Wednesday 16 September 2015

MRI

I had an MRI scan this week. The dental problems which turned out to be sinus problems turned out to be neither. All those antibiotics I’ve swallowed over this past year have probably been in vain, not to mention all the saline nasal sprays, steam inhalants etc etc etc.

After having a camera poked up my nose in August, the ENT doctor said my sinuses looked very clean and healthy with no evidence of a recent infection and the CT scan I had confirmed that. So he booked me for an MRI.

Half an hour they said it would take to have the MRI. My appointment was at 11.30 so I thought I’d have plenty of time to get back for school pick up, but we’d agreed that if for any reason I wasn’t out by 2, my husband would come back to get the children and I’d walk to the railway station and catch a train.

The two guys doing the MRI took me into a room where they explained what would be happening. They couldn’t have been nicer or kinder. I felt a bit scared when they said there was a remote chance of an allergic reaction to the dye they were going to inject, but they reassured me that it was very rare and if it did happen, they knew what to do.

Did I have any questions? Yes, will I be out by 2? They both laughed. “You’ll be out in time for lunch,” one of them said. “They always tell you it’ll take longer than it does.”

That’s when I thought to mention that I have difficult veins. When I had the blood test to check my kidney function, the nurses had to get a doctor and he ended up managing to squeeze just enough blood out of a vein in my wrist for the test. “It might take a little longer then.” I don’t think any of us realised quite how long.

I can’t get over how nice they were. So courteous and kind. They offered to put the radio on but I opted to just wear the headphones. I’m glad I did as I’ve since been told that it’s nigh impossible to hear the music anyway and that would have just annoyed me.

I had been warned it was noisy (several of my friends have had MRIs) and at first I thought the tapping and thrumming wasn't too bad, but I was unprepared for the burst of pneumatic drill like noise and the vibration. Then out I came and had to stay perfectly still – not that difficult with the frame thing round my head – while they put the cannula in.

Suddenly it seemed I had no veins. They tried so hard to find one and had one attempt, but it failed and so they called a doctor. I couldn’t see him because of the frame, but he sounded like the one who had done my blood test. I had tourniquets round my arms and was doing the squeezing of my fists. I’d had plenty to drink beforehand too as I knew that would help.

I found it difficult to hear what he was saying with the headphones on and at one point he said “Little scratch” and I thought he said “Squeeze”. Oops. He said he didn’t want to use my hand as it can be more uncomfortable, but in the end he tried that to no avail. Then suddenly he found a vein in my arm – a good one!

And back into the machine I went for the scan to be repeated with the dye this time.

When I came out, one of the guys took me back to the waiting room and said I should stay for a while just in case I had any reaction. I was gobsmacked to find it was 1.40. I had had no idea how much time had passed. After drinking several cups of water to flush the dye out of my system, I was able to leave.

Great timing. We left the hospital by 2 which had been our deadline.

I felt rotten though – the extra time it took must have used up their lunch hour and by the time I left, their next patient had arrived.

I’ve always had awkward veins. Even when I was young and skinny they used to bury themselves deep and I’ve had to have blood taken from my hands in the past.

It is the longest Dusty has ever been left in the house on his own. Well he had Harley and Poppy here for company, but when I came in I expected to find chewed shoes at the very least, but... nothing! He had been very good.

Harley kept an eye on things!


Coming soon: I will be speaking to a mysterious writer here on my blog… Watch this space!


Happy Writing.

** The machine makes a pleasant sort of pulsing noise which is almost musical even when it isn't being used. You can hear some of the different sounds in this link. **




23 comments:

  1. You seem to have been the perfect patient, Teresa. Cooperative, understanding and long suffering. I used to be very good at taking blood, but I started out on black babies in Africa, and veins don't come much more difficult than those!

    I hope the scan results are fine.

