Pragmatist
Pragmatist

A new experience
Sat Aug 25 2007

Thursday I had a closed MRI.  I looked at that machine and thought No Way and I going to go in that thing!!  So I took a really big breath.  And sat on the table.  The technician said it would take 15-20 minutes, and it was all I could do not to bolt.  Fifteen to 20 minutes in that little tunnel.  Barely big enough to encompass my body.  Arrrggghh!  I'm about to get hysterical just thinking about it.

The technician asked me if I was claustrophobic.  With a sick little grin I said "A little."  A LITTLE?  The woman lies in her teeth.


I was somewhat comforted by a bulb thingy connected somewhere I couldn't see, but the technician said that if I got to the point that I couldn't, positively couldn't bear another second, I was to squeeze the bulb.  An alarm would go off, and the machine would shoot me out of confinement.  Somewhat reassured I said, OK, let's get this show on the road.

Whooo!

The technician handed me some earplugs.  Said the noise was kind of loud.  I was grateful for the plugs.

After I'd been in the tunnel, I dunno how long...seemed like ages, I thought I'd open an eye.  Ah-ah.  Don't do that.  It occurred to me that if I opened an eye even part way, I'd scream and squeeze that bulb for all I was worth. So I continued with eyes tightly closed.

However.....

It turned out to be rather entertaining.  That machine has an incredible repertoire of sounds.  All around me was nanananananabububububnananan, while under the table was uhUH-uhUH-uhUH-uhUH, and with the pleasantest vibration going on.  And some other sounds I can't approximate.  Then  silence.  Short-lived silence.  BRA-A-A-A-CK,  WHEEEETT, wheeeeet, then a bass wheeeeet.  Jingle-jingle.  BRA-A-A-CK. Then back to nananananbububububnanana, and all the other sounds.  Oh, and there was a huuuummmmm in there someplace.  Oh, and couple giggles from me.  But my eyes were tightly shut.

Then, silence, and I was being wheeled/pushed/removed/whatever...from the tunnel.  Twenty minutes already?

Actually, I was so relaxed, I was a little dizzy when I sat up.  Twenty minutes.  Gee, that was kind of entertaining.  All those sounds.  I was concentrating on the sounds, and trying to imitate them so I could write about it here.

But one thing for sure.  If I'd opened my eyes, I wouldn't be writing this.

Bless the day


10 Comments
  • From:
    Allimom (Legacy)
    On:
    Sun Aug 26 2007
    I must say, your description is much more entertaining than my memory of it only going THUNKaTHUNKaTHUNKa....

    Alli
  • From:
    Parett (Legacy)
    On:
    Sun Aug 26 2007
    I've had one of those before and even though I'm not really claustrophobic it was a little disconcerting to say the least. I enjoyed the coolness of the air and had a very nice meditation. And to add icing to the cake...I found I actually do have a brain!

    God Bless...
  • From:
    Dustbunny3 (Legacy)
    On:
    Sun Aug 26 2007
    I have heard it said just pretend it is the Machines way of a full body massage.
    Tinkerbell
  • From:
    Mamallama (Legacy)
    On:
    Sun Aug 26 2007
    Very interesting tale of an MRI. Never heard one quite like it before. I have always heard the horror stories.
    I'll have to remember this if I ever need one.
    Thanks.
    Hugs, Tiggs
  • From:
    FishCreekBride (Legacy)
    On:
    Sun Aug 26 2007
    You are so brave. I'm always amazed at the positive outlook you have. AND, you had asked me about Wade's infection. He had a motorcycle accident September 4th, 1999. He kept a calendar showing how things progressed and as I get a chance, I go back and add predated entries to my diary to cover this. It was a very difficult time in our lives with so much going on but we did survive. Sometimes, writing about it brings to memory all the pain and sadness. Anyway, my first entry for it was dated Sept 4, 1999. If you go forward from there, you will get the story up to the point where I've made the entries--the latest one you read yesterday. However, I still haven't finished that story yet. Believe it or not, the worst part is yet to come...and it's going to be very difficult to write...
  • From:
    Dreamerbooks2003 (Legacy)
    On:
    Sun Aug 26 2007
    you crack me up.. that was brave to say the least.. I can't do those MRI's in the closed machine.. I even have trouble with a head scan..
    I hope your results are normal..
    what are they looking for/ at?

  • From:
    ImNotLisa (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Aug 29 2007
    Oh goodness - you definitely described it differently than I've heard before. Especially the giggling part. ;o) Hope the results help you!
  • From:
    Dreamerbooks2003 (Legacy)
    On:
    Fri Aug 31 2007
    Both my mom and me suffer from RLS.. I know your pain.. It is just downright irritating
    Keep in mind that the star show Saturday /Sunday morning is only a maybe.. It sometimes gives a good show and sometimes not

    I was up for the lunar eclipse and it was pretty cool.. There were clouds in the sky and sometimes it would disappear behind them for some time and then come back out.. I was up anyway and was glad I checked it out.. I didn't think it was as total as the one in 2003 but they say it was.. Perhaps the overcast sky??
    anyway.. Hopefully you will only be bothered if the star show is a good one!!!!

    just got back from picking all the peaches on one of dad's trees..
    and checking on the chili peppers and tomatoes.. He should have fertilized the garden..
    But I sprinkled some nitrogen and time released 14-14-14 all around.. Everything is small this year
    and it has been soooo hot
    we are at 99 right now.. Goodness
    have a great labor day weekend


    ;)


  • From:
    Waterspriteflying (Legacy)
    On:
    Tue Sep 04 2007
    What a wonderful entry! Those MRI machines are never written about except in horrific terms of terror, and here you are, finding something inside the maw of the machine that's actually entertaining! And not just to you, either--you made me want to go try one out, lol.

    Bless the day, and bless you!
    Ani
  • From:
    CovertOps (Legacy)
    On:
    Thu Sep 06 2007
    Ohh! Ahhaahaa-haaaa! I'm sorry for your troubles but your entry had me laughing out loud! Your description of the sounds is really hilarious!

    My favorite has got to be *nanananananabububububnananan*. What in heaven's name would make such a sound? A demented gorrilla asking for a banana? A displaced dolphin? A pygmy guide? Haa haa haa!

    I also love your surprised-looking emoticon. Highly appropriate!

    Haa haa haa!

    Love & Get Well Soon Hugs,
    E.L.