Don't Look Into the Light "Hold your breath." - Computerized Tomography machine
After resolving confusion on Sunday about whether I should ingest a special contrast solution before my CT scan, I check in Monday at 9:00am, stomach empty, save the vanilla flavored iodine solution. I lay on a bed, another needle pricked in my arm. This time, the needle wasn’t removing fluids from my body. It was pumping more iodine into my system. This adds ‘contrast’ to the images. “You may begin to taste this in the back of your mouth," The radiologist said as he twisted a cap on the IV tube "It may also give you a warm sensation in your head.” All I felt were cold feet. “Just follow the directions,” He continued and vanished in a room with tinted glass. The lights turned off, the machine turned on.
The rotating sound of an empty washing machine was disrupted by a computerized voice “breathe.” You mean I was supposed to be holding my breath?What kind of directions are…Before I could answer that question, my bed jerked and began moving forward through a donut shaped loop. It stopped as a laser hit my eye. I looked up. A sign read: 'Do not look directly into the laser.' Damn. These directions suck. Above the laser, an illuminated picture of Pac-Man disappeared. “Hold your breath.” Pac-Man lit up again. This time, he looked like he was holding the biggest hit from a Cheech and Chong joint. The bed slowly moved backwards. "Breathe." After the first cycle, I became used to the routine. I closed my eyes for the remainder of the procedure. I began enjoying CT scans. Deep breaths relax the soul. "Hold your breath."