Ultra Sounds and X Rays

I used to work in a path lab many years ago and to this day aspects of the medical world enthrall me. Perhaps I should have applied for Medicine as my father so dearly wished? Seriously though, who can make career decisions at 17? At the time I thought I didn't like blood so I didn't want to be a doctor. Little did I know that a short 6 years later I would be up to my elbows in blood, faeces, urine, pieces of flesh and the dreaded sputum (I never have got over my revulsion when it comes to phlegm).

Anyway, the point is I am fascinated by the workings of the body and the ease with which technology can take a peek inside nowadays. In fact, I was slightly horrified to learn recently that part of the middle class pregnancy experience nowadays involves having 3D ultra sound portraits of your unborn child taken by a company which specialises in this sort of thing. I found the idea slightly offensive, don't know why. However, I digress. My interest in me ensures that I always ask to see my X rays once they're taken; in fact, I remember diagnosing my own injury or at least being involved in the diagnosis way back in Booligal days.

The radiographer only came to town (Hay) once a month and there was no real provision made for those of us who re-broke our kneecaps on a Thursday morning. After being driven down to Hay by the local district nurse, who just happened to be going 'on shift' when the break occurred, I was seen by the local GP who read the instruction manual on the X Ray machine in the hospital and then shuffled off to look at his handiwork.

"Did you see your X rays in Sydney?" he asked after a few moments.
"Sure," I replied, ever interested in the medical minutiae, especially if it related to me.
"Well, you'd better come and take a look at these then."

And so I was able to tell him that the floating piece of wire in my knee had once been a whole loop and that the break he could see was not the original break (I could point that bit out) after which we determined I had broken the kneecap in yet another spot. Fascinating.

So what has all this to do with today's ultra sound and X rays? Nothing much except that I asked to see them as usual and chatted to the pathologist when he came in to look at my shoulder at the radiologist's request. There is a little bit of something floating around there in the joint. And I have inflamed tendons. But no tear I am happy to report.

Sooooooo...........no excuse for slacking off now.

But first I'm off to a funeral. *sigh*. That's another story.