MRI

[redbird]

I had a brain MRI this morning; this is routine monitoring because of the MS.

Things I noticed before, during, and after the MRI:

• Mount Auburn Hospital has changed their Covid screening in the last ten days, and didn't point a thermometer at my forehead.
• The hospital's earplugs were effective (usually I bring my own, Earplanes)
• Some bright yellow daffodils on Mt Auburn Street
• The MBTA has resumed collecting bus fares on the outbound 73 when people exit rather than when they board. Right now they seem to be doing some of each: When my bus arrived, the driver gestured me to back up so someone else could pay and get off the bus, so I also paid on exiting, but saw other people exiting in the back, presumably having paid when they boarded the bus. And yes, it's still urging people "if possible, exit through the rear door," like all the other MBTA buses these days.

Comments

[otter]

Interesting observations.

We haven't ridden a bus in over a year, but we started going back to the grocery store last summer. Having a van has made a big difference.

[sabotabby]

I'm terrified to take the bus. It's so crowded. I haven't taken transit in over a year.

I hope your MRI went okay! I've had to do one during the pandemic and it was less scary than the dentist.

[redbird]

Most of the buses here aren't very crowded.

I do like that the Transit app has added crowdsourced information about how crowded a specific bus is.

For the dentist, I'm more worried about the hygienist: she's masked and using a face shield, so I'm protected, but her patients are unmasked, so she has only the face shield to protect her. My specific hygienist has been vaccinated, but she hadn't been when I last saw her.

[bibliofile]

I haven't taken the bus in a year, either. Looking forward to it maybe after I'm vaccinated.

[pameladean]

Earplanes are so great. They completely transformed the experience of flying for me, before I gave up on it altogether.

P.

[redbird]

I started using those after doing exactly what you're not supposed to do--flying while badly congested--and puncturing an eardrum. It has basically healed, but the doctor told me that "basically healed" in this case means the heal in two of the three layers of tissue have closed up.