Tuesday, August 23, 2011

MRI results and Specialist number ???

It was earlier than I like when I woke up this morning...  I got dressed in my "appointment clothes" (something that's easy to take off... no jewelry.. no makeup... just comfy). My dad and I got in his PT cruiser and we drove up to my appointment... 2 blocks away from my office. He continued on to work as I walked into the tall white building. I filled out the paperwork, handed over my insurance card, and took a seat.

Finally she called my name...

" You can change in here", she said as she handed me another "paper napkin" and closed the door. "Please remove everything from the waist up.

"yeah yeah.. I got it" I thought to myself... still angry that I was at this appointment an hour before my coworkers were even starting to show up to work... "way... too... early... no coffee yet... grrr... grumble grumble!" I thought.

She led me into the MRI room where we talked about the wires that are in my chest and how they would be ok because they were titanium. She helped me lay down on the table and handed me the squishy ball to press if I needed anything. The machine started whirring around me...  then all of a sudden I squeezed the ball..

"I am a dingbat... I forgot to take off my (unmentionable)!"

I was mortified... what didn't I understand about ... from the waist... UP! I blame the lack of coffee my exhaustion... She assured me it was ok... and if there was going to be an issue it would have already happened... and my "who ha holder" would have been plastered to the top of the machine...

Way to follow directions Rach...

They finished the first part... without contrast and then went to put the contrast in... Seven pokes later... They got a return on the stick (non medical translation... the blood started to flow out... so they could inject) She started injecting the contrast... then... something went terribly wrong... the contrast somehow infiltrated... And was pooling in my wrist next to the stick...

I cried like a baby... seriously... worst pain I have ever felt... And I've had my chest cracked open... yeah... The doctor came in and assured me the pain would decrease within 4 hours...

FOUR HOURS?!?!?!

(Well.. I can say now... it's been 14 and my wrist feels like I got the worst shot of my life... like a million times worse than a flu shot. And I'm only complaining  whining... a little)

They tried to complete the test... but there wasn't enough contrast in my vein... and they weren't going to stab me again... (P.S. I love it when they blame it on you... like.. you are so dehydrated that it's your fault... Well newsflash... I went to a friends house last night...and was drinking so much water I went to the bathroom 7 times... Yeah... not dehydrated my veins are just awful.... and big sorry to J and M for your water bill...) We rescheduled the contrast part and my mom and I went to get breakfast.

An hour later I was off to specialist number... I can't remember... And I was waiting for her to tell  me my MRI results. I had seen her 6 years ago. She remembered me... told me I was famous and that doctors are still talking about my case from 6 years ago... yeah... that's what I want to be famous for... ha ha! She did her exam... and told me my MRI looked... good. And she didn't need the contrast. I was so relieved.

But...then she started discussing my exam... my reflexes are nothing compared to what they were 6 years ago... and she apparently noticed some other things that made her want to further test...

So... bring on the paper napkins... more tests are on the way...  I was so thankful that she didn't dismiss me... or my issues... but said "we are going to figure this out... because you are weird" Yeah... that's me... me and my maternal Grandpa... we are weird... if anyone is going to get something out of the ordinary... it'll be us.

xoxo- me

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah, Rachel that's us the weird ones. But it is so much fun when we go to a new doctor and they say you are indeed different. What a list of weird procedures that you have had.

But through it all God is great and provides the strength for us to go on.

Love you

Papa

Kathleen said...

Consider yourself not weird, but UNIQUE. I am still praying for a diagnosis.

Love you.

Rick Lamb said...

Hi Rachel,

I am a cousin of yours. I'm the son of Richard Powers. It's "complicated".

I went through a similar experience in a CAT scan a couple years ago. When they went to inject the contrast the injection exploded and it got real ugly real fast in that room! Blood was flying all over the place like a hose! I was um PHREAKIN OUT laying there in that great big tube!! It didn't hurt as much as it totally phreaked me out! VERY MESSY that moment was... The room filled with various "medical staff" and they capped "the leak".

I too am one of those the docs all talk about. I have an evil gut. It gives me hell then it leaves me all normal. Then it gives me hell. I won't gross ya out any further than the above mentioned moment in the radiology lab! I've been to so many doctor's offices and suffered so many tests....

Just know many people are praying for you! So feel the love and savor the happy moments!