I did it...Conquered my fears...Had a MRI thanks to advice from Slsh

[DammitJanet]

Our own Slsh mentioned something called an upright MRI machine to me when I was lamenting the fact that I didnt think that I would ever be able to get an MRI if I couldnt find a doctor who would sedate me with twilight sedation. So far none of my doctor's were willing to do that even though they will do that for infants and small children or the very elderly.

I mentioned in passing to my ortho who really didnt seem to want to hear it so I took my campaign to my family doctor and he was very interested. He had never heard of it before but he got out his laptop which is where he keeps patient charts, switched it over to the internet and pulled it right on up. He said well there arent any in our area, I see two fairly close to us...Durham and Charlotte...would you be willing to travel to Durham if I can get you in? I said most certain, that is the one I would rather go to. So he said he would have his staff get to work on it. Well I sort of thought he forgot about it because things happened and this was last November. Xmas came and so much happened. I ended up with that awful MRSA infection and getting rid of that was a nightmare. After that we have been dealing with Buck all this time. I did call the doctor to remind them sometime the end of February to ask if they remembered and the middle of this month the called me back to get some information from me and just last week the called me back and made the appoint for 3/30/12! at 7pm

Oh I was scared. When I walked in the room and saw the machine I got a grin from ear to ear. I could have kissed them. They made a machine for me. Yes it is a bit tight on my sides but I can handle that. I just sit there still and stare straight ahead with my hands on this pillow thing and listen to the machine make its noise while I watch videos on a tv in front of me. So much better. I asked how it would be if they do a head MRI and they said the only difference would be they would put a football helmet type thing on my head to keep my head still. I can do that too. No problem. I still see forward. I am thrilled.

So proud of myself. No more fear of MRI's. YEAH!

 

[Hound dog]

Aren't they AWESOME??!!

So proud of you for conquering your fears! Now hopefully, you'll get some real answers. And honestly, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to get the head one since you know you can do it now, no sweat. (more accurate info concerning the damage done by the infection that nearly took you from us for one thing)

Way To Go!

(((hugs)))

 

[DammitJanet]

They gave me two 2 cd's of my mri too. One for me and one for my doctor....lol. So I get to study it and see if I can figure it out.

 

[Star*]

I'm proud of you too. As far as figuring anything out? Just look at the pretty picture of a beautiful mind and leave the rest to the neurologist. I'm always reminded of that Queen Latifa movie when I think of people looking at brain scans --------but if you ARE going to run anywhere? SC will leave the light on for you.

 

[Tiapet]

Yeah Janet! So proud of you.

 

[susiestar]

SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is awesome that they found a better way to do them. MORE awesome that there was a machine so close to you!!!

The cd's are cool to look at! I love them.
Strange obd

 

[buddy]

That is so great and I hope it will lead to some good information on how to help you with your pain! We have them all over. In fact in an office right next to Quin's psychiatrist. Interesting how things are more common in some areas. I love that your doctor listened to you and found it... I remember when you were searching and even though it took a long time, sure seems well worth the wait! You deserve the best in care, really good your family doctor is a good person. I hope the other one will get a clue from this experience. He is missing good information that can help in the care of his patients. This is a much better choice than sedation.

Good for you Janet, that is a huge fear to conquer.

 

[hearts and roses]

Wonderful!!!!

 

[slsh]

Janet - I am so glad this worked out for you and hope that they get some good answers from the scan. My spine guy actually likes the upright scan better because he thinks it gives a better image of what your spine is doing functionally in terms of gravity and posture and weight distribution etc.

I'm tickled you finally were able to get this done!!

 

[AnnieO]

I'm just grinning - so proud! And thrilled about it not being too far to go, too!

 

[DammitJanet]

Well its about 2 hours but that isnt awful far and it gave us time to grab a bite to eat even if I can hardly eat right now. I had my favorite flan from a Mexican restaurant.

I did get an extra cd of my results and I looked at it today and then I got online to find out how to interpret them since they didnt provide results. I am unhappy but not surprised at all. I definitely have ankylizing spondilitis. I have almost no disc's that have the correct cushioning between them. What is there is pushing out into the spinal canal and speaking of the spinal canal. My spinal cord is deteriorated in some places so that it is missing for about a half inch in places. I will have about an inch or two of spinal cord and then a half inch of no cord then it shows up again then that repeats again. And its not just the disc push it way out...it is completely gone. i have no clue how I am even moving. I assume my nerves are still there unprotected. No wonder I hurt so badly. I told everybody I dont want to hear another dang word about when I say I cant do something, I cant do it. I have the physical proof now. Its not just me whining. Tony has to believe me now.

 

[buddy]

Did they put a diagnosis on it at least? when will you get the interpretation? Do you think that they really dont believe that it is real? I wonder if it is just that they want what they want and so reality is not really part of it? I hope when you get the interpretation that you and Tony will get it privately with a doctor so that the doctor can pound it into Tony and no Schmuck around to mess up Tony's mind.

 

[witzend]

Good for you, Janet!

Who will they have read your results?

 

[DammitJanet]

I dont have a clue who is going to read the results. I have the disc to give to my gp who is only a NP. They didnt write any results or anything on the discs. By the way...are these discs or disks and which are in my back? Discs or disks...lmao. At this point I am completely confused on those two words.

I dont know if my NP family doctor is up to this. I mean he is a fine man for normal stuff but I dont know if reading MRI's is in their advanced education. I tried showing Tony the MRI and he is convinced there is no way that what I am telling him he is seeing is real. Even the pictures that show slices and your nerves should be in bundles, sort of like a coax cord? Mine are all scattered around inside the cord. In one slice they will be together and another they will be apart. Sometimes the size of the white cord is tiny and sometimes its bigger. I researched this on youtube and this really shows problems. He thinks it just shows that the machine malfunctioned. Never mind you cannot touch my back without me screaming.

 

[trinityroyal]

Oh Janet, I'm so very proud of you for having the MRI done. I had no idea that there was such a thing as an upright MRI machine.

Discs are the ones in your back.
Disks are the ones in your computer.

Trinity

 

[rejectedmom]

So gald you were able to get the test. Keep us posted on your results and your treatment. -RM

 

[InsaneCdn]

Be careful who you share this with - including Tony. Disability is a tricky thing, and knowledge is power. Until YOU have the complete picture, don't share it with anyone who might have ulterior motives... including Tony.

 

[DammitJanet]

Very true IC except I think this makes me even more disabled. In fact, since I got my disability I have had several things happen to me that have made me more disabled than I was when I got my disability.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Very true IC except I think this makes me even more disabled. In fact, since I got my disability I have had several things happen to me that have made me more disabled than I was when I got my disability.

Is there some way you can use that to your advantage? more funding, for example? housing options?

 

[DammitJanet]

As soon as I get everyone out of my house except for Tony, I can try. There is some funding for the disabled that will send in someone to help me with housecleaning and another service that will help me with some home repair that I desperately need. But it has to be just me and Tony. I cant have a whole crew here who could help me. Its hard to say Im in need of something when there are people here who should be helping me but wont ya know?