Off Beat

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For those of you who know my history, I had a double mastectomy back in 2009 because I tested positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation giving me an 85% chance of getting breast cancer. I went through the reconstructive surgery as well and have silicone implants which require “checking” every 3 years. I was due for my first breast MRI in January of 2014, but I postponed that because I had a recurrence of my Ovarian Cancer and decided it was more important to focus on that versus getting an MRI on my fake boobs!

This year, 2015, I vowed to catch up on those appointments that I should have done in 2014 so I went ahead and had the MRI.  I knew what it would be like before I arrived in that I had one in 2008 before the mastectomy so it wasn’t at all scary.  I brought my resident health advocate, Jeff my husband, just in case anything came up that I couldn’t handle.

I slipped out of my clothes and laid face down on the MRI table carefully tucking each fake boob into the “boob holders” on the table.  I was then given headphones to wear so I could hear the technician but more importantly hear some music to drown out the loud banging noise that the machine makes.

I am a drummer.  Music is so important to me and so is keeping the beat.  I laid there for 45 minutes listening to songs that were not in beat with the MRI machine and it drove me nuts.  Not only was the music not loud enough to drown out the sound of the machine, but the songs played were totally off sync with the machine.  I lay there thinking someone could make millions but creating a playlist that synchronizes with the pounding of the MRI machine.

Oh, by the way, if you have never had an MRI, click on this link and you will see what I’m talking about…listen to the video for a full minute at least.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Aj2QspPf7s

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