Well, I found out something interesting about myself today... I'm claustrophobic. Surprisingly extremely so. I had volunteered for a newly developed cardiac MRI scan several weeks ago... they wanted someone with known CAD and I fit the bill perfectly. I went over about 12:30 and got all ready... had to get the chest shaved for cardiac leads, since it was a gated study. Gated means that they only take the pictures at a certain time in the beating sequence of the heart. So anyways... I didn't really think about being enclosed very much... made a few jokes about it, but nothing serious at all. Then, the moment of truth... and I freaked. I managed to not scream, but I said through clenched teeth, "I don't think I can do this..." and they took me out. And I really felt bad, like I'd let them down. However, the more I thought about it, the more forgiving I became towards myself. The thing that really got me was the strength of the entombed feeling. I was maybe in there 30 seconds at the most, and it seemed like eternity. I was really surprised at myself, and I was so relieved to get out of that thing.... Yeah, If I had to do it, I could... with the liberal application of drugs, I could. Carol went through the same thing several months ago, only hers wasn't voluntary in the same way mine was, and she finally got the necessary scan done in an open-frame MRI machine, if I remember rightly.... Stepping back a ways... I went in this morning at 08:00... and there was nobody else there! I had thought that the other guy that I rotate early/late shift with was coming in early, but I was wrong, and nobody came in early. So we spent a half-hour running and getting things done that should've been done earlier. Normally, we have one person come in at 07:00, two at 08:00, one at 09:00 and one at 12:30, and the 09:00 tech leaves at 13:00. So from 09:00 until 15:30, we have four people available, which is about right most days. At 15:30, one tech leaves, and at 16:30, the two that came in at 08:00 leave, and the tech that came in at 12:30 stays until 21:00. Karen and I went out to eat that the New China Inn, then we went to the DEAL$ store, a dollar for anything store, then to get some groceries. I was not really impressed with the dollar store, but we got a gallon of egg nog at the grocery for $3.00. Have I mentioned that I love egg nog? Yes, I do! And I also love my sleep, and if I hurry, I can get to bed before 21:00....