So... today I experienced something new... an MRI.

Two weeks ago... a Tuesday... I woke up and started my like most others.. you know, the usual aches and pains we all have.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  I took a sick day because I was coughing and sneezing from a minor cold and I didn't want to share it with my co-workers.  Turns out it was a good thing I did... shortly after lunch, I was no longer able to walk.  Well... actually I could walk, but it was extremely painful and difficult.

It took two days of resting up before I was able to hobble around the corner to the doctor's office.  When I walked into the office, the reception took one look at me and they knew something wasn't right... I was taken straight in to the doctor.. no waiting.  That's unusual.  Hmmm I must have looked rough

Anyway, the doctor checked me over, shot me full of Cortisone and Diclofenac, took me off work for a week, and sent me home.

It didn't help.  A week later I was still rather messed up.  Another doctor visit... another shot... more meds, another week off work, and an appointment with the spine specialist.  That appointment was for today.

The whole MRI experience is interesting.  They kept asking me if I had a problem with small spaces and if I was claustrophobic.  Not a problem for me... I was kind of wondering though why they were so concerned about my potential claustrophobia.  It all became clear once I was taken into the room with the big MRI machine.  They weren't kidding when they said it was rather narrow.  I just barely fit into the machine.

The procedure itself is rather simple.  You lay on a firm bed thing.  They give you ear protection, and a panic button.  You are raised up, and then into the machine.  Once you're in the machine, there is not much to see... although there is a "comforting" blue pastel thing right in front of your eyes... like about 3cm away.  Once you're in, the machine starts up, and it's.. noisy.. really noisy... the ear protection makes sense.  It hums, and clunks, and buzzes for about 10 minutes, and then it's done.  The result.. a whack of photos of my spine and other miscellaneous inside bits.

Turns out that I actually do have a problem too... a disc has gone all squishy and squirted out and is pressing on my spinal cord (you can see it on the image).  The result is that in addition to a lot of discomfort and pain, it's interfering with my legs making it hard for me to move about... to sit... to do anything really.  Sneezing is a bad idea too... a really bad idea.

So.. another two weeks off work with strict instructions to rest up.. take more meds - this time something called... Tramadol (makes me kinda loopy.. more so than usual)... plus I have to visit a Neurologist, and go for Physiotherapy.  It's all a nice test of the German medical system.. which so far is going rather well.  The Tramadol was free (ie covered by my medical coverage), the MRI was easy to schedule, and I had no issues with the fact I don't speak any German... everyone was really helpful, and worked with me, explaining it all in English.

Looks like it will be a long slow process to heal up from this though.  Arrgh... I hate being slowed down like this.  Then again... now I have no excuse for putting off reviewing for my LPIC-1 exams, and reading up on Python