Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Anybody Know What MRI Stands For?

Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Like this one.

Not my actual MRI.

I needed an updated image of my scaphoid from last February, and I also needed updated images of my poor, dilapidated, eight-pregnancy pelvis (first images taken here). Both images were scheduled for the same evening.  I thought I was pretty smart.

The wrist image was most uncomfortable, with arm strapped down over my head and my face plastered against the pillow.  Twenty minutes of that and I was about ready to . . . I don't know what.

Then it was time for my hips.  They taped my toes together, covered me with a few blankets (why it needs to be 62 degrees in there I don't know), replaced the headset, handed me the panic button and sent me back into the tube.  This arrangement was almost pleasant, especially compared to the over-the-head position I'd just experienced.

Ten minutes later, I was unexpectedly removed from the tube.

The technicians pulled up my gown, looked all over my left leg, all through the blanket, searching for . . . something.  I had no idea what was going on, and they were hesitant to talk.  After a few minutes, they admitted that some stray speck of metal was either in the blanket, on the bed, or on me somewhere near my left leg, and its presence was interfering with the scan.  Weird--I'd just been in that tube for 30 minutes, people.  Never finding anything, they reinserted me into the tube (I'm beginning to sound like the specimen I felt like).

Ever heard the story of the frog in the pot of water--how if the water is boiling initially, he jumps out, but if the water is cold then gradually heated he'll boil to death?  I felt like that frog. I began to feel warmth on my left knee.  Nothing really, probably just a wire on my leg or something.

No. That is a little warm right there.

Then it began to get warmer.  And warmer and warmer.  Finally it was hot, and I could no longer attribute it to my imagination.  Now what do I do?  Just finish the test?  I held on for another minute, but the sensation was beginning to actually burn me.

I squeezed the panic button.  Nothing happened.  I squeezed it again, because now I knew something was there, and it hurt.

The technicians pulled me out for the final time, asking with what seemed like real concern, "What's wrong?  Are you okay?"  I explained the feeling in my left knee, and when I pulled up my gown, there was an unmistakeable red spot over my kneecap.

"We can't complete the test.  You've already been in the tube too long, and it may elevate your core body temp too much.  We'll have to reschedule it, maybe with a lower-strength magnet."  Then they began acting all kinds of weird, somehow insisting it was my fault that I hadn't completed the scan.  I asked to see the images, and there was a smoky haze coming directly from the area of my knee, clouding the images.

Was I to blame somehow, even though I'd successfully completed many images, or was the suddenly strong lingering scent of cigarette smoke the culprit?  I'll never know.

Test has been rescheduled for Friday.

All I know is this:  MRI possibly stands for

May Randomly Ignite.

Specimen beware!

Editor's note:  For those of you holding your breath for my entrance into the pinterest/facebook world, I want you to know that my computer has been down for the last few days. "But how have you been posting, hmm?"  On Brad's computer, of course.  "Why does that matter, Miss Chicken-of-Everything-Facebook/Pinterest?  Just an excuse, Missy."  Actually, all my passwords, etc., are on my computer, and without access to those secrets, Facebook/Pinterest was locked for me.  Luckily, Brad found the problem, and my afternoon has been set aside for such guilty pleasures as these (and to post/email Tucker's last letter, for those of you waiting for it.  Secret addresses/passwords/pictures for his stuff are also lost within its confines.)  Is this a sign to keep that info in more than one place?  

21 comments:

  1. I had an MRI last year, my first one, and I was terrified. I would have freaked - I mean totally and completely freaked - if that would have happened to me.
    Sorry you have to do it all again - Hope it goes well!

    May Randomly Ignite - Giggle!!

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  2. Doesn't sound like your most favorite experience. Friday will be better.

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  3. My favorite part of this post is the PS, love it! And yes, you should definitely keep your passwords in another location-one safe from little hands and big eyes.

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  4. Yikes! That sounds like the basis for a good mystery novel!
    Regarding Pinterest - now I'll be the last person not on that site, for sure! I can barely juggle my life and the occasional post. I just know that I don't need another reason to be at this computer, no matter how attractive.
    (Famous Last Words)

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  5. i'm so intrigued ... curious to know why you nearly self-combusted in the tube! hope friday goes a lot better!!

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  6. Um wow. That is crazy. Sounds like knew something was up. No likey that thy tried to blame you. I did a unit on magnets when I was student teaching in 4th grade and had a MRI specialist come in as a guest speaker for my class. It was very interesting.

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  7. I looked at Pintrest and it looked so confusing, but so did Facebook at first. Then I was put on the WAITING LIST. Pfft.

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  8. I've had a couple MRIs for all my annoying mystery joint problems. The first time, I was a little scared because I remembered a TV show my parents were watching when I was little where a little girl had to go in a tube in a hospital and ended up dying because the machine shut down while she was in it. Freaky.
    And, I figured the lack of email had something to do with that. I'm being patient. :)

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  9. That is kinda freaky, Jen. Have they check to make sure you don't have a small piece of metal imbedded in our knee somehow?

    "/

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  10. That's what I'm thinking too...that like Sue said you may have a piece of mental somewhere. Or if not that, It's a machine mess up. I would push to know.

    Good luck Friday, and be sure to let us know how it goes.

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  11. Yeah, don't let them give you an attitude like it was your fault. They're just afraid of a lawsuit. I wonder what it was, though? May your next experience be better. I've only had one on my knee and I almost went to sleep.

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  12. I just had another MRI of my "good" knee...I fell asleep in the tube. Again. Hopefully this Friday's scan goes better. You know, without any cigarette smoke smell. ;)

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  13. Wow!
    You will be glowing by Friday! Yikes.
    Heats your body up?

    Hope it goes ok on Friday.
    Come to Idaho before you go in.
    You'll get freezing enough you'll be glad to climb into an MRI.

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  14. I've never been in an MRI and I hope that I never have to be in one after reading this post! This is definitely quite a puzzling problem you had. I wonder what was heating up like that... Did they ever tell you what they think might be the problem? It's kinda frightening too if you think about it. Having a part of you burst into flames inside a machine does not sound like something pleasant. I hope you have better luck with the scan on Friday!

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  15. I couldn't pick you out on facebook and your mom and your sister didn't list you in their friends yet - you have to accept them to do that.

    I love pinterest - so many ideas and so easy to organize them!!

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  16. Um, I know your sweet friends, many of whom visit you here everyday are very concerned as to why you aren't on Pinterest, but seriously, I AM DYING OVER HERE! What in the world was wrong with your knee???? I don't think I'd of been able to leave without some type of explanation. Freaky!

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  17. I try to forget my MRI experiences. I hope that the noise of them doesn't haunt you like it does me. Every time I hear that ee rr ee rr tic tic tic on the TV or something, my body tenses up. Hope your next one they can actually finish the dumb thing. That sucks! I feel for you!

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