Pins and needles

I'm back from my "procedure." (Nice euphemism, isn't it? Sounds a lot better than "We're going to schedule an appointment to stick a really big needle in your spine...")

So, I got stuck with a really big needle in my spine. It wasn't too bad, really. I'd had this done before, so I knew it really wouldn't be. I'm a bit sore and it was uncomfortable at points, but mostly it's a mental game: the trick is keeping your mind otherwise occupied so you don't think about what's going on. Oh -- and keeping your eyes front and center so you don't see what's going on in the X-ray image that guides the doctor during the sticking. That's seriously weird. Given that I'm the woman who passed out during the brain surgery scene in Master and Commander, I can't be too careful. (I think the scene ran something like this: [ship's mate]: "Coo, wa's that? 'Ere, are those his brains?" [Doctor Maturin]: "What, that? Oh no -- that's just a bit of dried blood. THOSE are his brains -- hand me that spoon, would you?" *loud thunk as I hit the theater floor*)

It's always a mental game with these sorts of things. I didn't start getting nervous until last night, then I dreamt about it at least three times. After the third and most vivid dream, I woke up thinking, "Well, thank heavens that's over wi-- oh. Shoot." So by far the worst part of this morning's ordeal was being kept waiting for an hour and a half before they finally ushered me into the "procedure" room. After all that time for anxiety and nerves to build up, I'm feeling drained and peevish. I hereby give myself license to lie around all day and eat chocolate!