Well, that was fast.

Just returned from my MRI a few minutes ago. It was my first experience being magnetized, though I've sat in the waiting room while my daughter underwent the procedure on at least two occasions. But lucky me, today was my turn to experience the wonder that is Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

When he came to get me, showing me where I could stash my stuff, I asked, "Can I read while I'm in there?"

He paused, thought a second, then replied, "I guess so. But you'd have to read really still."

Read really still? What the hell does that mean? I shrugged, said I'd give it a try, and brought the book in with me.

The book I brought was a hardback library copy of The Help, since I'm facilitating the book group discussion next week and that's their book o' the month. I thought I was so smart bringing it, because it would make 45 minutes blow by like nothing, taking my mind off the fact I needed to lie completely still.

Well, not exactly. Since it's a hardback book, and a pretty thick one, I couldn't manage to hold it perfectly still in a position where I could read without my arms trembling. And the machine is very sensitive to any movement at all. Ultimately, we ended up having to repeat the first scan because I couldn't be parted from a book for that long.

Do you feel my shame?

Aside from the book episode, I'm surprised I finished the scan as quickly as I did. Ever tried staying perfectly still on command? The more you think I can't move! the more your body itches to do just that. I tried, oh how I tried, but I kept getting little nervous tics all over my body - involuntary muscle movements I couldn't control no matter how hard I tried to get my brain into a contemplative state. It went something like this:

Ommm...

Twitch!

Ommm...

Twitch! Twitch!

Sigh.

Ommm...

Twitchity, twitch, twitch, TWITCH!

I swear, that machine made my leg muscles jump uncontrollably. I know it made the hair on my legs stand up (I know I should shave, but it's WINTER! Who's going to see?). I felt that right away. Then, after the second or third course of magnetization, magnifying, whatever, my bad leg was twitching like an elementary school bus driver's eyelid. No amount of deep breathing could control it. Yet I passed the audition.

Results will be in within 24 hours, tech dude told me. He also gave me a DVD of the scan to bring home. I know what WE'RE watching tonight! Pop some popcorn, we're gonna look inside mom's knee!

Scary thing is, that would pass for entertainment here.

Comments

[Bluestalking]

Jena, had I not taken a nice nap right before I'd have been out like a light, too. When I'm prone I'm asleep these days. I don't go to bed early enough, which is a really bad habit. Usually we're not in bed 'til midnight or later, and we need to be up by 6:00 to wake my daughter, then 7:00 for the day. Yet, we can't seem to break the habit. Sigh.

[Jena]

My husband had an MRI last month, the day we left Canada to go back to Ohio for Christmas, and we'd been up packing and tidying the whole night before. Never made it to bed. Figured we'd sleep on the ferries and in the waiting room (which we did). Unfortunately, my dear husband kept nodding off in the machine, so what should've taken half an hour took three times that long.