Milizlinx

A quiet nurse beckons me to follow with a shy smile. She leaves me at the x-ray department where another nurse motions me to follow. We exit through an unmarked door and down some scruffy back stairs to what seems like an entirely deserted basement wing of the hospital. Reception, waiting areas, diagnostic rooms, etc. all gleemingly brand new looking but with not one person and dead quiet.

" Change all your clothes. Everything." my nurse escort tells me, waving at a change room with hospital PJs and lockers as she retreats back up the hall. I change slowly, hoping for some cue as to what to do next. No one shows up, no sounds beyond the second door, nothing. There is a notice in Thai on that door. I wonder if I'm supposed to follow some instruction. Hesitantly, I reenter the main room/hall. No one appears to tell me what to do so I slump into the nearest chair. Very occasionally I hear a hurried step or a closing door, but see no one. Was I supposed to know what to do? Was that sign in Thai telling me? Then I spot the MRI sign and settle to watch the nearest door for activity.

Finally it opens and a technician waves me in after he wheels out an elderly lady to the suddenly present nurse. I am laid on an extremely narrow table and covered with an unnaturally heavy blanket. The position is surprisingly comfortable, as there is a foam mold behind the knees and the table is padded. A good thing, as I am told it will take a good 30 minutes. The table rises and slides into the tube. It is white, lit, and not as close as I expected.
As I am sliding in, the technician says with a half-smile, " The machine, it is very loud." Indeed.

Not exactly a half-hour nap opportunity. Like trying to sleep next to a diesel generator, a sick fire alarm, a humunguous bubble-jet printer, and a drunken drummer in random and quick succession. At least there are moments of relief once in a while. All the same, I did drowse some! As well as occupy myself with listening for words in the sounds of the machine. One was an obvious "sorry, sorry" but right near the end was my favorite: the machine distinctly admonished me to " praise God, praise God". I guess He knew I would need that reminder that day.

After being set free, dress in my clothes again and escorted back to the main floor, once again I found myself at a loss of what to do. I attempted to call Michael (he was packing up for conference and supposed to arrive with our ride to pick me up on the way.) to tell him I was ready early with no success. As I had been told the results wouldn't be ready until after conference had started, I tried to arrange an appointment after conference and paid for the MRI. Then I lay down (sitting is most painful) and began composing this blog in a small notebook. Presently a nurse came to tell me the Doctor had my results and would I like to see him straight away? Of course I said yes.

As the Doctor began showing me the MRI slides and explaining them, I longed for Michael to be there with me, asking the right questions I would forget, absorbing the shock with me, and thinking ahead so much better than I could. I had barely finished thinking this and in walks Michael! Such a love gift from Our Father!

The results floored us: a very ruptured disk in the lower back. The Doctor talked of fiber and paste, and showed us on the MRI where the paste had leaked out of the disk. No wonder certain things hurt so much!

He gave us two options: pain control or surgery. Neither very optimal, so we are waiting to get more Doctor advice once we reach Canada.

That was Thursday last week. Not exactly how we planned to begin conference, which we were looking forward to as a stress-free time of rest and recuperation!