And Now We Wait....

It was URGENT.

Rush, rush, rush.

Finish with the neurologist. Immediately get blood work done. Collect samples from my leaking nose. Pick up the new prescription. Try to rest.

The next day: power through work. Try to watch most of Bohemian Rhapsody before getting picked up. Have the most enjoyable drive north to Eugene. (*Seriously, Sheila is the only person to not scare me with their driving in recent times!!) Arrive early. Check in. Get tests done. And wait.

That's where we are now. Waiting.

As I said, I had a most enjoyable ride up to Eugene with Sheila as my driver. Nobody lets me drive anymore, so I'm pretty much a pain in everyone's ass right now. But Sheila was fabulous as my chauffer and medical office buddy! We arrived to Oregon Imagine quite early, which worked to our benefit as I was taken back early and heading home early!

I was nervous about being cold and my butt hanging out. I brought knee socks with me, but they gave me the hospital gripper bottom socks to wear - my little souvenir. And my medical gown wasn't a gown. Phew! I had scrubs and they were quite comfy considering I was swimming in them.

I didn't even have time to fill out some pre-scan paperwork, because they were all set to get me going. A nice girl came to get me from the locker room and we filled out the form together. I am so boring, my answers are pretty much No to every single thing. The only yes we marked was that I have one tattoo.

Then the gross part. She stuck the IV in me. I'm shuddering just thinking about it. I don't mind needles. I don't mind blood. I DO mind having things injected into my veins. I can't even look at it. I won't move my arm. I'm completely gimpy for the rest of the day with whatever arm gets something lodged into it.

So I was all ready to be loaded up with dye, and I made my musical selection. My what? I got to wear noise cancelling headphones with my choice of music. I opted for the "spa" collection! Hey, I might be in a loud machine, but this is one time this mom gets to relax under a warm blanket with her legs propped up and nobody climbing on her or announcing they need to go potty. This was my spa day!

This whole place felt so superior to the MRI experience I had in the Mercy Emergency Room. It was all sparkling clean. It was more comfortable. The headphones worked much better than the earplugs they stuck in my ear on the regular MRI. Overall it was a much more pleasant experience. Everyone complains about MRIs and how their experience was the worst or more traumatic than everyone else (seriously, why does everyone become a know it all one-upper when it comes to medical things??), but I really don't mind them. Spa day!!

Obviously I did nothing but lay there. I watched the sun go down on the reflective device on my head. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sound of the ocean with the music - imagining I was on a beach in Hawaii watching a sunset all by myself. Time flew by!

Then I was sucked out so they could put the dye in. Yeah, that dude wasn't as gentle. I did NOT enjoy this part!! And he didn't fix my blanket after he left. For shame! I quickly fixed it myself before I was sucked back into the machine. My nose kept having a tickle, so that was mildly annoying. Obviously I'm not gonna shove my hand up to my face when they are scanning my brain!

Before I knew it I was all done. The MRA and MRV were complete and I was heading back to the locker room. I changed back to my attire and we were on the road before it was even dark out. Score!

And now I wait.

In the meantime I have this new prescription to take. I had to take SIX pills with breakfast this morning. The pharmacist insisted it be a BIG, full breakfast. I did the best I could, but I came nowhere close to finishing anything but my glass of milk. I was ramped up on that drug for a bit, but then felt a crash happening. This only goes on for 5 days, minimizing the dosage each day. The drug was awful tasting and it didn't even actually touch my mouth. I will be very happy when it is done!

And that's that. A whole lot of NOTHING! Hopefully we hear some results before my next scheduled appointment since that is well over a month away. I just want to be normal again. I want to run. I want to do a jumping jack. I want to drive to work like a big girl!