Blogging about CT Scan and MRIs

I'm new to this blog thing so I am just learning...  :)  I will keep working at it....

When I got to the Emergency Department at MGH, they decided to do a CT scan instead of an MRI since I am VERY claustrophic.  The ER nurse brought me down to the CT scan machine.  It felt like a matter of minutes between the time I came back to the ER room and the radiologist contacted the doctor.  The doctor came in the room and I could instantly tell that it was not good news.  (In those moments, I cannot imagine how hard their jobs are!) 

It's hard to remember what happened in those moments after learning this news...  I know I was worried about Kurt and how he was coping.  I know I made a call to my mom - not sure what I said but I remember her crying. 

Again, so much happened so quickly that it is sketchy at best. 

I knew I was going to have an MRI that evening.  It's amazing in sad and trying moments, how the littlest things can mean the most!  One of my high school classmates was the person who did my MRI that evening.  This might not mean much to the average person but for me, it meant the world to have him there.  I'm sure it cannot be easy for them to see someone they have grown up and know and to have to put their feelings aside.  The thing I can say is that it was a reassuring feeling for me to hear his voice giving me the countdown of when the MRI would be done.

This is the picture of the MRI that was performed that night:

The left picture shows my eye socket on the left (by the letter A) and then you can see the mass along with swelling all around that spot.  (The gray matter is all swelling...)  If you look at the picture on the top right, that also shows the same mass (it is on the right in this picture - although it actually is the left side of my brain.)  This part of your brain is called the left temporal lobe and this area is the main center for your speech, your neurological funtioning, etc.  While I am sure there are some effects from this, it could have been MUCH worse!  (The last picture on the bottom shows the same picture - again it looks like it is on the right but it is on the left frontal temporal lobe...)

The picture on the top right also shows another small mass on the right (looks like it is on my left) brain.  This surgery will most likely happen in the next few weeks.  (This surgery will not be nearly as extensive as the other surgery.)



The day following surgery, they sent me back in for another MRI - again, I'm grateful my classmate did the MRI!  This picture shows the amazing work that the neurosurgeon did that day:

For now I will close...  I'll try to type more tomorrow!