I was also asked to have an MRI done at North Ottawa Community Hospital in Grand Haven and that was quite the experience.
First was the expected beginning of today's paper trail. Name, birthdate, insurance card and drivers license please. Another friendly nurse/receptionist who was working away at keeping me calm and unafraid of anything that might be coming.
I had seen the huge truck trailer on the backside of the hospital that indicated on the outside that it was the imagining unit. This was definitely going to be something to see.
After completing the paperwork, a new nurse called my name and escorted me back to a small room where my blood was drawn. I suggested we give the right arm a try since things had been done most recently on the left. Boy, was I wrong! I made the fist, she strapped it, and tapped away to find a good vein and it was showing up strongly...at first. When she placed the needle in, it was like it jumped out of the way! Talk about a vein that didn't want to donate, I had one. She was so apologetic and seemed embarassed, commenting that it was likely to bruise now and she was very disappointed. What's another bruise here or there, I replied.
She moved over to the other arm and I told her that one would likely pull through for her much better since it was more experienced! At least it made her chuckle a bit as she got about 3 vials worth easily from that vein. Ah, if it were oil we would have made money on that one!
After putting my little cotton and bandage on, she led me down the hall to again put my clothes into a locker and put on double gowns, first with the opening in the front, then a second one with the opening in the back. Much more coverage when sashshaying down the hospital corridors!
She came back for me and we headed down the hall further to where the trailer was placed and could be accessed. There was a loading platform because the opening was about 4 feet higher than the hospital floor. Pretty fun to get a little ride up to your appointment without being inside an elevator. The nurse placed my locker key on the counter and I took a quick right into the room with my new machine. It was a smaller version than the one I had seen on line and on television. A huge gray doughnut, just not as long and thick.
There was a female technician and the nurse who had remained with me. They explained the procedure, took my first robe off, and helped me get up on the platform. I had to open the other robe in the front so that my breast could be placed into the holes specifically for them. Then they added some foam forms to support my arms that were stretched out on either side of my head. My head had a head support so that I could look down into a hole that had a mirror underneath. WOW...I could "see" the technicians in front of me.
I selected classical music with headphones to go with the very loud sounds, they told me would be similar to a bang, thunk, whirr, and clang. As long as the technicians and the machine knew what needed to be done, I was content with my daydreams, my music, and just relaxing with my eyes closed as the gray doughnut first swallowed my feet first and then scanned my body.
At one point during the hour procedure, the technician stopped to tell me that about halfway through this test, they would inject a dye into my veins. I felt a bit start to flow, but never tasted any metal or felt the warmth beyond my arm.
Unfortunately, the dye didn't do what it was supposed to do because of a possible glitch in the line. They contacted a radiologist to see if they could redo the procedure since it did not seem much of the dye had actually been injected.
After waiting a few minutes for the radiologist to check my pictures, the technicians received approval to start again. They had explained everything to me, reassured me, and everything started again but successfully this time. I had an extra 15 minutes to enjoy the music, the daydreaming, and relax as best I could. Ah ha! I felt it flow this time!
When it was all done, my platform moved forward to get more of my body out from within the gray doughnut. The technicians began chatting away with me, taking off the foam pieces and carefully assisting me to get upright, which did take a little effort. When they were sure I was steady on my feet and no longer lightheaded, I thanked the main technician and my companion nurse and I left. We headed down the platform and back on hospital turf to get my clothes where I thanked my companion nurse who headed back to get another patient and I got dressed and left.
The gray doughnut was a good experience and I certainly won't be afraid to face that again if I ever have to. I give a lot of credit to the kindness and reassurances given by my companion nurse and the technician and the sense of humor we all kept through the whole thing.
And what is a good follow up for a doughnut? A cup of Starbucks coffee, of course, and being in Grand Haven, I knew exactly where to go. How lucky can a girl get at 11:00 in the morning?!
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