The lumbar MRI experience wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I hate being in tight spaces and not being able to see a way out, but I drank a cup of Easy Now tea before the scan and it made me feel relatively calm. The MRI tech was considerate and positioned my legs comfortably since it hurts my back to lie flat. He recommended “spa music,” which turned out to be a decent blend of massage-like songs.
The best part was not having dye injected. When I had my cervical MRI, the technician injected dye into my arm, and like all injections, it was bee-sting-like and left a sore bruise. I assumed I’d need the dye for the lumbar MRI, but I didn’t, and that was a very nice surprise.
Another good surprise was the promise of results within 24 hours. I won’t see my doctor again for a few weeks, but I’ll be able to access the radiologist’s MRI report and look at my results at home. Since I work in healthcare, I’m reasonably competent at interpreting medical language, and by this time tomorrow, I’ll have an idea of whether or not my back is a disaster or not a big deal. I’ll update this post with the results as soon as I get them (or maybe a little later than that, since I’ll probably be at work). No matter what the report says, I’ll try to keep in mind that knowledge is power.