Empathy Goes A Long Way! To The Jersey Shore, NJ Radiologist With A Temper

Well hello to all my Jersey Shore folks.

I am going to start off by giving you the moral of the story first: Empathy goes a long way.

So if you missed it, I had to have back surgery back on July 7th, 2021. Yea...it blows donkey chunks.

The recovery was intense and much more painful than I had anticipated but eventually, the worst of everything had passed.

It started to look like I was going to be able to return to the life I once knew.

That is....until two or three weeks ago, I heard something pop in my back. Since then, my pain levels have exponentially increased and it feels like I have basically started back at square one.

If I am being honest, I am holding on by a thread.

It has been three months of intense pain, debilitating spasms and watching the rest of the world excel at life - whether it be relationships, family or work - while I have to spend a majority of my time in bed.

Keep all of this in mind as I continue on with the story.

Earlier today, I went to go get another MRI done to see what is up with my back.

If you haven't had an MRI done before, it involves sliding into a tight tube and staying extremely still while the machine takes a picture of your insides.

So I laid down on the hard table, I was slid into the tube and the test began.

To stay that still for that long was painful but I pushed through so the pictures could be taken and a course of treatment could be decided upon.

About 20 minutes into the test, I had to get pulled out of the tube so I could be given contrast. It makes certain parts of your body "glow" on camera. Okay, maybe not glow...but that sounds cooler.

The second I was pulled out of the tube, I had to readjust. The pain from laying absolutely still on the hard table was awful.

Oh....one more thing. You wear earplugs while inside the machine because it makes loud noises.

So I guess when I was getting pulled out, I didn't hear one of the radiologists say, "Don't move!"

The second I was freed from the tube, I adjusted to give myself some relief and this tech got pissed.

They threw their hands up and yelled, "OY!! SHE MOVED!" to the other techs in the booth behind the scenes.

"I'm sorry. I had to move the pain was killing me," I said. There was another 20 minutes left in the test and there was no way I was going to be able to last in that same position.

"Now it is going to be harder for the doctor to read and depict the differences between the two."

The radiologist walked away.

I tilted my head away from the other tech who was administering the contrast for the next phase of the test.

I teared up.

This has probably been the longest three months of my life and at this point, the fight may be far from over. I feel weak, I feel knocked down and the last thing I needed at 8:30 AM is someone yelling and flailing their hands in my face.

Like I said before: empathy goes a long way.

These techs knew my situation and why I was there being tested in the first place. I thought they would have been more understanding because back pain is no joke.

Plus, this radiologist worked in a building that was filled with various testing machines.

Usually if you go for bloodwork, a cat scan or an X-ray it means that something is wrong and you are there trying to get it fixed.

The people who come in for these tests are already vulnerable...so maybe think twice before throwing your hands up in the air next time?

I made a point to apologize to the other tech before leaving after the test was done.

They said, "It's fine. Have a good day," and I left.

Was this interaction THAT major? In the grand scheme of things...no probably not.

But did I remember it? Yes.

Was it necessary? No.

You never know what the other person is going through.

If they don't listen, if they misunderstand or do something wrong, just think before you speak.

You never know when the words you speak will be the straw that broke the camel's back for the other person.

E M P A T H Y.

Thank you. XOXO

Nicole S. Murray

Thanks for reading....now let's focus on getting you in the mood for SpoooOoOky Season: