Come in the front and go past the Tim Hortons.

I thought I’d call the hospital yesterday just to make sure I was clear on which entrance to go in,  and those were my instructions.

There wasn’t going to be anyone at the information desk at that hour,  so the next option was to ask at the all night switch board.  I thought, “Only in Canada would you be told to “go past the Timmies” and take a left.”   Since I mean, that’s a natural point of reference when getting directions around a hospital.  Right?

 

How shall I sum up getting an MRI?  

Freaky.

Thankfully there was a big “Bucket-o-earplugs”,  ‘cause that sucker is loud.  The whole session was *only* fifteen minutes,  but it does seem longer than that.  The technician would tell me just how long the next crazy assed sounds would take,  so that was good to know.  “OK,  this is going to be about three minutes”.

“OK, thanks!” 

He says,  in his big boy voice.

 

One part was like Techno-80s music,  but with a stuck CD, (and don’t we hate it when that happens!) and then whatever was going on at the end was some sort of Pink Floyd meets a ray gun from Omicron Three. 

That’s the best I got.

I’ve been hunting around the net for some sounds,  and I did come up with this site.   Again,  best to use the earplugs.  It was loud.  Um,  not the site.  But you’re welcome to turn it up for effect.

Oh, and the technician threw an old dishrag over my eyes,  so I couldn’t really sense how freakin’ close I was to the top of the chamber. 

Well OK,  it wasn’t an old dishrag.  It was just a small piece of linen.  Quite clean,  really.

I did have the somewhat transient sensation of coming close to the top of the chamber,  since I guess the dishrag was hanging out a bit.  Tried closing my eyes at first,  but my lids were kind of fluttering.  Figured it was best to concentrate on breathing and trying not to squeeze all the blood out of my clenched fists.  

And not freak out.

 

You have to try it for yourself I suppose.  I know some of you already have.

 

 

Travelling Companion was a dear and came along with me.  She sat out in the waiting area.  There’s that whole Smart Phone thing that takes place.  So I suppose she was technically working.  Or at least checking her emails.  And really,  there were no bodily fluids involved,  so it wasn’t like I was going to be light headed when I was done or anything. 

Well,  not until we got out to the parking lot.

 

The MRI is free*. 

It’s the parking that’s the big expense.   For the duration of roughly an hour,  it was NINE BUCKS.   I’m pretty sure I heard Travelling Companion offer an expletive,  which is very uncharacteristic of her.   My head was still slightly spinning from all the whirring sounds,  so I was just trying to concentrate on getting out of there.  I’m kind of “single task minded” that way.

Put my ten bucks in the machine (after I found the well camouflaged slot)  got my change,  my ticket and away we went.   All without having to put on my glasses,  by the way.

 

And sadly,  that’s been the highlight of the day.   Annoyingly,  not knowing for sure if I’d wake up in time meant waking up numerous times throughout the night,  so I’ve been dragging my hind end around today. 

More than usual, that is.

 

Maybe tomorrow there will be a picture,  or something worthwhile.

 

Thanks for stopping in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

* “Free” is debatable.  We can argue ‘til the cows come home whether or not the Health Care in Canada is “Free”.   Nothing is free.  We DO pay for it,  but in a painless,  you won’t go bankrupt if you have a terminal illness kind of way.  And isn’t death inevitable?  So why should your descendants suffer a financial death as well?  Go ahead, talk amongst yourselves.

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