FOLLOW UP MRI'S

Hi everyone

I have had a comment on my blog entry for yesterday. It is a question relating to the post from 26th August, regarding why I felt it necessary to have a follow up MRI exam. First may I say CONGRATS to 'smashedpea' for tomorrow - 2 months since removal. I hope you are feeling well.

Have a look at my post for August 15th for my reasons for a repeat MRI. You being told that you do not need another actually makes me feel more confident as I was told the same, but if you read my Ebook, you will see that I have a very active imagination and for some reason feel I know better than anyone else.

My surgeon didn't even feel it was necessary for follow up appointments after I went home unless I felt it was necessary. He gave me his phone number and said I could contact him anytime, so I did a year later when I took him a bottle of bubbly and he was most surprised to see me.

So I suppose the answer to the question is that I didn't need to have another MRI - I chose to have one due to an insecurity thing I suppose. Maybe your surgeon just wants to prove to you that it is all gone and that you can now get on and enjoy your life. It did make me feel better and I will now leave well alone.

MRI Results

The exam was complete and I nervously asked the technologist if all looked good and clear. As is the usual procedure, she advised that the Radiologist had been down to have a quick look and had been out to speak to my husband.

The pulse quickened and my mouth went dry until I saw her smile. She obviously sensed my concern and fear and smiled the smile of relief and success, not the smile of sympathy or concern. This girl had been on the same path with me 2 years earlier and knew what they had found then so she must have felt a small amount of exhilaration that the images were clear. I cannot imagine what turns up in their day to day examinations. Nobody likes to be the bearer of bad tidings. They operate the equipment that is advanced enough to help diagnose a problem. Discovery is one thing, fixing it is another!

I left the MRI suite to be greeted by my smiling husband Roy. All clear he said - NO BRAIN TUMOUR - congratulations! Once again I burst into tears, but of relief this time! All that was left was to pick up the report the following day. I had studied the pictures in disbelief the first time so was really looking forward to looking at the new set.



ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!

MRI Examination

Off I toddled for my 5pm appointment. Once again, my husband was at my side, feeling just as anxious as me, I have no doubt.

The procedure seemed very straight forward this time. A canula was inserted into a vein in my hand ready for the contrast dye. A very sweet male nurse showed concern at having to do this to me and was very sympathetic to the fact that I may feel a little discomfort. The old hand that I am, I chuckled and assured him that a small jab in the hand was nothing but I appreciated his bedside manner.

Everyone was pleased to see me looking so well and couldn't believe it had been 2 years since removal of my benign meningioma tumour.

Funnily enough, I arrived feeling far more nervous this time than I did last time when I had no inkling of what the results would be.

All jewellery was left at home, I put on the fabulous hospital gown, was strapped in to the head cage and ready to go.

The familiar clicks and knocks started and half way through the procedure the contrast dye was administered. It took about 40 minutes this time and I started to think about the results as I was laying there as still as possible.

If it's all clear I would be ecstatic and would stop thinking about it all again for a while but I began to feel like I was teetering on a precipice because if it wasn't, it would all start again.....would it be in the same location, what kind of tumour, what treatment would be possible and oh, so many questions not to mention the fears.

You also start asking yourself the "why me" question and the sad thing is research has still not come up with anything conclusive.