Day One Hundred Eighty Eight

The Hip Bone's Connected to the Back Bone

I had an MRI yesterday. What does that have to do with "animals?" Wellll, a lot, actually. I first discovered a problem with my arm when I tried to pick up one of the cats. A searing pain shot through my arm and I had to quickly put the cat down. Okay, I dropped the cat into the pool. But they can swim so...
 

 
no harm done. It has gotten progressively worse from a slight ache to throbbing pain that makes my head hurt, too.

So, I finally decided to see an arm doctor. Seriously, there is a doctor who only does arms - from the shoulder down. Five years ago I was diagnosed with Dequervain's syndrome of the wrist. It's tendinitis with a fancy name only doctors can pronounce. They practice saying it so they sound real smart.

Anyway, he gave me a shot of something in my wrist and voila! - pain gone. I figured I would see him and hopefully get another shot of his Kickapoo Joy Juice, and walk out swinging my arm in pain free happiness. That was until I saw my pain management doctor. I swear they think up ways to keep us in pain...

I was getting ready to leave my appointment with her when I reached for my purse and pain shot through my arm. I winced. She saw it. Her diagnosis: something is wrong with my neck. I told her my neck doesn't hurt - it's my arm that's killing me. She insisted I get an MRI of my freaking spine because most arm pain is caused by something wrong with the neck.

 

I don't know what she would have wanted MRI'd if I had told her my big toe hurts. 

 

Anyway, I scheduled the stupid MRI. Now, here's where you might want to pay attention - I found a Stand Up MRI place. Well, it should be called, Sit Down MRI, but the point is you don't have to lie on a table, in a tube, with a two ton piece of equipment inches from your head! I am not "claustrophobic" I just can't stand to be confined in close spaces.

Except for the tapping and drilling sounds, which were surprisingly familiar, seeing as how my neighbors are constantly doing things that make noise, the rest was a piece of cake. I tried not to think about the magnetic waves coursing through my body. My glasses are metal so I couldn't wear them to see the tv in front of me. Just as well, cause they had it on CNN and all the bars of info going up and down and sideways make me dizzy. (I am not aging well...)

This is sort of what it was like
only I sat the whole time

When we got home, almost as if he knew something different had happened to me, Jack gave me the once-over. Fancy was curious as well. They are the two who would miss me the most I think...

Because I needed to take the pressure off my sore arm, and I tend to lean on it when I sit in my chair, Andy and I switched places last night to watch TV. I sat in his usual spot on the couch and he got the big, comfy chair. Jack immediately jumped up next to me, put his head on my lap and went into a deep sleep. Rooney was verklempt because she had no room to sit with her Dad. She kept bringing him toys and leaving them at his feet like offerings, to gain favor. Her world was turned upside down simply because we weren't in our assigned seats.

Why don't you sit here all the time, Mum?

Miss Rooney is used to being
the Princess here

I have no idea what the MRI will reveal. I'm not having surgery, so I will just go ahead and have the arm doctor do his thing. If he goes into a rendition of "Dem Bones" I will know it's a physicianal conspiracy!