M R I

Monday the 31st I had my first MRI.  It was an interesting experience.  I showed up fifteen minutes early for my appointment, so that I could fill out the paperwork ( allergies, piercings, phobias, etc.)  I didn't get the form completely done before they called me back so I think that the form is used to help the patient pass the time while he waits.
   I was lead to a tiny chnging booth and told that I could keep my undershorts and socks on and to put on the provided "scrubs".  I locked my clothes in a locker and kept the key with me.  After a short time in the second waiting room, I was taken to the MRI room.  The room was all whites and beiges with the huge donut sitting in the middle.  I laid down the narrow tray and the tech positioned me on my back.  A pillow under my knees helped relax my back and I locked my hands together on my stomach.  The tech put headphones on me and put sometowels on each side of my head to keep it from moving. Then a frame was placed over my head.  On it was a mirror positioned so that when I looked straight ahead, I saw my folded hands and then out across my feet.  As he rolled me into the machine my shoulders rubbed the side of the machine.  I am not sure what happens when large people are on the bed.  I didn't see any crow bars in the room.  Then he asked what type of music I liked.  He said, "I have Pandora so I can give you anything you want."  I suggested John Hiatt and after a few minutes, the music started.   "Now just don't move until you come out." The tech explained that there would be several sessions each lasting 2 to 5 minutes and the total process would take about twenty minutes.  "Here we go." 
    For the next twenty minutes, I dozed while I listened to the music and tried not to listen to the bang, bang, bang  or the drum, drum, drum, or the rum, rum, rum.  The tech would talk to me between each session telling me the length of each session and that "one more to go".  Then I was done and rolled out, helped up and the tech changed the towels on the MRI bed.  He then walked me back to the changing area and said goodbye.
  Ten minutes later I was dressed and walking out the door into the cool winter air.                   

                                            This is image I downloaded so that you can see what it looks like.  It is not me!