge shaped pillow, head phones for music, eyes covered to restrict vision so you don't freak out, light weight blanket for comfort, and emergency call button. The tech reminds me that this is going to take about 30 to 40 minutes and I have to stay perfectly still. You have the picture, especially if you have done this.
The tech starts the process by sending the table and, me into this large tube which is a huge cylindrical magnet with a hole in the middle...
As the table is moving me into the magnet, my brain starts to wander... without all the distractions of doing the daily, I guess that would be the only logical thing it has to do. My mind runs down the list of items that the tech went over, no,I don't have any metal implants, no, I don't have any pump or pacemaker implants, no, I don't have use the rest room... or do I, welp too late now. As the table moves inward, I feel my elbows rub on the side wall and I am distracted from the list, as I try to relax, I wonder how really, really, big people fit in these machines.
Have you every laid really still and tried to focus on something other then what was going on around you at that very moment. Like breathing, I move when I breath, how does that effect the images, should and suddenly my breathing automatically becomes shallow. I focus on trying to breath normal and as the machine went about it's task, I tried to focus on anything but the load grinding and jack hammer type sounds that were going on around me... maybe I really can fall asleep anywhere...
and then it happened...
my nose...
it started to get that little tickle, you know the one, were it feels like it wants to start a drip, that little itchy tickle, the one you would normally rub away. Oh crud, don't move, can't move, hands are twitching, focus on the music... hey wait, I wonder what happens if I press this button... will she ask if everything is okay, of course she will, so I will say yes, but I have an itch on my nose, I will then rub my nose and she will have to start the series of images again... I will press the button... this could be fun... wait maybe not because she will get pissed and I will be stuck here even longer... not a good idea...music... these headphones sux...
What do scratching your nose and a splinter in the tip of your finger have in common... everyday you instinctively scratch your nose, you might do this fifty times in a day and not even think about it... until someone tells you that you can't. You touch stuff with your finger tips thousands of times a day... just like I am typing right now... and you never think twice about it... until you have a splinter in your finger and everything you touch hurts.
It is amazing what the images look like...
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| The inside of a sore back... Sad isn't it. |
Well, the radiologist report will be done by Wed. afternoon, so I will probably know on Friday how much damage I have done...
Wish me luck :D
Until next time...