Monday 02.28.2011 Testing

My first appointment was at Ingham Medical Center, for the MRI of the breasts. After checking in at the Admitting desk, I was registered at a second desk, then went back to Radiology to check in there, where I waited about 10 minutes for a volunteer to escort me back to the MRI area. He was a nice, older, gentleman, led me through the maze of hallways. And even though I'd been there a few times before, I wouldn't have been able to get there by myself.

When back there, he waited while I picked up the phone in that seemingly abandoned waiting area (there was no receptionist; an altered sign says to wait there, and a handwritten sign instructs you to pick up the phone to let someone know you're there).

Carol answered the phone, and said she'd be there right away. A few minutes later, she was.

I kind of recognized her; she said she had done this with me last year. The other technician was Kristi.

They were both very kind. After changing into hospital gown, open in front, and the tie-front pants, I went into the room with the machine. Carol didn't find a vein right away, but when when we turned my arm just a bit, she was able to pop that iv in the first time. That's a bonus. Then they helped me climb onto the table, belly down, positioning the breasts into the boob holes. They "adjusted" my now pendulous breasts, positioned my head on the "donut" with my face down, looking into a lighted hole, tucked my arms down beside me, connected the contrast solution in the iv, put headphones over my ears. I could hear them making adjustments in the room, but was instructed to hold still, so I couldn't see anything.

Carol's voice came on a speaker, saying we were going to start. She started some Celtic-type music, then advanced the table into the machine. There is a fan in there that was blowing cool air from the top of my head to my shoulders and back. When the machine actually started taking the images, I could barely hear the music. The machine is loud and rhythmic, and takes maybe 45 minutes to complete. She told me once that we had about 13 1/2 minutes to go, and another time that the solution was going to infuse. Then we were done.

Backed out of the table, Carol came in to undo everything, took the iv needle out, and I went to get dressed. I had also asked to see my images; last years' was up on the computer when I went in, and she showed my those, and we looked at the ones taken today. Not that I know what I'm looking at, but the size of the area where the tissue was removed was surprising to me. No wonder I have a "dent", or large dimple. As I left, she told me she'd see me next year, so I'm thinking she didn't see anything that was cause for concern. I hope she's right.


Out in the parking lot, I sat in the car and drank a bunch of water, to help flush out the gadolinium, which is an isotope, the contrast stuff.

On to the cardiologist.

The sun was shining, and I arrived right on time. I checked in at the window, and another Carol came out to get me. A small, maybe older than me, woman.

She introduced me to Lindsay, who was also in the room. Then Carol told me she was here getting some additional training. Oh. Um. Are you a student??

No, she said she was old. She was here from another facility to learn something, I forget the word she used. Oh, ok. I changed again into a paper gown, open in the front, and laid on my left side on the table, which was angled up maybe 30 degrees at the head. It was not comfortable for me to lay on my left side, but we got a pillow stuffed up under my head which helped some. She also stuck 3 stickies to me and connected the monitor to watch the heart beat.

She started the procedure, and I was happy that she turned the screen of the machine so I could watch. I tell you, that is fascinating, watching the heart beat, seeing the valves opening and closing, and the blood looking like an explosion of color bursting through. Red, blue, yellow, and orange. From what I could tell, it looked ok. But I've only watched a couple of these, and I would probably only recognize something glaringly obvious, like, very slow heart rate, or very weak valves that let both the oxygenated and venous blood mix. What I didn't like was that she was pushing that transducer pretty hard against me. She started along the side, over the ribs, just into the bottom of the breast. And that's the affected breast. I told her that it was quite uncomfortable, and she apologized, but did not change her technique. The whole 45 minute procedure was like that--her pushing just that much too firmly, causing enough discomfort that I tried to move away.

About halfway through, Lindsay came back in, and sat behind Carol. Carol had been taking lots of measurements, telling me to hold my breath, or exhale and hold, or inhale a little and hold. Then they were talking quietly between themselves, and Carol was adjusting the machine, while Lindsay was prompting her to look at different things. I don't know if they were capturing something on me, or if that was what Carol was supposed to be learning. I guess if there's a problem, they'll call, because I don't have another appointment until June. Other than going back tomorrow to get the Holter monitor taken off.

After we were done with the echo, Carol kind of half wiped the half bottle of gel off of me, pulled off the three stickies she had put on, handed me a 10 inch square of paper and told me to finish. I was surprised--but I did the best I could. Then she handed me a cold wet-wipe thing. Ok, thanks. Not much in the way of customer service there.

Lindsay stepped forward then, and helped me finish with the gel removal. She then wiped my skin with a kind of cleanser, spritzed it with another product, and attached 7 more stickies, then clipped the wires onto those. The wire harness attached to a box about the size and weight of a deck of cards, which she turned on. When it showed to be operational, she slipped it into a black fabric case that has a long strap on it. "Most people wear it around their neck." Oh. Well, this isn't going to be too comfortable like this. She finished giving me instructions, reminding me to come back tomorrow before noon (because they close at 12 for lunch), and looked like they were anxious to leave. Ok, bye.

The restroom is out by the entrance door, in the foyer, and I stopped there. After letting out the water that I had chugged, I adjusted that strap and found a way to put it over my head and put my arm through it so that it wasn't so awkward feeling. As I left the building, I saw the "gone to lunch" sign on their door.

A nice drive home in the sun.

Back at home, I had a sandwich, and Dan was ready to go shopping.

We went to Playmakers, where he had been referred, for a "proper" insert for his shoes. A nice girl name Cary helped first Dan, then me, find inserts that should help our hard working feet. I also asked about shoes, and she fitted me with a pair of Brooks that I hope will be comfortably functional. She said several times that there was a 30 day return policy on footwear. And the inserts, too. Ok, thanks.

By then we were looking for supper, and stopped at Los Tres Amigos again. That was yummy.

Back at home, Dan mostly slept the rest of the evening. He woke once and got the printer back online while he was awake.

He works tomorrow; I return the Holter monitor, then go to Jackson for a meeting.

I've felt some of the irregular rhythms this evening of my heart, but it hasn't been as irregular as it has sometimes. I hope it's enough for the doctor to figure out that it isn't worth worrying about.

Thank you for reading. Hugs.