Back in the tube.

Long-suffering readers may recall that back in February 2020 I had a spinal issue that put me in the hospital for a couple of nights. At that time the Chinese Death Virus was just a rumor for the most part, but a month later we were all wearing masks and gloves and desperate for toilet paper. 

What with COVID and all, I didn't go to see the pain specialist in person again until last month, for a follow-up. I wanted to know if he thought it would be safe for me to get off the medication I was on for nerve pain, the antidepressant Cymbalta (duloxetine), which seemed to be useless for my mood but great on nerve pain. Also great on making me have to nap. I don't think I've made it through more than five days without a nap since he put me on it. But, if you recall the harrowing details of my hospital trip, you can understand why I've been scared to stop taking it. 

He suggested I get an MRI and see what my lower back looked like now. 

So Saturday morning, I was back in the tube. 

This time it was at a local radiological clinic rather than a hospital, and the staff was great. I wondered if I would feel once again like I was being buried alive, but I guess I'm getting to be an old hand at this. I got no music, no peephole to the outside world, but I just closed my eyes and lay still as the tech moved me into the machine, and stayed like that for the next twenty minutes. Of course my ear started to itch as soon as I was inside. With nothing else to do, I started praying, and my first prayer was Lord, please stop this ear from itching. And it did, soon enough. 

Some people find the noises scary in the MRI, but I almost found them soothing. The vibrations felt nice on my back. I almost fell asleep. Then again, I'm currently a napaholic, and I've also had a long history of falling asleep in the dentist's chair during procedures. 

I thanked the tech when it was over and went about my day. I'll be seeing the doc on Thursday for the results, and I hope maybe he can give me a jab with the steroid needle and take me off the pills. I love to sleep as much as anyone, but this daily one-to-two-nap schedule is cramping my lifestyle. 

It's not an active lifestyle -- closer to inert -- but it could be much better. Wish me luck!