Now Don’t Move!
Wednesday, June 17th, 2009
Last week, I had an x-ray done. It was routine, nothing to worry about. I was ready, I was comfortable. The lab technician was just about to start the x-ray, when she said, “Now don’t breathe!” Suddenly, I felt a great urge to breathe deeply, as though I’d run out of oxygen. What changed? I hadn’t needed extra oxygen 2 seconds before.
Today, I checked into the Cardiology department for an EKG. Again, just a routine procedure, not for any particular concerns. Easy peasy. I’m laying there, with these glued tabs all over me, and wires connnected to the stickers. I was totally comfortable. Truly. Until she said, “Now don’t move!” Huh? Why can’t I move? I need to move. I really, really need to move, and now. Okay, at least I need to breathe, and deeply.
The good news is that I did control myself in these two instances, not breathing and not moving, at least enough that they only had to repeat one x-ray of the four they first took. But what made me feel so compelled to breathe and move when just before I wasn’t even thinking of those things?
And what does that say about my ability to live under national law, God’s law, any law?