Brain MRI

Today was finally a scan day. I thought this MRI would be without contrast because that's what insurance approved. So I didn't super hydrate to make sure my hard-to-find veins were plump.

That was my first surprise. Yep, the last part of this scan involved contrast and thus a needle. The tech even printed out the order to show me that it said "with contrast" (though it did also have "no contrast" checked). He assured me that insurance would pay for it with contrast because the imaging place would not schedule me without insurance approval.

The second surprise probably shouldn't have been a surprise, but it's been quite a while since I've had an MRI. I had to be completely still for FORTY minutes.

Usually my back hurts way before 40 minutes when I lie flat on my back. I immediately got worried. Could I make it 40 minutes???

And the third surprise. I had to have a cage-like thing over my face and head to keep my head still. I'm claustrophobic, so hey, let's make this super challenging...spend 40 minutes with the top part of your body in an MRI machine...with a cage over your face!

And guess what? You can't move if your back starts hurting. Not even toe wiggles. Lie completely still. And you can feel the cage on the sides of your head. But DON'T MOVE.

I was getting worried.

But I did have a daily meditation practice for 17 years, so I figured I could tap into that even though I haven't meditated in seven years.

The very nice tech got me situated on what is basically a board, and he added a mirror to the cage contraption so I could see outside. He gave me ear plugs for the noise. He put good supports under my calves and arms and gave me the panic button, the one you press if you freak out from claustrophobia (or have unbearable pain I suppose).

And into the MRI machine I went.

I closed my eyes and tried to relax my muscles. And I tried not to think of how much time was passing. The noises were interesting. Some were super loud. Some made me think of hype music before a sports event, very energetic and rhythmic. Some made me think of a rave. Not that I've ever been to a rave but I think they involve pounding, electronic beats.

Amazingly the time passed faster than I expected. I tried to choose a topic in my mind and follow it. I was going to go through my trip to Ireland in 1999. But my mind just wandered around, touching on this and that, hither and thither.

I didn't have a lot of back pain. I kept my eyes closed the entire time so I didn't feel claustrophobic. At the end I had a couple of restless leg twitches and wished I'd taken my RLS meds. But I hadn't even thought of that happening, getting the twitches during an MRI.

When the initial 40 minutes were up and the tech got me out of the machine, I stood up and stretched some. I was on my walker today (but the moving-around pain wasn't nearly as bad as the last two days), so I could stand with it and get my back loosened a bit before MRI Round 2.

The tech did warn me not to move the walker any closer to the MRI machine because that powerful magnet might pull the metal walker into it. I had heard of metal things being pulled into MRI machines so I took that advice seriously. Someone died this summer when he went into an open MRI room wearing a heavy chain and got too close to the machine.

Then it was time for Round 2. And I hadn't super hydrated. If I had been the tech would have had success with the first stick on my right arm. But it ended up being the third stick when he followed my advice about my left arm and did get the contrast into my vein. This wasn't an IV like I'll have at the CT scans next week. This was a syringe of contrast fluid.

This second set was "only" 15 minutes long. I wasn't as comfortable as the first round but figured I could make it for 15 minutes. My restless leg twitching did kick in several time. But I was pretty sure my head wasn't moving when my leg twitched.

And then it was over.

The tech gets high marks from me because he was so friendly and reassuring. We had nice conversation in the break between scans and afterward.

And I'm glad those three things were surprises. I'd have worried and worried ahead of time. And there was no need to! All went well.

It's a relief to have that scan done. The tech said the results should be ready in the first part of next week.

And now I have the weekend and Monday to "recover" and not to think about scans.

I'll enjoy that!

And I'll hope the diminished pain continues. Maybe I'm getting over that terrible flare. It sure is nice to have a lot less pain and be able to move a bit better.

I really am very grateful!!