Happy Thursday! October 15th today and it looks like it’s going to be another beautiful Fall day in North Carolina. Good Times!
I’ll jump right to it! So, as my last post mentioned I had an MRI last week. As MRI’s go, this wasn’t so bad! How about them apples? What was different you ask? Well… let me tell you! 🙂
First, the hospital has a brand spanking new MRI machine that is more like a big circle vs the standard coffin. Weird.. but totally true. Most of my MRI’s have been done in machines set-up a bit like a large tube (see “coffin” reference) that totally closes you in. Nothing to see. Can’t move. Can’t breathe hard.. can’t can’t can’t! Those tubes just “FEEL” confining and when you’re in them for extended periods of time… it can get pretty rough (Im not going to try and describe “rough” because A. It’s way subjective and B. I’ll look like a crybaby.). 🙂 The new version of the MRI machine still requires you to be very still, but since you aren’t totally enclosed by the machine, it just didn’t “FEEL” (There’s that word again) so restrictive. At the end of the day, I guess it comes down to the fact that I felt a lot less anxious in the new machine. So, that’s great!
What else went well? Hmmm… so.. for many people who have lengthy MRI scans (Even some who aren’t in for lengthy times) our doctors often prescribe a valium/tranquilizer to help the time go by. I have always filled the prescription for these little baddies, but generally either don’t take them or only take one versus two. My last MRI was somewhere in the three hour range and I about came unglued by the end of things! It was pretty awful being in the machine that long and, as it was only last December, it was all too vivid in my memory banks. With that in mind, I ended up taking both of the tranquilizer pills. Those little pills, while I don’t necessarily know how effective they were, definitely seemed to put me at ease and help me keep a blank mind during the whole process. Good Times! On a side note… I texted some friends once my MRI was over, just to give an update, and when I re-read it… it was obvious I was under the influence of “something”. We all had a good laugh with that one. 🙂
OH. MY. GOODNESS. Is it possible there’s a THIRD REASON the MRI went better than expected? Well.. ta-da!… the answer is a resounding YES! Whippee (I’m being a bit silly… totally aware… but give me a break)! The best part was…. drum roll… the MRI was a measly 1.5 hours! I had gotten into the machine with the expectation of being in there for 2.5-3.5 hours… depending on how things went of course. Well. Turns out the doctor only wanted to see my brain (That’s a relatively low number of scans… if you take my meaning) and my upper spinal cord. Those two areas are much smaller than than the lower spinal cord scans, so the time spent was greatly reduced. What a blessing! It really made such a difference that I need to remember to reiterate to my Neurologist that I don’t want the full scan (Brain, Upper + Lower Spinal Cord) ever again. Hopefully… he’ll be able to accomodate me.
So, all in all.. not a terrible experience. The cherry on top is that my results are stable! So, at least for now, Ocrevus seems to be doing it’s job. 🙂 Not bad. Not bad at all!
Talk to y’all next week!
