Jedi Mind Tricks

April 27th, 2011

The Breast MRI

IV for Contrast Dye injection during MRI

First, I have a feeling i’m about to get stuck with many different needles of all sizes in the next few months, but each one is painful – and I bruise very easily. I’m probably going to look like i’ve been shooting up for years when i’m done with all of this. I have to say the nurse that performed the IV at the Endoscopy department at ARMC had a better end product than the IV at the Physician’s Imaging center but all of the staff have been top notch in their bedside manner – that’s really all that matters.

To get to the point of this post….

I’m generally considered high strung. Constantly on the move, brain in fifth gear, walk at warp speed, and never sitting still. I literally have to be tapping fingers, wiggling feet, kicking my leg, or moving some body part even in a sitting position, never at rest. I had to lay face down, boobs hanging through these little cups, arms stretched forward for 24 painfully long minutes without a single movement besides breathing. I was constantly on the verge of cackling from sheer disbelief that I was being asked to “sit still.” Even my teachers throughout my schooling knew better than to ask that of me. I even rock back and forth in bed before falling to sleep for heaven’s sake.

Good thing i'm a C cup - didn't need special equipment. This is not the actual machine I used but it is similar

Commence Jedi mind tricks. I was able to find a pattern in the MRI machine in the room next to mine that seemed to resemble the seconds of a clock ticking. I literally counted to 60 for every minute I had to lay in that machine. My mind would constantly wander to the hair tickling the side of my face (for those that really know me, I can actually feel any loose piece of hair that falls out that touches any part of my body and it drives me insane so much that i have to find it and remove it! – i’m gonna be in serious trouble when large clumps of hair start falling out – it will drive me to a head shave pretty quickly I imagine.), my nose itching, feeling like I was going to yawn, but each time I searched and found that same constant ticking of the machine next door and found my way back to the internal counting. It is the only thing that enabled me to keep my wits about me.

They really freak you out when they come in the room half way through and remind you they are about to inject the contrast dye. They make sure to tell you before the MRI starts that if you have to request an emergency stop during the first 12 minutes, that is ok. But once the dye goes in, they can’t stop it for any reason. If you move during this part, they have to stop and they can’t finish it. They can’t even do it again on another day. You have lost your only chance! OMG the pressure.

But again, I surprised myself and I managed to get through it without a single muscle twitching or laugh or sneeze or cough. The power of the force was with me.

By the time I finished writing this post (less than an hour after the procedure) I got a call from Dr. Gunn letting me know they saw something very small that they need to check out. I am going in at 1:00 for an ultrasound. I will know immediately after the ultrasound if it’s anything they need to biopsy. If they don’t need to biopsy then we are full speed ahead. If a biopsy is required, we are back to the drawing board for a while. What an adventure this has been!  I really want to get this done so i’m actually kind of breaking my rule and crossing my fingers, my legs, and my eyes hoping for a clean result!

  1. Eleanor says:

    Very intense no doubt!!! An MRI is a torture chamber but I’m glad they are able to see what they need to so you can move forward. Will pray for your mind to have peace as you tackle this journey!
    love,
    e

  2. Leslie says:

    May the force be with you!! Crossing my fingers and toes for you :)