Everything MRI
- Mary-Ann McGonigal
- Oct 15, 2019
- 7 min read
The first MRI scan
(Overview: Very quick blog of the first MRI scan, shorter blog. Followed by the results in a couple of days - I'll post).
Afternoon (or morning depending on when you're reading this - & thanks for reading)! I'm actually writing this from my clinic appointment (literally sat in pretty much the corridor right now so great view for people watching but I've nearly tripped someone over already with my bag so oops - I've also had the "young person look" which is when 90% of the clinic give you the sympathy look because of your age and 10% expect you to give up your seat because of it - no thanks - it's like a 3 hour wait most times!).
So, (I literally can't think of how else to start a sentence can I?!) I'd left off last time just before my MRI scan. I got told I would definitely need surgery (GET OLGA OUT!) and that I would need a detailed MRI scan to help the surgeons work out what to operate on, to see the location of the cancer more clearly and to see how bad it was and then I would meet with my gynae-oncology surgeon after I'd had that. An MRI scan is basically a huge tunnel which allows you to see the anatomy and physiological processes of the body (& “they use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves to generate images of the organs in the body” – thanks Wikipedia). The MRI scan was booked in really quickly (you get put onto the 2 week pathway which is where the right team see you, meet you, scan you and are ready with a plan to sort you out within 2 weeks.. if you've got any idea how busy hospitals are, that is IMPRESSIVE – it is the cancer pathway so for anything cancer you will get put onto it). I spent the next few days (I got my scan booked in quickly) enjoying my fake pregnancy while my 2 sister's worked out what benefits and freebies you get when your pregnant (not much) and half shitting myself what the scan would find. Surprisingly at this time I didn't really care about the surgery because I just wanted Olga out (especially because my sister's search of pregnancy benefits was pretty rubbish so Olga didn't even benefit me in that way). I also didn't care about the MRI scan (well, the actual scan didn't scare me) because I had already seen what they were like with patients during my training and HCA days.
The time came and off I go (plod) back to the Rosie (the maternity hospital... fitting in with my fake pregnancy) and they made me change into a hospital gown and leave just my pants on.. (FFS.. I've since learnt that depending on who's working depends on whether you wear the gown or not). You have to fill in a little health questionnaire (are you diabetic? Have you got epilepsy? Are you on any chemotherapy? Have you had an MRI scan before?) which includes whether you have any implants or not (it's normal to question whether you've got a pacemaker or hip replacement in and just forgotten you had it done leaving you worried you'd go in the MRI – basically a massive magnet - and have it sucked out your body). You're also not allowed anything metal on you and have to leave everything in the locker they provide. Oh, I don't have any implants by the way but I seem to forget that small (pretty big actually) bit of information every scan I have and find myself re-questioning it every time. Anyhow, once I am confident I have no metal inside me the radiographer then takes me to this small room which is really awkward because it's so quiet. You can see the radiographer people (great English) doing the scan and see the scan but they pull these blue paper curtains across so your just shut off on your own in this weird room that looks a bit like a kitchen, a bit like a IV prep room and a bit like building site because half the walls not painted. About 10 mins later in comes this junior doctor to pop a cannula in me (F*CK.. where's the PA?! Ugh... She was actually really good so is part of the 5% minority that can get one in first time - sorry docs but it's true). And off I waddle onto the MRI scan.
Now I have to be honest I was genuinely worried I wouldn't be able to fit on the table (they're actually really narrow - oh and by the way THE ROOMS FREEZING). Anyway, I managed to get on the table (and fit) and then they pass me over these ear plugs which I can only describe as the bright yellow ear protectors that builders wear when they’re digging the road up. So I was wedged onto the scanner table with Olga bulging out in all her glory with my hospital gown on and my new bright yellow fashion accessories feeling like a complete knob when this random man (honestly I had no idea who he was as he just appeared in the room, but he did have a uniform on so that's something) comes along and says he needs to give me an injection to relax my muscles for the scan to be clearer. I obviously don't care and say yes and as he's injecting it he says "I hope your not driving home" (which I was). BIT LATE NOW TO TELL ME. Turns out it was only buscupan and it can make you (it does make you) sleepy and dizzy (I've never been dizzy from it though) so you basically need to take a fizzy drink or a coffee after the scan and before driving (or probably don't drive, I'm a bad example). So I have the injection expecting my whole body to be paralyzed and waiting for me to go rock solid and be impressed when I realized it only does it internally for the scan, and again, I have proven my knob status (I like that word).
So, as I'm on the scanner laying there I can feel my reflux coming on (yep - I'd been getting reflux from Olga because she was so bloody big) but I just go with it to get it done and hope I dont bring anything up (or worse, have to press the emergency bell). The machine is SO LOUD, even with my fashion wear on (oh, and ask for a blanket if you ever have one because it stays freezing the whole time!). Because they were looking at primarily my abdomen and pelvis I had to go RIGHT in the scan so I basically was tucked fully into the tunnel and could only see the tunnel and nothing else, now I am a chilled person and I am not claustrophobic in the slightest but f*CK me, it makes you claustrophobic when you're in there for more than 20 mins (which I was). You also don't have anyone in there with you so the only thing you have is a call bell and speakers for when they speak to you (when they do you can't understand them properly so you end up just smiling at them, saying yes and winging it - say if you can't hear them, don't just put up with not being able to like I do). The whole scan took just over 1.5 hours, about 15 mins worth of it is the scanner asking you to "breathe in.... hold your breath................... Breathe normally" (which I can do a great impression of now). I also couldn’t follow those instructions properly because olga was so restrictive I couldn't breathe deeply or held my breath for long, the scan still worked though. Also, during the scan I had to be taken out the machine to be put back in again after having this massive bit of scanner strapped down across my belly (which was so heavy on olga, hurt and made me not be able to breathe properly - BUT when I have it now without Olga its completely fine, it was just because the piece of equipment was pressing on her - bitch). The equipment just allows a microscopic view right by the ovaries and surrounding areas to see even more in depth. I'm then told it's over and I can get up and go (you do feel knackered because of the buscopan and I bit confused about life in general) but I managed to drive home safely anyway so all's well (.. and she lived to tell the tale).
Now, I honestly don't remember how soon after my scan it was before I first met my surgeon but I don't think it was a very long wait (they basically wanted Olga out as to put it bluntly but honestly she was so big she was pushing my other organs out the way and there was a potential of her actually squashing them - then I'd be pretty screwed). I also got my clinic appointment scheduled first thing in the morning (WINNING – means no one is before you so no late clinic) and I rounded up and took my mum, dad and boyfriend with me (weirdly the same people I took to my graduation yesterday... haha two big life occasions I guess!).
Now it's very important to say that the days leading from your MRI scan to your results (at whatever point of your treatment and even in remission) are the worst and at this particular point I knew that that clinic appointment would tell me if I had cancer OR at least what he thought was cancer or not. The surgeon not only looks at it but also these people called diagnostic radiographers (who to me are absolute genius' because I have no idea how they read scans... they just look like a mixture of black, white and grey blurs .. all I know is that white isn't good, in some scans... But now I'm not even sure that's correct!!). Your scans are also discussed at a multidisciplinary team meeting which happens almost behind the scenes but are full of experts in the field from all over and they can Skype (they obviously don't use Skype but you get the idea) other hospitals to talk to other medical professionals so it is actually A LOT of people involved in your care.
*Coming soon.. the results*
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