MRI Day

I finally went for my MRI yesterday. I wasn't nervous about it at all until the night before when I started thinking about how long I'd have to lie still inside that tube. But, I'm determined to get to the bottom of whatever is going on with this pain in my back/neck/arm and knew that I'd need to get this over with in order to figure things out.

My appointment was scheduled for 9 but they asked that I be there 1/2 and hour early, so I was in their office by 8:30 am. (Tony worked from home so I didn't have to worry about getting the kids to the bus.) When I got there the receptionist told me my appointment wasn't actually until 9:30 am but that they put it a half hour earlier so people will come in on time to fill out the paperwork. I was a little annoyed because that meant I was there an HOUR early, not half an hour. When I scheduled my appointment they told me I'd owe X amount that day, and I'd come prepared to pay that, but as I checked in she told me the cost was actually going to be 4x the original amount she'd said! Not a little bit more but 4 times as much! I ended up only paying half and told them they'd need to bill me the rest. I mean, seriously!

Maybe they were feeling badly for quoting me the wrong price and not telling me my appointment was actually 9:30 am instead of 9, or maybe the person scheduled ahead of me didn't show, but whatever it was, I was taken back for my test a few minutes before nine.

I was given some scrub like thing to wear and then given some ear plugs to put in. (I've NEVER used ear plugs before and they were just a little tricky to get in. I actually couldn't do the left ear and had to have the technician help me!)

Since I'd never had an MRI the tech gave me a run down of what to expect and then I hopped on the table. She put a pillow block under my knees, and pieces of foam on either side of my head so that my head wouldn't move while I was in the machine. She then put a bar type thing over my head and explained that it was what would be taking the images of my neck. After that, she pushed a button and into the machine I went. For about a split second I thought that there was no way I was going to be able to stand being in that machine for nearly an hour, but I told myself to just calm the hell down and get it over with; and I did. (It's a very narrow, enclosed space and I can understand how it'd be bothersome to anyone who has even the slightest claustrophobia.) 

Before each scan the tech would ask how I was doing and then tell me the length of the next scan, none ever lasted more than 5 minutes. The machine itself is very loud (hence the earplugs) and it moves you up and back every once in awhile but other than that, it's nothing. Like, you literally just lay there thinking all your thoughts while a big noisy machine does it's work. It's cake (my husbands words and very true).

It's funny where the mind goes when there isn't anything to focus on. I thought about my wedding day, about giving birth to each of my kids and how different each one was, about getting Landon ready for prom and about Zoe's job. I also thought about everyone's upcoming camping trips and what I was going to eat for lunch when I got out of that machine. If that machine hadn't been so loud I probably would have fallen asleep, something the technician says happens all the time.

All in all, I didn't think it was too bad. I can't imagine having to make a young child do it (which I know happens) but compared to many things, this was simple. Now I'm just waiting on the results and a plan for what's next. :)