These are examples of MRI machines. Basically the top part of the bed slides into the machine. I usually go in feet first, but my body is totally in the machine.
The past couple of days have run together, as we have spent a lot of hours at the Banner MD Anderson facility. Yesterday, March 27, I started with a blood draw at 8:30 a.m. After that I was scheduled for two MRI’s. It turned out to actually be two, but it was all done at one time, so this was the longest MRI I have ever experienced—very close to two hours. For any of you who have had an MRI, you will know that that is a bit of a challenge. I can relax pretty easily, and I am not a bit claustrophobic, so that is not a problem. But lying perfectly flat on a hard surface with a heavy shield type thing on top from my chest to my mid-thighs and lying perfectly still for that period of time makes for pain as the time goes on. I was wearing ear phones, but the loud construction type noises (jack hammer for instance as well as other banging sounds) pretty much drown out the music. The technicians are good to let you know about how long certain parts take such as saying that you have 5 minutes for this segment or twenty minutes left. I try to distract myself. I said the “Articles of Faith” many times, but that doesn’t take a lot of time. You think about anything that might take your mind off your situation. Anyway, my hips were killing me the last half hour. Interestingly, the minute I was out and stood up the pain went away. Opposition really inspires gratitude when things improve.
After that, I had a CT scan of my lungs. Since I am noting the negatives, this test is quite fast and not hard at all, but for the preparation, I had to drink two bottles of what they call a “Berry Smoothie” which is really “Barium Sulfate Suspension” and has no relationship to a smoothie. They gave me an hour to do that as they don’t want you to drink it too fast, or you may throw it up. I really tried to exercise mind over matter which helped immensely, as I did not gag with every swallow like I did last time in Houston. Maybe it really was a Berry Smoothie!
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