One-Hit Wonder

There have been a lot of firsts for me recently...first CT scan, first time on narcotics (dilaudid, vicodin, toradol), first time of not knowing to the extent that it's driving me a little crazy. I've been a caregiver so often over the years, and I don't begrudge those experiences. I've learned a lot and have been forced to deal with things that at times seemed insurmountable. I know I haven't always handled things well, or the best that I could, and I'm okay with that. Sometimes, it seemed all I could do was try to put one foot in front of the other and plod through while hoping for boredom.

I haven't had to have someone take care of me in a long, long time...years and years, really. I find that I don't like it one little bit. A friend suggested that it's a control issue, and I have to admit that it's partially true. I also don't like the idea of having to be a compliant patient at some point. I know I don't do so well with rules...mostly because I don't like them, and prefer to make up my own. Life's more interesting and makes more sense to me that way.

So, today was my first MRI. It was a piece of cake, really...lie down on a table, get moved in to a weird tube, slap some ear plugs in and try not to move. My conversation with the MRI technician was entertaining:
Tech: Okay, we're going to move you out of the machine to give you the injection of the contrast now.
Me: Okay. I'm pretty sure I can't do much about that right now, hey?
Tech: Not so much. So, do you have good veins?
Me: I have great veins if you're any good at finding them.
Tech: Well, this *is* my first time doing this, and I usually can't hit the broad side of a barn...
Me: (as the tech is palpating...) Oh, there's a nice, meaty vein in my right arm that I think you'll like.
Tech: No shit...it's like a garden hose. I don't even think I need the tourniquet. I guess I should wait for one anyway, but I really think I could hit it without...
Me: I like to live dangerously. I think you should go for it.
Tech: It's Monday morning...I should probably wait.

He hit it on the first try, and left only a small bruise. Not too shabby, really. And now it's time to wait for results.