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| - Typically, I get all of my medical taken care of through the Veterans' Administration. It's free...and it's free. But anybody who has served knows that when it comes to REAL medical problems, you want to be cared for by ACTUAL doctors and technicians. So, when it came time for me to get an MRI, I petitioned the VA to have a third party conduct the imaging. With their blessing, I was allowed to choose whoever I wanted to try and figure out what was going on with my shoulder.
This being my first foray into the medical imaging world, I decided to do a little Internet searching. I was unaware of the multitude of imaging options there were available these days. My particular MRI called for an arthrogram, as well. While I was searching, there were very few imaging places that actually performed arthrograms. Simonmed, which is also conveniently located in my back yard, does just about everything you can imagine...including arthrograms.
When I called to set up my appointment, I expected that I would have to wait at least a week before I could get something scheduled. Much to my surprise, they had appointments available the very next day. That sort of availability certainly makes things easier in the event that your situation is more critical than my own.
On the day of my appointment, I arrived about 20 minutes early. There were a few families waiting in the lobby, so I expected that I might end up going past my original appointment time. So, I sat down in their nice lobby to finish filling out my remaining paperwork and watch whatever movie they were playing. Shortly after I turned in the paperwork, my technician came out to invite me back to begin the procedure. He was right on time!
Now, an arthrogram, if you're unfamiliar with the procedure, can be quite an uncomfortable experience. In my particular case, the doctor needed to place a needle in between the bones of my shoulder and pump it full of fluid to make it visible on the MRI. It wasn't painful, but it was an EXTREMELY uncomfortable experience. Throughout the arthrogram, the doctor was very encouraging, all the while, trying to be as gentle as can be expected when she was cramming a needle in between my bones.
After the arthrogram, it was time for the MRI. Now, I'm not a small person. I'm quite tall with broad shoulders. For me, the machine was relatively constrictive. Historically, I'm not claustrophobic. But there's something special about being confined in an MRI machine that will make you rethink your fears. To help myself calm down a little bit, I lifted my head to make sure I could see my toes. Then, I craned my neck to make sure I could see out of the top. That helped a little for me. But, the technicians could tell that I was still a little antsy. So, in between images, they were very calming and reassuring.
After my images were complete, the technicians informed me that the results would be ready in 2-3 business days. I originally went in on a Friday. Like clockwork, the images were ready on Wednesday. From there, the staff at Simonmed were extremely helpful in forwarding the images to my general practitioner.
If you ever need to see inside your body to figure out what's going on, Simonmed should be on your list of places to consider. The office is extremely nice, the doctors and technicians are pleasant and efficient, and the office staff are extremely helpful. That's great service from beginning to end...which is exactly what you hope for when it comes to your health and well-being.
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