So I was filling out my MRI form last Friday and one of the questions was: ‘Have you had any operations on any part of your body in the last 3 months?’

I went to say yes… Of course I have… remember that big thing that happened in March? But… wait… No! No i haven’t!

In fact, It’s been 6 months! My goodness. Yesterday was the 5th of September, and on the 5th of March I was in that first long surgery.

So that’s… fun…

Anyway, MRI. I survived! When the imaging assistant (?) came to get me she looked at me for a bit and then said: ‘I’ve met you before! You’re the lady with the blog!’

I couldn’t have smiled more. I like being the lady with the blog!

It took three attempts to find my blood. Standard. I sat there crying a little bit, clenching my fist and my few teeth, the pain of needles in my veins never gets less. I’m fine with it going through my skin, but once it gets into the vein… OW!

But we got there, and then it was just a matter of surviving the next half hour of stabbing pain in my arm from the cannula… oh, and the MRI.

I had taken 1x Lorazepam about 40mins before I was scheduled to start, but then we ended up running an hour late so I stressed and took the last half one I had. Anxiety over taking my anxiety tablets… Great, I’m a mess.

I got on the tray thing and lay down, Clarence in hand obviously, asked for music (The Beatles!), put my headphones on and lay in wait. I had specifically asked if they could wait until the music started until they started putting me in. They agreed, but then started moving me in before the music had started.

PAAAAANNNNNIIIIICCCCCCCC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HYPERVENTILATING!!!!!!!!!!! TEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He stopped immediately and put his hand on my leg so I knew he was there. I needed to be in control and I suddenly wasn’t. But within 20 seconds I heard ‘Here Comes The Sun’ through the headphones and I knew it would be ok. Because the sun always comes out when that song plays. And it reminds me of so many special people in my life.

And in I went. He kept his hand on my leg until I was in. This is unbelievably helpful. If there are any radiographer/imager/MRI people out there (honestly if there is, please get in touch and tell me what your job title actually is because I never know what word to use!) and you have someone who is anxious before an MRI, putting your hand on them as they go in lets them know that they’re not actually as isolated as they feel. Honestly, you feel like you’re trapped so far in there and a hand telling you that the outside world is not actually that far away makes so much difference.

Anyway, the rest of the scan was uneventful. The music wasn’t loud enough but I could just hear it mostly. Then it stopped for a fair bit of time… but I was ok. Cool, calm, collected.

Afterwards I took myself out to see the Cabaret. That was fun. Then met my housemates at the local to debrief. I made friends with an actor and wrote a limerick about him, posted it on Twitter and tagged him in it… Although he followed me back on Twitter, he didn’t ‘like’ my limerick and I think he probably thought I was a bit crazy. But I’m going through a phase of writing limericks about new people I meet (as you do) and I’m not ashamed of it. Oh, if you want to read it here it is:

I once met a man who’s an actor
I asked if he had won a BAFTA
We wrote a musical
At the Bar, he was my pal,
And I asked if we could hang out after!

Anyway… Tomorrow I have my Clinic Appointment where I was told that pending a clear MRI, I will be getting REFERRED FOR TEETH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So……… I’ll let you know!