Drat those stinking MRI's!!!

So I had my MRI on Friday...did I ever mention that I'm Clausterphobic????

I really don't want to EVER have to do that again!!!! Not fun - AT ALL! I was told to be at Lexington Clinic at 3:30 pm so that they can sedate me and give it time to kick in. I arrived at 3:30, checked in, and sat there and sat there and sat there and sat there. Finally at 4:10, I asked them if there was a hold-up because I was supposed to be sedated at 3:30, and I was still sitting there even after they had taken people back that had arrived AFTER I did!! Grrrr....

So the girl at the desk acts like she has no idea that I had even been sitting there for 40 minutes, and she goes back in the back and comes back out to tell me that they would be calling me back shortly! Whatever!! Another 10 minutes pass - by this time it's 4:20...my MRI was scheduled for 4:30 - and they FINALLY come back and get me.

I was told to sit in a chair in this tiny room where the Radiologist took my blood pressure - it was 131/86 (high for me...I guess from being so aggravated with these people!). Then she told me to get undressed from the waist up and put on one of those wonderful hospital gowns. After I did that, she came back with a tablet of Valium and gave it to me to take. She told me that she would be back to get me shortly.

She comes back a bit later, and while I feel more relaxed, I'm NO WHERE near being asleep (and barely even sleepy). She takes me back to "THE ROOM." I get one look at that big tube and get a horrible case of the shudders. I had to lay on the table, and she gave me a blanket and a wash cloth to put over my eyes. She said that sometimes it helps to have the wash cloth. Boy did it ever!!!!

She proceeds to put earplugs in my ears and bolt my head down to this table where I couldn't move it at all. Then, with the wash cloth over my eyes, she puts this hard plastic shell thing over me that covered my face, shoulders and chest...the thing was literally 1/2 an inch above my nose. Thank GOD for that Valium, or I would have came off of that table right then and there...and we hadn't even started the MRI yet! The plastic piece was bolted down and was pushing heavily on my chest so that I was having a bit of difficulty breathing, which made it all the worse.

The test began...so the whole bed that I was on was moved slowly into the tube...thank God for that washcloth over my eyes (and did I already thank God for the Valium??). They started with my brain. There was SO much noise - lots of clacking and clanging and banging - enough to wake the dead. That part took about 15 minutes. Then they brought me out of the tube, and I was so excited because I thought that we were done. Nope...they just brought me out to tell me that they were starting on my neck now. More clinging, clanging, banging...another 15 minutes....brought me back out again. I'm finally done...that was about 30 minutes too long for me to be in that thing! Even though my legs were weak and I was a little weary from the Valium, I think I really did run out of that place! : )

My nightmare right now?? That they will call me and tell me that the pictures didn't come out and that I have to do it again! ; ) Heehee!

Anyway...it's done now. They said that it will probably take my dr. about a week to look at the pictures in detail and come up with his verdict. Of course, I'll be updating here when things progress!