I ended up 2025 with a trip to the hospital for an MRI.
It was quite an odd experience. The hospital is usually a place that’s packed with people and crazy busy. But the combination of it being the holidays and 4:30 in the morning meant it was eerily quiet. That may also be why I managed to get an appointment for an MRI within a week. Usually you have to wait a lot longer than that.
No cars on the road for the drive to the hospital. I got to the main entrance and there was no one in sight. Only one person in the cavernous main lobby, and she was hidden in the information booth. I didn’t even see her at first. Went to the elevators. Nobody there. Rode them up to the third floor. Nobody. Nobody anywhere.
One person at the desk in the MRI room, who directed me to the waiting room. Empty. I just hung around until somebody came out and told me where to get changed and put my clothes. Then she left. So I got changed (messed up putting on the hospital gown because I don’t wear one of those every day, OK?), then went into the MRI room. Haven’t had one of those before but it turned out to be a pleasant experience. Really nice technicians. Then left. One person was just coming into the waiting room as I was heading out. Back on the main floor there was one janitor pushing a scrubber.
So inside and outside the hospital I saw a total of six people. Two at information desks. Two running the MRI machine. One patient and one janitor. All women. They say healthcare is a predominantly female occupation now but this still struck me as surprising. Though more surprising was just how empty the place was. I mean practically deserted. If I hadn’t been looking for people I wouldn’t have found any. And it’s a big hospital!
This was a great visit. Much nicer than the last time I was in a hospital! Best moment was this sign of a bear reminding me to wash my hands. I really loved this. And I did wash my hands!
Happy New Year! Take care of yourselves and stay out of the hospital if you can!
Alex Good 
Am amazed they give appointments for 4am, or was it an emergency?
LikeLike
I think they have two MRI machines and both run 24/7 to keep up with the demand. Usually the waiting time is months to make an appointment. I just got lucky because it was the holidays.
LikeLiked by 1 person
When do you get the results?
LikeLike
They said about a week. We’ll see!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ok that’s not too long.
LikeLike
As someone who’s done both I can confirm that wandering free at 4 a.m. in a big hospital is certainly preferable to being confined to a bed. Yes, very quiet. Hardly anyone around, and them mostly women. And, yes, those women appear nice on the surface. But flip it around, put yourself in a bed, and you’ll find at least one of them who will try to take your blood from the back of your hand!
Over here we’ve got the fancy app that usually posts results very quickly. Same for you? Or do you have to call for them?
LikeLike
I loved how empty it was. Hospitals scare the hell out of me. But that morning it was so peaceful and everyone was nice.
I was just talking to someone this morning about the app to view your results. I don’t have the app and I’m not really interested because I wouldn’t be able to interpret the results anyway. I can wait a week for the report.
LikeLike
It’s not just the results. You can ask questions, refill prescriptions, manage appointments…….. I hate doctors but I love the app!
LikeLike
Hm. Well, I’ll look into it.
LikeLike
Hey, I was going to ask how it went. So a timely post 😀
I suspect most of the staff were in the ER area. That’s what happens down here anyway on the overnights.
Was it a long session? I know mri sessions can really vary depending on what they need.
LikeLike
They may have been in Emerg I guess. I was only in the tube for fifteen minutes tops. Didn’t need a whole body scan.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I go to bed at 6pm last night, wake up at 6am this morning, and it’s taken me this long since my first response on my new years to post to work my through everything before I got here.
It’s been a busy blogging morning for sure.
LikeLike
Good thing it’s a holiday!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank goodness.
you doing anything today?
LikeLike
Just reading, and writing a bit now. Then I’ll have to get up and start moving around. Can’t sit for too long.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sounds nice.
Except for the reasons behind why you have to get up and move around that is.
LikeLike
Haha! Yep.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This massively empty hospital reminds me of Halloween 2. It sounds like all the local mass murderers were busy celebrating the season somewhere else during your visit. Be well.
LikeLike
Ha! I wasn’t thinking of Halloween 2 but I was concerned when I was walking around that there didn’t seem to be any security on hand in case something did go wrong. Not that breaking into a hospital would make a lot of sense. I’m sure the drugs are all locked up somewhere.
LikeLiked by 1 person