MRI and Results

Friday I thought I was scheduled for an X-ray and MRI of my left upper thigh and my right shoulder since the former still hurts from my February lifting injury and the latter has gotten progressively more sore with my using my arms to help myself out of chairs, off toilets, and getting up in general. Turned out, I was right about the two X-rays, but only was going to have MRI of leg. Since I’d already taken 1 of my anti anxiety pills and assumed I would be going only part way into the tube, I opted not to take the second tablet and left it in the locker with my clothes. Mistake. The technician assured me that I would have to be slid all the way in to take the picture. Only about 20 minutes lying in a small, confined space. Gulp. Surely I could do that. I’ll take a nap. Would I like a mask? No. Mistake #2. Would I like earplugs? No. Haven’t decided whether a mistake or not. What kind of music would I like? Don’t care.

I laid down, the technician put earphones on me and placed a big mat she called her camera over my hip and upper thigh (everyone kept assuming I’d hurt my hip; I had to explain each time it was my thigh, and that I hadn’t fallen.) After strapping my feet together, she hit the switch to slide me in. I squeezed my eyes shut. Should have taken the mask. I didn’t realize how noisy the machine would be. While it hammered away, loud meditation music began playing, then someone started attacking a piano with crashing cords. Occasionally, I heard talking but I couldn’t understand what was being said. As I counted away the seconds of each minute, I decided to reframe this event as my private Laurie Anderson performance art experience. Who knew art could prevent a panic attack. And if I ever have to have another MRI, I’m taking both pills.

Today I got the results that were as expected: lifting too much strained my adductor magnus tendon, and I have general arthritis in my joints. Plus I’m old. Dr. Bedney told the resident and the medical student that he’d never seen that tendon strained before. My goal: never to be interesting to medical personnel.  Prognosis: with time, drugs and exercise, my tendons will heal. That will take the extra work off my shoulders, so they, my elbows, and my hands should start feeling better. Timeline: 2-3 months. Filed under the heading: this too shall pass. But not as quickly as I’d like. 

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