I've just come from having an MRI of my right shoulder; an encounter so close that even though I don’t suffer from claustrophobia, was a bit closer than comfortability would allow.
I think I have a bad rotator cuff from years of sports activities. It’s been bothering me for quite some time and I thought it best to try and take care of it now before age and health become any kind of determining factors.
I was packed into the MRI “tube” so tight that I had to draw in my shoulders which even then rubbed both sides of the cylinder. I was completely inside with only my legs sticking out—much like the photo above.
I dared open my eyes only once as I was entered into the machine. My nose was about 2 – 3 inches from the upper portion and I immediately closed my eyes and pretended I was walking along the beach.
The machine rattled, hummed, beeped and shook around me for 30 minutes! The technician came on a tinny speaker every 10 minutes asking if I was okay and to tell me how long I had to go.
Thankfully I didn’t panic, I kept my eyes closed and dreamt of the ocean and the wide expanse of sky above.
If you are ever scheduled for an MRI, take my advice. Take plenty of deep breaths beforehand, keep your eyes closed and dream of wide open spaces.
