Matters Medical

I have spent much of late September and most of October dealing with medical issues. Today, I am home sick with what may be some version of the flu. I don't know if it is the seasonal or the swine flu. I was lucky that when I felt myself feeling feverish I asked my doctor for a perscription for Tamiflu. Tamiflu does not lessen the flu per se, but it does amelioarate some of the symptons. I while I have not felt great, I haven't been devasted by the flu.

Since the H1N1 swine flu is very serious, I have made an effort to get a flu shot. There will be a seasonal flu vaccination on Friday at the knowledge factory. For the swine flu, I have contacted both my doctor and the Kern County Dept. of Public Health asking for vaccinations. I was told that there is no vaccine available in the County, but some should be available by the end of the month.

Friday, Oct. 23rd, I had my fourth MRI. My neurologists wants make sure that I still have a brain. I am kinda curious myself. This was my fourth MRI. I consider myself somewhat claustrophobic. The first imaging experience I requested a tranquilizer. The upside of being knocked out was that I was really mellow during the procedure. The downside of this was that one of my friends from church had to stay at doctor's office while was undergoing the procedure.

The next three MRIs have been done without anesthetic. The second was something of a triumph, I was able to meditate and make up songs to the electronic shrieking of the imaging machine. My second one without anesthesia was an ordeal. During that M.R.I. while I was essentially lashed to the table and instructed not to swallow, fidget or fart, I was able to meditate on a variety of things. And during the last 12 minutes when it was particularly grueling, I was able to recite Chapter 5 "How it works" and the Prayer of St. Francis. When it was over, I was able to joyfully say in no uncertain terms "Next time I'm taking the Valium." Hopefully though that won't be for another 2 or 3 years.

But when the time came to do another one, I was worried. I wasn't going to do the valium because, I didn't want spend the rest of the day doing nothing while waiting for the drug to wear off. But I hadn't been meditating or doing yoga and I was worried that I might not be able to lie still for the 45 minutes it would take to do the procedure.

There was no need to worry, this MRI was the easiest of all of them. The strapped my head into place, gave me an emergency button, I closed my eyes and they moved me into the bowel of the machine. I was happy to realize that once I closed my eyes, I moved into the infinite darkness that lies just behind my optic organs. It felt like a cathedral with a vaulted roof, a safe yet vast space and I felt that I could stay in that space as long as I kept my eyes closed and found ways to occupy my time.

I was lucky in two ways. The first bit of luck was musical. Thanks to blogger Andrew Sullivan, I've become acquainted with the music of he Pet Shop Boys, the English dance music duo. Their music is ideal play in one's head while one has to listen to the industrial screaming, screechings, poundings and whirring of the MRI machine. So I had a sound track and videos from the Pet Shop Boys (It's a sin and Pandemonium) going on in my head. The other bit of luck was that I would doze off during the procedure. I would fall asleep, sorta wake up, making sure to keep my eyes shut, try to make songs from the noise of the machine and then doze off again. Thanks to closed eyes, 80s dance music and sleepiness, time passed quickly and I was able to almost enjoy the process.

So sick with the flu, I turn to this blog. I talk about the upcoming flu season, which may be very severe. Get a flu shot, if you feel yourself getting sick, you might try to use Tamiflu. My latest MRI was enjoyable thanks to some nice bits of serendipity, the Pet Shop Boys and the fact that the procedure was scheduled during my usual nap time.