I had my ultrasound today. The office was Dr. Frush’s old office. The artwork had changed but there still were the giant-sized chairs in the waiting room. When I was called back, I was called back to the room where I first met Dr. Frush back when I tore my hamstring for the first time. Thoughts of that day rushed back to me as I got onto the movable table. Megan was the nurse who called us back and Cheryl was Dr. Bouffard’s assistant tech.
Dr. Bouffard squirted the cold jelly on my knee and began what I thought was a “rough draft” of my ultrasound. He told me that he and Cheryl would be speaking in very technical terms as he told her what he wanted pictures of. Cheryl was going to take the pictures of what Dr. Bouffard wanted. He told her to make a comparison of the ligaments and muscles from my left knee while she was taking pictures of my right knee.
They traded places and Dr. Bouffard left. I don’t know how many pictures Cheryl took but every time she snapped a picture, it sounded like a squirt sound from a cartoon. She wiggled the little wand thing around and then clicked the button to make a *Squirt.* it was dark in the room with the overhead lights off with only a few under-cabinet lights and it was quiet for a while except for the, *Squirt,* *Squirt,* *Squirt.* sound that Cheryl made with the machine.
I turned over onto my stomach with Cheryl and my mom’s help and Dr. Bouffard came back in to show Cheryl what pictures to take. After he was finished explaining what he wanted to Cheryl to do, he said his farewells to me and told me that I was all set after Cheryl finished taking the pictures. Dr. Frush would call me to discuss his findings.
Cheryl continued with the, *Squirt, *Squirt,* *Squirts.*. We talked about different doctors’ bedside manners and she continued taking pictures. I don’t know how it happened but my Mom started speaking of my Dad’s death and the doctors’ bedside manners when they told my Mom. I was grateful that Cheryl finished my ultrasound before we talked too much more about it because I could feel my eyes stinging and a lump forming in my throat.
Cheryl wiped the backsides of my knees off, my mom re-snapped my pants, and Megan helped flip me over by holding my arms. It was a complete team effort and as I was safely back in my wheelchair I thanked them all and told them that, “Teamwork makes the dream work.” Megan walked us out to the waiting room and told us that her mom had primary progressive Multiple Sclerosis. She told us that she was happy to help me today and I just couldn’t get over how common a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis is nowadays. It really makes me sad.