Maybe my NeuroSurgeon Can't Count

That's a bit ominous if I should say so myself.

I just received a call from my NeuroSurgeon's nurse scheduling my first follow-up MRI. Maybe I should be happy that they seem to feel it's not serious enough to keep with his original plan. Then again maybe he just can't count. Regardless, instead of having the scan done next week (6 weeks since the last one) so that I have plenty of time to get the radiologist report before my appointment on the 19th with the NeuroSurgeon in Chicago, I will be having the second scan on the 18th. This would mean he must have changed his mind and is scheduling it for 8 weeks instead of 6. Or maybe he just can't count. Regardless, it's going to make things more difficult for me. At least all that is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY I should have by then and that is the original scans. (I did say should as I still haven't seen a peep of my records and it's now been 26 days since I requested them.)

Anyway, so my MRI is scheduled for October 18th and it will have to be done with contrast. I have to have bloodwork done again some time between now and then to make sure my kidneys haven't begun to fail since my last MRI. Gadolinium, the dye they use for MRI contrast, has been known to cause kidney failure and therefore they won't use it if your kidneys are showing any problems. The contrast made me feel really nauseous last time so we'll see if I have the same problem from it this time. It is my understanding that it is not typical to have any reaction but I'll reserve judgment over whether it was nerves or the contrast for after the 18th.

At least going into it this time, I know that they do not have to give me an IV for it and can just give me a minor little injection. I have the feeling that isn't their typical way of doing it because of the time involved but they've already shown their hand.

I will post more about an MRI done with contrast some time before the MRI. As I said in a previous entry, I am a detail person and for those that like details, it will be a must read.