mri-a

9.15.10

yesterday was the long awaited mri-arthrogram! this all begins three or four weeks ago when i got the go ahead from my physio-medicine doctor.

as i made my appointment with radiology, i was told that there would be an injection. my first instinct on the knowledge of an "injection" was to freak out. an injection?!? what do they mean by injection?!? i am a freak about knowing all the answers so i quickly googled the procedure. i read a few different blogs about others experiences with mri s (yes i opted out of specifically looking up arthrograms in the hopes that a real, true, large needle was not needed for the procedure) for the hip and came across conflicting experiences. i continued to ignore the word injection and with calming words from friends i minimized the...ahem, injection, to a simple iv. no biggie! i can take an iv any day!

well, injection it was!

i walked into radiology, waivers signed, money paid and clammy hands clenched. my dear friend michelle walked with me down the corridor, she was left sitting in the hall as i donned the hospital gown. i then walked into a white room with a mechanical dinosaur, yes, a mechanical dinosaur; then plopped myself onto the table where the adventure began.

fluoroscopy x ray machine

the great thing about the mechanical dinosaur was that is was an xray machine that took continuous images to guide the doctor's needle as it entered my hip joint. the bad thing about that damned machine was that is allowed the dr to enter a needle into my hip joint! talk about uncomfortable. even with local lidicane i would never wish the grinding of needle on bone and cartilage on anyone!

take a glimpse into the joy of fluoroscopy...

 

 

 

there really is a point in the procedure, although i would never like to admit is. i even ragged on the dr and tech about having to pay for it...its my patient charm at work. the fluoroscopy allows for an injection to loosen the joint and then insert a die which allows any damage to illuminate in the mri.

after receiving the injection to my hip i was wheeled down to the basement sucked into the tube for thirty minutes. thankfully i had music in my ears and i dreamed of being at the beach to escape the confines of the tube. ultimately the mri itself was easy and i could have taken a nap for half an hour.

walking after was a bit difficult. my hip felt loose and a bit out of the socket. my rang of motion was limited and strength was minimal. there was pain and stiffness that lasted a few days