OBACHAN'S SCRIBBLES

Thursday, December 28, 2006

SCANNING MY BODY TO CLOSE THE YEAR

Only a few days left in 2006. Nearly everyone in Japan is busy now getting ready for the New Year’s Day. On TV, you see end-of-year specials every day and you lose track of what day of the week it is. At such a busy time of the year, what I did today was having an MRI scan at a hospital. What a luxury.

At the examination in mid December, the echography showed that my suspected dermoid cyst had grown bigger. So the doctor scheduled an MRI examination (with administration of contrast agent) for me on the 28th.

It was not my first MRI experience, so I already knew what it would be like – i.e., how noisy it is and how boring it is to lie still for about an hour. But overall, the examination wasn't too unpleasant. The young MRI operator was very nice and friendly. He spoke to me as if I were an old lady who was scared the hell out of this examination, which made me smile all the way through. But lying still for half an hour in the noise was not much fun.

Then an old doctor came to give me an injection of contrast agent. The doctor, young operator and I joked about my vein being very friendly to medical professionals. (Believe me. So many times I have witnessed beginner nurses being delighted to see my vein when they had to give me shots.) And another 15 minutes' meditation in the noise... Sigh…

When it was over, the young MRI operator told me to drink lots of fluid to get the contrast agent out of the body sooner. The result will be available at the next appointment with the doctor on Jan. 5th, 2007.
"Noisy...!!"


(英文と少し内容違います)
12 月28日にMRI受けました。その日は朝から何も食べないで、水分も採らないで来て下さいと言われてました。撮影前に説明するとき、MRIのオペレーター のにい ちゃんは、しゃがんで私の目線になって、怖がってるおばあちゃんの患者さんにでもするような口調で話すのが、微笑ましかったです。多分たいてい患者さんは かなり怖がってるんだろうなぁ、と思った。私はMRI初めてじゃないので、大体様子はわかってたんですが。

今回はお腹の部分の撮影なの で、上は服を脱がなくて良かったです。下は、ジッパーの金具が写るのでGパンは脱いでと言われて、下着はそのままでOK。その上から病院のガウン?をは おって撮影でした。横になって、お腹のところをゴムのカバーみたいなので覆って、どうしても気分悪くなったら押してくださいと言われて、ナースコールのボ タンみたいなのを渡されます。で、装置にに首のところぐらいまで入ったと思う。頭は外に出てました。それでも音はうるいうるさい。削岩機みたいな音やら、 クワーンクワーンっていう音やら。それで40分くらいじーっとしてるのはホント退屈です。ホントに、これほど時間があるなら、録り貯めしてあるTVドラマ で も見たかったのに・・・。

それから、年配のお医者さんが入ってきて、造影剤の注射。薬が入っても、ホンの少し暖かくなったような気がしただけで何事もなし。それであと更に15分、横たわってあの音を聞き続ける。

終わってから、にいちゃんが、身体から造影剤を出すために、今日は水分を多く採って下さい、って言いました。それだけ。運動をしたり風呂に入ったりするのは、大丈夫だそうです。
そうそう、予約のときに聞いたんですが、MRIの撮影は、生理の時期にひっかかってても大丈夫だそうです。撮影の結果に支障はないって。ただ、長時間トイレに行けないけど、だそうで。
posted by obachan, 12/28/2006 11:19:00 AM

11 Comments:

Oooh, I've had an MRI before, and it's not fun to just lie there (when I could be knitting!). And I didn't have to have the contrast agent, that doesn't sound fun. I hope everything turns out ok!
commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 12/29/2006 12:46 PM  
Oh, have you? Yeah, I can understand how much you wanted to knit. I really wanted to watch the TV dramas videotaped while I was at work at night. Oh well... At the end of the year, I usually feel that time flies, but I certainly experienced each minute to the fullest while I was on MRI. hahaha...
commented by Blogger obachan, 12/30/2006 10:45 AM  
Let us know how you got on, best of luck for the new year from us both, take care of yourself :)
commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 12/31/2006 8:28 PM  
Happy New Year, dear Obachan. I hope everything goes well for you this year.
commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 1/02/2007 11:59 AM  
demon, blue skies
Happy New Year and thanks for your concern. Now I'm about to leave my room for the doctor's appointment. Will let you know how it went when I come back tonight after work.
commented by Blogger obachan, 1/05/2007 8:54 AM  
dear obachan have faith and the rest will fall in GOOD place.Wishing you the pink of health from your avid reader from malayia Elayne
commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 1/05/2007 8:47 PM  
Thank you Elayne.

To everyone:
I haven't posted about the result yet, but it does not mean that the result was bad. So please don't worry. In a nutshell, I'm going to have an operation, but not too soon. I'll tell you more about it in a couple of days.
commented by Blogger obachan, 1/07/2007 6:07 PM  
Hmmm, sorry but we do worry as you are our friend, please send us your address so we can send you a get well gift after your op, we will be thinking good thoughts for you, love from us both
commented by Blogger Ian, 1/09/2007 7:23 AM  
Thank you, guys. You are always such a great support to me. I'll let you know my address sometime before the operation. :)
commented by Blogger obachan, 1/12/2007 11:36 AM  
Hello. I am writing from los angeles california. I tried to email you at your kokopelli_sa88@hotmail.com account but it does not work.
Can you send me your new address. I Love your website. I just read about your operation. Good luck. Be strong.

-Another obachan (different location-los angeles, California)/villanuevapeace@yahoo.com
commented by Anonymous Anonymous, 1/24/2007 12:02 PM  
Thank you, another obachan in LA.
I just emailed you. My address is the same and it should work.
Looking forward to hearing from you ;)
commented by Blogger obachan, 1/28/2007 3:37 PM  

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