{MRI...check!}

Today was MRI day.  The last test to be done.  Last week we found out my genetic testing results came back negative which was a very good thing.  It's about time something came back negative!  I've never had an MRI so didn't know what to expect.  I'd heard how some people find it claustrophobic and it is very loud.  I was asked if I was claustrophobic, but I had no idea.  I've never been in a situation that would let me know if I was or wasn't.  I've never looked at a small space and thought I should crawl in there and see if it freaks me out.  After seeing the MRI machine I figured I could handle it.  It is open on both ends and it is light in there.  I really didn't want to take any Valium to get through it as I hate taking anything and I knew I wanted to workout later in the day and didn't want anything in my system.  So I decided to tough it out, close my eyes and remain calm. 

My order was for a breast MRI (duh).  Still "just" a chest MRI was a whopping $3200.  Holy crap!  It started with me laying face up.  This part only lasts 7-8 minutes, but this was the part that I noticed my breathing start to get a little anxious.  It was when I opened my eyes and the top of the tube was RIGHT there.  So I closed my eyes, relaxed my breathing and went to a happy place.  It worked and before I knew it the short 7ish minutes were over.  The second part of the MRI involved an IV that I wasn't really pleased about, but the nurse was very competent and speedy and it was over before I knew it.  The IV was so they could push "contrast" into my system.  This did something that causes the tissue to "light up" on the MRI.  I was told some women have reported feeling a cold rush, nothing at all or nausea.  Hmmmm, sounds fun.  Let's hope for the best.  If I felt nauseous and had to let them know I had to puke and stop the test I would have to reschedule and come another day.  Right now I'm hoping my breakfast stays down as I 1) didn't want to puke on the floor of the MRI room and 2) I didn't want to reschedule. After the IV was in place it was time to lie face down on the breast MRI "table".  They placed a massage table type thing on the bed with a place for my face to sit in and for my lovely boobs there were two holes for them to dangle through.  It was fantastic!  They pump oxygen in under your face so you have fresh air (which I was thankful for), put my headphones back in so I could listen to "Stuck on You" by Lionel Richie and "relax" for the final part of the MRI that would last about 30 minutes.   I was told an MRI was loud and that is no joke.  There were loud beeps, grunts, etc.  It made no sense to me why it had to be so loud, but after only getting four hours of sleep the noise didn't keep me from dozing off and on throughout the procedure and before I knew it I was done and sent on my merry way.

So now the waiting game starts AGAIN.  The three radiologists that could read my MRI will all be out-of-town until Monday.  Ugh!  But, I don't think getting the results any earlier than next week would move my surgery along any.  After the results come in we will have all the info needed to make a final treatment plan.  The MRI will show if the cancer has become invasive at all.  We are hoping that isn't the case and we can move forward easily with our decided on plan of action.  I'm not sure how long it takes to orchestrate a crew of my surgeon, the oncologist and the plastic surgeon, but I've heard once a treatment plan is chosen things move pretty quickly.  That is fine with me.  I am ready for surgery to be done so I can start on my recovery.  I want my surgery to be scheduled ASAP, but it can't be before next weekend.  My daughter is turning eight and her birthday party with her friends is next weekend and her party takes priority over my surgery.  A few days isn't going to hurt.  She was very concerned that I was going to be in the hospital over her birthday.  There isn't much I can control in this process, but planning so my baby gets to enjoy her big day with her friends is something I can.  So wait I will until her big day is celebrated properly.

So that was MRI day.  Glad it is over and I'm one step closer to being cancer-free!