The Rest of the Story

When I arrived at the hospital I was ushered out the side door and into a semi trailer that houses the mobile MRI unit. It's only at this location on Fridays. Okay, being locked inside the back of a semi doesn't do much for the claustrophobic feeling.

My escort (a woman) and I were met inside by the male technician that would do the actual MRI. He was very nice and quickly explained the procedure and asked if I was okay with everything. Um...I think so.

When I found out last week that I was to be face down for this scan I thought well they mash the daylights out of these things when they do a mammogram so I guess there gonna use my body weight to mash them for this scan. I shared my thoughts with Keith and he joked that maybe they would cut holes in the table.

When the technician opened the door inside the trailer that led to the MRI machine, I couldn't help but laugh out loud at what I saw. This picture is pretty accurate although the set up is backwards, thankfully, from what I experienced. You see, the one thing that they didn't tell me ahead of time is that you go into the machine feet first for this test.

That may sound like a minor detail but it isn't. Having your head a foot from the opening as opposed to 8 feet from it makes a huge difference. At least it did for me. I honestly think I could have hugged that man when he told me that I was going in feet first. What a relief.

I won't explain the ins and outs (pun intended) of this little addition to the MRI table. You can use your imaginations...it won't take much. Anyway, once I was undressed and all set up on the table, the tech came in and started an IV to use for the contrast solution that they inject halfway through the scan. The table was moved into the machine and the real fun began.

It was not nearly as bad as I was expecting but I was pretty uncomfortable before it was over. You can't move at all and my arms had to be up over my head the whole time. As I said yesterday, I am not a stomach sleeper and my neck and shoulders were killing me before it was done.

Thankfully, it's all over now and we just wait for the results...4 to 6 weeks is what they're telling me. I guess there aren't very many people qualified to read these things so they have to send them off to be read elsewhere. It will be interesting to hear what they have to say. I'm tired of hearing the radiologist tell me every year that my mammograms have a high margin of error because I have difficult ____________ well, you know.

So, there you have it. Thanks for all the prayers to get me through this thing. Sounds like it may have to become a semi regular occurence if the results turn out to be better than the mammos. I think I can live with that. I know one thing, I won't be nearly as concerned next time. Now watch, they'll stick me in head first next time just for kicks. :)