MRIs 101

Hi. These are the pics from last night! (Yes, that is me and The Fiance on on the red carpet). It was a fun night for a great cause and my artwork even got it's own display case! The plaque by the painting read: This is a picture of a 'Cancer Angel'. Being bald (she is wearing a bandana), she can relate to people who have cancer. Her intent is to bring Love, Hope and Joy to people's lives that are dealing with cancer.

Now, onto today's daytime activity...MRI central (and no, I have not gotten the results yet). I really wanted to include a picture of me going into the MRI machine, but then realized my digital camera would be destroyed by the uber-powerful magnet in the MRI machine. I thought that I would give you a run-down of tips for having an MRI, if you ever have one...

First of all, MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging and is a non-invasive method used to show images of the inside of an object. It is primarily used in medical testing to demonstrate alterations in living tissues.

Interesting fact: MRI also has uses outside of the medical field, such as detecting rock permeability to hydrocarbons and as a non-destructive testing method to characterize the quality of products such as produce and timber.

This is what the machine looks like:

TOP 10 TIPS FOR HAVING AN MRI:
1. Bring a CD or prepare to pick a radio station

2. Wear comfy clothes with NO metal (= no hospital gown!)

3. If you are a female, wear a sports bra without metal

4. Bring something to read while you wait (or someone to talk to!)

5. You can bring someone in the MRI room to sit, if you both are comfortable with this

6. If you are someone with a port, PICC line, etc. get it accessed beforehand so you don't have to get an IV in your arm!

7. Sometimes I stay up "too late" the night before so I'll sleep through it...

8. Leave your jewelry at home

9. If you get pain from weird positions, staying still too long, or nauseous easily, etc. take some meds before!

10. Make sure to go to the restroom right before the test...

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So, my MRI went ok. It was about 3 hours long from port access to MRI and back to get the port unaccessed. They also do not scan scapula areas very often, so they had to figure out a contraption of sorts to get the right pictures. I was strapped in and had wires and padding all over my chest and arms. The tech repeatedly asked me and my mom why I was getting another MRI of my thoracic spine--I kept telling her, "Well, that's where my tumors occurred." I wanted to include, "What don't you understand? Why do you keep asking?"

Today, I am grateful for: family and friends

Tomorrow's adventure: Healing Through the Arts for Children Kick-off at the hospital I was treated at! Looking forward to it...

Night.

Rachel