I believe I mentioned that I was going to have to have an MRI done. I've had numerous scans done because of my lungs, so I wasn't worried about that bit of it at all. At least I wasn't worried until they called me back and handed me a booklet that just so happened to mention that people who are claustrophobic might have a problem. Sigh. Nice.
I had thought it would be an open MRI, but I was mistaken. However, I put on my brave pants and decided that since it was only my neck that would be scanned, I'd mostly be outside of the machine and would be able to stand it. The radiologist gave me a set of big, 1970s DJ earphones and said we would listen to the new Loretta Lynn album and everything would be over in 10 minutes. So I lay down on the cot and the lady got me settled, handed me a panic button, and then she inserted me into the depths of Hell's belly button.
Y'all, it is well established that I am violently claustrophobic. I've gotten claustrophobic is small places and I've gotten claustrophobic in huge places that just happened to be full of people. The only, and I swear the only, way I'm usually able to handle it is if I can convince myself that I can get out if I have to. Sometimes I have to literally get up and leave, but mostly as long as I know I CAN leave, I can deal. When she slid that cot into the MRI machine, I was in there up to my knees. I think I was in there for 14 years, and every second of that time I was in a state of high adrenaline fight or flight mode. I immediately started to panic, but I stayed still because I knew if I freaked out and pressed the panic button, they'd just stuff me back into the machine. I clamped my eyes shut and counted forwards and backwards, tried self hypnosis, and did everything I could to stay calm. At least 10 times I came within an inch of screaming and clawing my way out of the thing, but I barely managed to stay inside. She finally slid the cot out, and it was only when I tried to stand up that I realized those giant earphones were attached to clamps that basically had my head in a vice. If I had known that, I really don't think I could have stayed in there. At least before, I thought I could get out, but if I'd known I was clamped in, I would have probably Hulk-smashed my way out of the thing and gone running off into the night. After it was over, I shook for a solid hour. It was terrible.
But the scans turned out to be super awesome. I saw my spinal cord and medula oblongata, and also saw that my disks are slightly bulging into the spinal cord, which is less awesome, but still, the fact that I can see it is pretty neato. I even got to keep the scans, so when we finally get another chair and can have a friend over, I'mma pull those things out and show them off like vacation slides!
2) So, my blue funk has faded a bit and now it's just sort of a dingy gray, but the funk it still around. At least now I can make complete sentences and just look at otters on my own. I don't need to post them here. I hate feeling like this, but I still can't seem to shake it off. (Cue Taylor Swift.) I don't know. I'm ok sometimes, when I'm distracted or talking to someone, and other times I just sit staring at the wall and feeling sad. Haha, it sounds weird to type it out like that. Very emo of me, no? The weirdest part of it is that my music is gone. That has happened twice before, and it came back, but it's really quiet in here when it's gone.
I've mentioned that I don't like to feel feelings anymore. One day, when I don't feel so weird and protective about it, I'll explain why so that you folks will get that it isn't just something I say and you will understand me a bit better. All I know is that I usually have my armor on and it protects me and I can just let it all bounce off. I get dented, of course, but not too badly. Sometimes, though, something just whacks against me hard enough, my armor falls apart and I open up like a busted can of biscuits and feelings go everywhere. With a bit of perseverance (and duct tape) you can eventually get the biscuits back in the can, but it takes a while and stuff gets messy. I'm in the process.
Thanks to those of you who were concerned, though. I appreciate it. I'll be fine. I always am!
EDIT: Heh...I'm a busted up can of emotional biscuits. Emotional Biscuits is going to be the name of my new band.
3) So, yuck, enough of that. Look! Puppies!
4) I went to see a movie by myself the other day! I've done that once, years ago, because I got stood up for a date and figured maybe the whole evening shouldn't be a complete loss. Steve was working last weekend, so I decided I'd go see 10 Cloverfield Lane because I wanted a excuse to get out of the house. It wasn't bad. It was more like an episode of the Twilight Zone, or X-Files than a movie, but it was entertaining. I've realized I don't mind going to movies alone, but it is better when you have someone to talk to afterwards so that you can pull yourself out of it a bit. That is true, especially when the movie is creepy, and this one was.
At any rate, to date, I have finished an entire tube of Chapstick on my own without losing it, and I went to see a movie alone! At this point, I might as well run for President because I'm on a roll!
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