Tuesday, November 26, 2013

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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12 comments:

  1. I give up... what are the "timmies"? We were in Fayetteville, WV many years ago and asked directions... were told to go to the "town dummy" and turn right. Wonder if Timmy and Dummy are related?

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  2. Some folks refer to Tim Horton's as "Timmies". Not my favourite little expression, but I hear it once in a while.
    Time Horton's is kind of like "Dunkin' Donuts" I suppose. There are those who might take issue with that comparison, but that's the best I can come up with.

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  3. The rag thing works on all kind of panicky creatures. "What they don't see, they don't get worried about". I have seen it being used on horses, dogs, , birds, bears, rhinos, whales - you name it, and on humans too, as you found out. Big Smile.

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  4. OK, now I know what a Timmies is. Had an MRI that lasted about 30 minutes, you described it very well:(

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  5. I had an MRI and it freaked me out so much they pulled me out and then put me back in backwards (feet first).

    I'm waiting for another one from the Veterans Administration, they said they'll sedate me. Oh boy, free drugs! ;c)

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  6. I guess if you'd had to actually shell out cash for the MRI it would have cost a lot more than the outrageous $9 for parking - it's like buying popcorn at a movie.

    Hope they got some good pics of whatever they were looking at and also that everything is completely normal - empty like the rest of us.

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  7. I have my Tim Horton cup from St John NS. Kinda funky but I do know what a timmie's is, although not in a hospital. We don't even have Starbucks in the hospitals...just some dishwater kind of stuff now and then. I do wish that all my Obama hating friends who say that health care is going to be the end of our country could talk to my Canadian friends who really do love being north of the Medicine Line. Where are all those horror stories about your health care that they keep talking about on this side of that line. Makes me crazy. As one who experienced Canadian health care in the 70's in Calgary...it was stupendous.

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  8. Kind of like being told to go to the cow and turn right. That's to get from Helena, MT to Kalispell, MT. Love it. Good luck with the results of all the "music".

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  9. Like Paul, I had to be pulled out and put in feet first. Then they put mirrored glasses on me that focused on the room rather than the machine. Didn't really fool me but it was better! Since then I have had an "open" MRI. Not so enclosed and a totally different experience. I would always insist on the open machine.

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  10. You made it through just fine and all is good.
    I think they use the parking fees to help subsidize our "Free" health care.

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  11. Had to pay $1000.00 for my MRI last Nov. Free is better.

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Well, I've been getting too many spam comments showing up. Just a drag, so we'll go another route and hope that helps. So, we won't be hearing anything more from Mr. Nony Moose.
I guess I'll just have to do without that Gucci purse.