April 22 – “Trapped!”

It was a dark and stormy night …

Well, not exactly night.  It was more like early afternoon.  And it wasn’t dark and stormy … yet.  Black clouds loomed on the horizon to the North, however, their churning promising storms to come.  At least if they made it across the Bay.  All signs pointed to a gloomy couple of hours ahead.

But Chris did have those follow-up x-rays to attend to from her earlier doctor’s appointment.  And she was determined to then attend the meeting of the Wednesday Club.  All on the East End of the Island.  All right in the path of the rapidly approaching storm.  Although she had her new umbrella with her, she offered a brief prayer, “All I want is to make it into the building before the rain starts.”  That prayer was answered, but perhaps she should have started it a little differently than “ALL I want …”

Not long after she checked in at radiology, she began to hear the incessant patter of rain on the roof.  But she was safe inside now.  What could possibly happen?  Soon the typically chipper radiology tech led her back to the x-ray room to begin.  The doctor had ordered pictures of her back, hips, and knees to get a full picture of what was going on to cause the pain in her leg.  And that process began. 

First all of the standing pictures.  None of those were difficult in any way.  It is usually the MRI or CT scan experience that causes Chris’ extreme claustrophobia to kick in.  But this was just x-rays.  There would be none of that, right?  Well …

Next came the pictures to be taken while she was lying on the table.  Again, shouldn’t be a problem, right?  It’s just an x-ray, right?  It did start out that way.  The tech got her arranged on the table just so.  She positioned the x-ray machine’s arm so that the little “X marks the spot” light was exactly where she wanted it.  And then in that move that always creeps me out every time I have x-rays, she left the room.  Oh, she was close enough to continue with her pleasant, perky conversation, but she was protected from the evil radiation rays.  And then, just as she was about to pull the trigger on one final shot, an explosion of thunder literally rocked the room.  The lights flickered briefly and then and then went completely black.  The computer operating the x-ray machine went dark and began its slow, automatic rebooting process.  A flurry of activity began as the entire building was in the dark after an apparent lightning strike.  It took a few moments for the backup generators to kick in, but by then “it” had begun.  What’s “it,” you may ask? 

Remember where our beloved Chris was when all this excitement began?  That’s right.  Stuck on the x-ray table about to have one last picture taken.  And something began to happen when the lights went out.  The massive photo-taking arm of the x-ray machine interpreted the computer crash as an order to shut down for the evening.  So it began its automatically programmed journey to its final evening resting place … right on top of the exam table.  But Chris was still on said table.  And she watched as the huge arm slowly approached.  Somewhat frantically she began to weigh her options.  The machine itself abutted the table on one side.  No escape there.  The arm inched closer.  If she could maneuver her gimpy leg just right she could make her way off the table in the other direction.  Still the arm droned its way closer and closer.  To her credit, at about that moment the technician came to her senses and raced to Chris’ side, repeating, “I’m coming.  I’m coming.”  And the arm got closer and closer.  The side she arrived at, however, was Chris’ only visible means of escape from the slow unending drop of that mechanical beast, sure intent on crushing her like a tiny little big.  The situation was rapidly reaching MRI claustrophobia levels.  Closer.  Closer.  Trapped.  Crushed.  What would that be like?  Closer.  Closer. 

Finally, after what seemed like hours of agony, the tech heroically reached out and grabbed the approaching behemoth and managed to wrestle it to a stop mere inches from Chris’ body.  The electricity began to return.  The computer finished its reboot and regained control of the maniacal machine.  A second tech arrived breathlessly to make sure all was well.  And my little trooper?  Chris was awesome.  She even let them finish out that last picture. She was a little late to Wednesday Club, but to make it through an experience like that?  Priceless.

Mark 8:34 says, “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’”

Father, thank you for answered prayer, whether it be a respite from the rain or the strong arms of an x-ray technician.  Amen.