My Not Fun MRI & IV Day

So, it was not a good day. 

It started off great.  We left the house at 8:30am and were parked at the hospital in NYC at 9:15am.  My hubby made the mistake of then saying, 'Awesome, maybe we can get everything done early and be out of the city early, too!'

So, we went to the MRI suite, and checked in.  They didn't take me until just after 10:30am, my original appointment time.

I got changed and then Sergio took me into the MRI room.  I got settled into the cage around my head just fine.  That didn't bother me at all. 

Then came shoving me into the tube up to my knees.  My arms had to be on my stomach, and they put these elbow guards on your elbows to try to make it more comfy, but it wasn't.  I was very, very uncomfortable.  I tried to focus myself and calm down. 

I am super Mom, this is mind over matter, I can do it.  Right?

Then, my lower arms went numb and were painfully tingling, and the walls of the machine got very hot on my arms. 

20 minutes and 3 sets of pictures of my c-spine (neck) area into the test and I pushed the panic button. 

I was so embarrassed.  The tears were running down my face while I was in the tube, but when they pulled me out, I really lost it.  I felt like such a failure, such an ass.  I asked Sergio about the availability of the open style machine. 

After confirming with my docs office, within 2 minutes, Sergio, and his boss, another really kind man, let me know it was fine to switch me to the open style, and that I had an hour to relax first.  Come back at 12:30 pm.

Hubby had gone outside to make phone calls, I called him and he met me outside the hospital's cafe, where I lost it in his arms. 

I calmed down, I drank a water and had a grilled cheese, and we headed back.  Sergio invited Hubby to sit in the room with me.   In the open MRI, I could see Hubby sitting in the chair beside me the whole time. 

The open MRI was comfortable, my arms were on pillows at my side.  The 2 hours flew by, and actually by the time I was done it was 3pm. 

I really cannot say enough about how wonderful the men were that ran the MRI machines and the department were with me.  Very kind and thoughtful, and assured me, they had seen grown men crumble worse than I... it did make me feel a little better!

However, my ordeal was not over, I was now an hour late for my IV infusion of Orencia for my rheumatoid arthritis.

Usually, knowing that I have awful veins, I drink and drink and drink water before going for the IV.  Well, I couldn't drink too much before the MRI's, so since 10 am all I had to drink was one 12 oz bottle of water. 

I was late, dehydrated, and I needed them to get an IV started plus my blood draw, which had an extra tube this month.  Ugh.

Needless to say, or maybe it isn't needless to say, but it did NOT go well.  The IV hurt like Hades, not a good sign, but it did go in.  The blood stick didn't work the first time, and the second time, it worked but the vein blew immediately, and we just barely got enough for the third tube, which required a bit of wiggling and jiggling. 

My blood pressure was threw the roof, I was upset, sore from the MRI, mentally exhausted and anxious because now, we were going to be driving home in traffic from NYC.  And, Hubby was never going to make it to his and Fuzzy's baseball practice at 5pm. 

The RN's could have held up my infusion because of the blood pressure, but they didn't, bless their angelic souls.  They kept me drinking water and even brought mea tuna sandwich since I looked a bit pale.  They are the best... really, they are #2 only to the Mayo clinic, and they prove that distinction over and over to me.

They had us done and leaving by 4pm.  The traffic out of NYC was all messed up.  Hubby dropped me home at 5:40pm and rushed out for the last of the baseball practice which ended at 6pm. 

Needless to say, I was exhausted, I put on my jammies, ate pizza for dinner and relaxed and watched tv with the kids and Hubby.  Kids to bed at 10pm, Hubby asleep on couch by 10:20pm, and I went to bed at 11pm.

I didn't get up today until noon.  Even with 13 hours of rest, I feel like crap though.  My neck, shoulders and arms hurt, I think from the MRI and all the stress.  Plus, we have that big noreaster coming in soon, so maybe that is part of it, too.

I have lovely ugly bruises on my arms, but sometimes I get those when everything goes well.  lol

So, that is my tale of woe.  I still feel like a big idiot and I am quite annoyed with myself.

No results until next week... I will let you all know then.

be well,
Dawn

 

Tags: mri, open mri, orencia, rheumatoid arthritis, blood draw, IV, brain tumor