Your medical professional will let you know if you must buy tickets to this ride. |
1) Ultrasound: fun, slippery, motion pictures, 3-D live action, just a lil' chilly. Ease level = 1.
2) X-rays: no pain, no chill, just 2D obscurity. Possible visual payoff at the end now that we are in this age of digital X-ray, which is very cool. Ease level = 1.
3) Mammogram: necessary: Just do it, just don't wiggle around too much or the squishing will re-commence. Play 'statues' with yourself and see if you win. If the operator is nice they'll let you look at the insides of your own boobs at the end. Ease level = 2.
4) CT scan (with contrast): tolerable. GI oral contrast kind of yummy (lemonade flavor). Bed comfy enough. Would be better without the IV contrast, to be honest, that stuff had my heart doing a jig for the first couple of minutes. Breath holding a challenge. Fast. Nothing to see when they're done. Ease level = 2.5.
5) MRI (with contrast): Somewhat tolerable. Probably better if not done face-down. Staying still is a challenge, many noises are a distraction, the light rock coming through the headphones barely cut through. Contrast feels weird. Like experiencing a light skirmish where your body is the actual field of warfare. Also nothing to see when they're done. Ease level = 4.
So, what on earth might be a harder level than laying on your stomach with an IV needling your arm while a whirring, clanking robot scans your body for deficits and you can do nothing but lie there quite still and allow things to happen? I'll tell you: doing ANY of these things while in pain, or fear. That's what the dentist is for - X-rays of broken teeth = a 7 on the 'ease' scale, at least.
In the last few weeks all of these things have happened to my body, and I was in no pain at any time (well, except for the dentist). Not even for the IV installs. Phlebotomists are getting good, my friends.
Next up: I'll rate my three, no FOUR, recent surgeries. Newest one is in 2 days, so stay tuned!
Tiff out.
PS - the last couple of months have been interesting.
2 comments:
OMG! What have I missed? The lumpectomy wasn't the end of it?
Nope. More to come!
Post a Comment