MOD MEDI was privileged to have yet another "Cat Scan" examination at one of our local hospitals this week and I was, as always, impressed with the fine way they have of staying touch with improvements. The specific x-ray unit into which injected this time was a neat, tan colored unit unit designed so was injected was a new, modern unit, gently molded of what appeared to be a soft, rather malable plastic rather than cold, hard metal. It appeared to be newer than the one used the last last time I was a guest of that particular area of the hospital .
It was designed, I'm sure, with the intent of soothing and assuring the not-always-too-eager-to-be-there patients that it is that it is a friendly apparatus and not like a metallic Dracula monster seeking new blood.- which even make other patients to become apprehensive of seemingly possible electrocution with tightening encasements encircling one's body made of wheels, twisted red, yellow and green wires, vacuum tubes from old-fashioned, junked radio apparatus. Yes, one remembered the older models as being rather graphic in whatever they were doing at their convenience - looking at un-lookable areas, palpitating places, feeling curiously along the edges of previously unfelt specific point glaringly illuminated by sheets and spikes of flashing light and warm, glowing, white-hot filaments beating in vacuum tubes. The trade name of the unit loomed in large letters above and to the right of the recumbent passenger but several have been vibrated loose and lost over the years rendering the unpronounceable name tragically invisible as well. Angry, trey metal shapes glare back at viewer where each letter used to be.
There are many memories associated with visits to the Cat Scan area of your local hospital. The fact that attractive, young ladies are still in charge is a positive thing for me. They are, generally friendly and a bit more talkative, too. They are, I think, among few people who can make anyone believe that the curved slab of stainless-steel which serves as a "bed" on the Cat Scan platform can be made "comfortable" - even for just the fifteen minutes nuts or so the procedure usually takes.
My particular young lady this time told me she would be given me verbal instructions from time-to-time during the test. I was somewhat taken aback, when within a minute of the routine the - the big wheel spinning over, beside, under and all-around, a male voice with a marked English accent - one I remembered touched my hearing aids gently. He , of course, was taped from the old machine and issued his urgings only when he was prompted to do so by the young lady at the Control Room touching the button on Control Room board. His is a voice to which one responds easily. For that quarter hour, I responded as to an old friend of many years. I, at his request. "commenced" to breath, "returned to regular breathing"; take a deep breath... Hold!"..."Breath."
I'll hear the results of the tests in a few days. My health problem is that my right arm has started swelling recently and won't stop. It is rather disquieting for me. Devilish inconvenient, too...don-cha-know! With my arm swollen in that manner,I simply can't enjoy wearing my Rollexes, or would that be "Rollex-i" if it were true?
Andrew McCaskey amccsr@adelphia.net 9-29-06 [c581wds]
