MRI's aren't scary...

They're really not. I knew I shouldn't worry, but you do though.

As it turns out I didn't have time to wallow in fretfulness because they rang 40 minutes before we were going to leave and asked if I could be there in 20 minutes. I was just getting undressed to get in the shower, so a quick spritz with some Dove and we went. We left the bigger ones in charge of the 2 little ones and strict instructions about bedtime and we made it to the hospital with 2 minutes to spare.

The MRI was exactly what I was expecting, and as I'd done my homework and read the leaflet I'd turned up entirely metal free (thank heavens I still had a maternity 'sleep bra'), so I didn't have to do anything other than remove my shoes.

The MRI room was just an ordinary side room full of the MRI machine. I was surprised to see the room had all the usual bits and pieces everywhere, and I was told to put my locker key on the top of the cabinet 3 feet away. I had visions of the MRI being so powerful that loose metal couldn't be within a 50 foot radius!

You have to stay completely still, my MRI took about 20 minutes, but it only felt like about 3 minutes. If you're the sort of person can sleep anywhere you definitely would, it's incredibly relaxing, I was too busy watching the timer count down and reset.

It's really noisy. I think part of what makes it so relaxing is that you wear ear defenders, so the outside world is a blur. The machine clatters and clicks throughout, and at times you move slightly through the tube when it's quieter.

When you come out you do feel a bit dizzy. The Radiographer said I would and she was right. It's only momentary and I don't know if it's because you lie flat on your back without moving or if it does something mystical to you (probably the former).

Then you wait 2 weeks for your results (yawn), fingers crossed everything's all good.

When we got home was the scariest part of the night by far. We pulled up at the side of the house to go in the back door, but we live on a corner and I saw flashing blue lights from the front of the house. As we got closer I realised it was RIGHT OUTSIDE. I've not got out of the van so quickly in months and I was at the back door like a shot. Our house was really quiet and my partner ran through to the living room.

Our kids....watching Les Miserables on TV and playing on the Playstation....

They hadn't even spotted the Ambulance. I looked out the front and it couldn't have been closer - it was right outside my front gate. Obviously I'm only human, my first instinct was huge relief that it wasn't there for my family.

My second thought is that some poor soul needed an ambulance tonight and it's likely one of my neighbours, and I hope they're okay. Throws my fears about an MRI into sharp relief....