TheBanyanTree: The Timing of MRI's

[Monique Colver]

Yesterday, as part of my ongoing commitment to my brain, I went for another
MRI. Why not? I've met my deductible for the year. That, and there's the
frequent headaches.

It's an adventure, so Andrew takes me because he loves adventures. We go to
OHSU, which I'm not trusted to drive to by myself because while I have only
mild cognitive impairment, my sense of direction has become mush. We drive
there, walk into the building, up in an elevator, across a sky bridge, up
in an elevator, or maybe it was down, through a long halfway, was there
another sky bridge, stop for tram tickets in the lobby, down the hallway,
and board the tram to take us down the hill.

I count it as my exercise for the day.

While on the tram I turn to Andrew and say, "I want to go to Disneyland on
a day like today," the day being cool and clear and beautiful, with
mountains visible in the distance.

"Do they have days like today?" He asks, to which I must admit, "No, they
don't, but I didn't say it was a perfect plan."

We get to the water front and take the elevator up, where we learn we're
quite early. So we go down and have some drinks and chips in the lobby and
make fun of everyone.

Okay, that was a lie. I only make fun of conservatives, and if they don't
have signs, how do I know who that is?

We go back up, I remove all metal from my body, and I get an MRI, with and
without contrast. Then we retrace our steps to get back to the car.

As a reward, we go to the restaurant 30 floors up for happy hour. The food
is great, but it's really the view I want. It's just before sunset by then,
so it's perfect timing. I try to schedule all my Portland appointments to
take advantage of this.

I don't know about the MRI, but my movement is greatly improved. I had no
trouble with all the walking, no pain, no having to slow down to a shuffle.
A year ago, five months ago, all of that was a big struggle. My strenuous
schedule of sleep has had a positive effect. And exercise, which has not
been enough because I'm busy working. But I like working.

It's all good. Ready for what comes next!

M