A couple months back I decided I needed to get an MRI to make sure nothing is seriously wrong. I asked the doctor for a referral for an MRI and of course the insurance company rejected it. Being a lawyer I sent a long letter appealing the decision and of course threatened a major lawsuit after explaining how bad my injury is, how it's not getting better, etc.... The insurance company saw the wisdom of my letter and approved the MRI. After dealing with the MRI yesterday I think I should have accepted the insurance company's denial. That was really not a fun time!
Before I go on let me say that this gives me added respect for my buddy Roscoe who has to go get an MRI every few months. Not only does he have to worry about what the results of the MRI may be but he has to deal with the f'ing MRI machine. Much props to Roscoe and hopefully he will have uneventful MRI's for a LONG time!
In typical Sac Town Guy fashion I arrived a few minutes early. After filling out the requisite paperwork (which was obviously ignored since the MRI technician asked many of the same questions when I went in the room) I waited some more. After the wait I was escorted back to the changing area, told to change, leave all metal in the locker, and then wait in the blue chair. I did as instructed though the blue chair was grossly dirty. The guy apparently getting an MRI before me came out and in a very down and dejected voice said something like, "I guess you are next!?" I didn't think it would be so bad so was unsure exactly what his words and tone meant.
I went into the MRI room and was told to leave my locker key on the table by the door. No problem. Makes sense to leave the key since they made such a big deal about no metal. I won't bore you with all the details of the MRI machine as you have probably seen one but in short, you lay down on a sliding tray and are slid into this machine. Last year I made fun of my mother in law for being unable to do the standard MRI due to claustrophobia. I now realize I suffer from a mild degree of claustrophobia as I was miserable the entire 25-30 minutes I was in the tube. The fact, is you only have a few inches, it seems, all around you. It's just way too tight an area to be sitting for 30 minutes unable to move.
I forgot to tell you about Hunchback. The technician was a 40ish year old lady, not particularly attractive with a bad hunchback. I guess that was a reminder of why I was there getting the stupid MRI... my bad posture! Anyway, she was a very nice lady but it was funny to have a hunchback helping me with my neck problem.
As I am laying there, the machine starts up. Oh ya, it's LOUD. Hunchback had given me ear plugs before sliding me into the machine. So as the machine starts growling and whirling a loud noise, I feel I vibration on my finger... oh shit... I realize I have my wedding ring on. I pride myself on having spent under $100 for my cheap wedding band and quickly calculate that the metal in that ring is no more valuable than the metal in the key I was told to leave at the door. This tells me I should not have my ring I my finger. I start to yell for Hunchback but the machine is making so much noise I doubt anybody can hear me. I thus started waiving my legs which are hanging out of the machine much like a synchronized swimmer with their legs out of the water. Luckily Hunchback, sees or hears me, and comes in to see what is wrong. She was very nice, put her hand on my leg to comfort me, and listened to my concern. She assured me my ring was ok. Let's start over....
It then begins a series of 3 and 5 minutes "pictures" that Hunchback announces each time we start a new one. Feeling extremely uncomfortable, as my neck/shoulder were jacked up in an awful position, and feeling claustrophobic I was not happy. I tried counting which passed the time ok. I think it ended up being 2 three minute pictures and 3 five minute pictures plus the time in between each. Probably close to a half hour total in the tube. It SUCKED.
I was so happy when Hunchback came to get me out. Maybe not the best looking woman around but her smile made me very happy! I then walked back to the changing room and saw the next patient and felt like saying, "I guess you are next...!?" However, I didn't say anything as I just wanted to get the heck out of there!No word on the results yet. Hopefully they find something, minor, that they can fix!
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