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    1. I think some nurses and you are one of them, have a magic touch when it comes to taking blood. Taking it from babies must be so hard xx

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  2. I'm glad that's done and dusted, Teresa. Those machines are noisy but they show up mostly everything so it's worth it. I have terrible non-existent veins too. So when I have to have a blood test, the doctor takes shed loads of blood and tests for absolutely everything. Hence, luckily that doesn't have to happen often. The last time I went, there was a new nurse in the surgery. The poor thing was distraught because she couldn't find a vein - my wincing and owing didn't help the poor woman's nerves. She was calmed when the doctor came through, saw it was me and told the nurse not to worry I was always trouble :)
    Take good care, Teresa and enjoy the rest of your week.

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  3. What an experience, Teresa! I've always hoped I won't need one as I'm a bit claustrophobic and you have confirmed what a friend told me recently about them - except she didn't the same problem with veins. I do hope it was all worth it and they finally get to the root of your problem and it's nothing serious.

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    1. I kept my eyes shut, Rosemary. I was worried about feeling closed in, but I felt okay from that angle. You can speak to them and have a panic button to hold and knowing you can be taken out any time does make you feel less trapped xx

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  4. I don't have veins. I think I'm an alien. I think you must be one too.

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    1. I am - we arrived here on the same spaceship, Lynne xx

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  5. Oh Teresa what an awful experience! You are so brave! Thinking of you and sending love and hugs xox

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    1. Bless you, Edith - I'm not brave at all! Thank you for your lovely thoughts xx

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  6. I hope they can work out what the problem is now, Teresa. You managed the entire experience so well and must have been a lovely patient for them, even if it did take up extra time. I'm glad you still managed to meet the two o'clock deadline and that Dusty had been so good in your absence.
    I have awkward veins and can really sympathise. My hand was once punctured all over by a doctor who actually became very impatient with trying to find them. Then a calm, lovely nurse came along and found one straightaway. And another time, when I attempted to donate blood, they asked me not to bother again as it took over an hour to produce less than a quarter of a pint! xxx

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    1. Thank you, Joanna. I think a lot of us have these vein problems and it's lucky for us when someone has the skill to do it and being calm and kind certainly helps. It wasn't very nice that the doctor became impatient with you when you must have been in pain. I felt very lucky that everyone was so understanding xx

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  7. awww - what a time u had. but how lovely everyone was so kind. this is what i've found having broke my arm. all the staff i have come in contact with just couldn't have been kinder. v reassuring. wishing you good results v quickly that bring you a swift resolve of whatever the problem is xxxxxxx

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  8. broken, broken grrrrrr! this one handed typing ......xxx

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    1. Thank you, Sue - you are doing brilliantly typing one handed! Kindness goes a long way doesn't it xx

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  9. What an experience Teresa. I hope the results turn out okay. I never knew MRI scans were noisy, which can't be pleasant in a confined space. Glad Harley was fine without you.

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    1. I kept my eyes closed and tried to forget I was confined. Once I got used to the noise and knew there would be different bursts of sounds, I tried to anticipate what would be next. I'll see if I can find a link to add to my post. I don't think I'd be too worried about having another now I know what to expect, although I hope I never need to xx

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  10. So pleased it's all over now, Teresa, and hopefully you'll have an answer soon.

    My veins don't cooperate either, so I sympathise with what you went through. Hugsxxx

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    1. Thank you, Carol. There are more of us than I realised xx

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  11. Glad it all got done in the end. Hope you soon get the results and can then have treatment which works.

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    1. Thanks, Patsy. I hope so too - I've had a flare up since the MRI xx

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  12. Oh dear, what a traumatic day you must have had. I am glad the staff gave you such good attention though. And what a mystery your nose has been to medical science! Perhaps you will find yourself in a medical textbook one day: 'Teresa Ashby Syndrome'.

    Actually, I knew someone once whose divorce was so complicated that he found it was later cited in legal textbooks! Not the sort of fame anyone wants really. x

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    1. How strange that must have felt - finding themselves in a legal textbook. I just hope they can say "You've got X - here's a pill!" xx

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