On Monday evening, I went in for a breast MRI ordered to confirm if the chemotherapy is making any headway against the dastardly mutant ninja cells. I hated this test the first time it was done and was definitely not looking forward to it the second time around.  This particular MRI is incredibly difficult to go through and keep one’s dignity intact.  To get a full MRI of the area, I had to lay on my stomach with my mammaries hanging loose inside two empty cones.  This position makes me feel a certain kinship to a diary cow (minus the cud).

After getting situated just right, my body is then motored inside a tube for thirty solid minutes of whirring and clicking while the MRI machine takes photos.  The technician tells you it’s going to be thirty minutes, but there are no clocks or points of reference as to how long you’ve been inside this tube.  Intellectually, it doesn’t sound so bad.  Who can’t  lay still for thirty minutes? I certainly thought I was up to the task.  However, the machine gets hot, I get nervous and then feel nauseous.  The first time I made it for twenty minutes and was able to resume the MRI after cooling down.  Before I went on Monday, I explained to my oncologist that I didn’t tolerate this test very well.  She kindly prescribed a relaxant to help me make it through.  I actually went in with a positive moooooood.

As I positioned myself over the empty cones, I tried to keep the upbeat attitude.  The test started out okay. However, fifteen minutes into the test, the heat and subsequent nausea got to me.  The technician tried to get the test restarted, but my body just wasn’t going to cooperate. I hated giving up on something that seems like it should be so easy to complete.

Today, I got a call from my oncologist.  I was afraid she was going to fuss at me and offer to drug me further to get the test completed.  Instead, she apologized that I had such a difficult time with the test.  She went on to say that enough pictures were taken to show that the lymph node has shrunk half its size from the last photos!  The chemotherapy is doing its job!!! Waaahooooo!!!!

Today is a good day!