It's been a tough few days with the MRI scan looming large. I didn't sleep well last night and I've been a grumpy sod for a couple of days. It's difficult to put these things to the back of your mind. I found myself lying in bed with the quilt over my head trying to mimic being in the MRI machine. I did the same in the bath pretending it was the machine and trying to imagine I couldn't move. It didn't help. I can't sleep with the window shut and I have never been able to wear one of those masks for painting and decorating such is my claustrophobia. I never said I was normal!!!
I needn't have worried though because this time, it wasn't half so bad and I don't know how I managed it, but I stuck it out regardless of being terrified!
Things didn't start well. I arrived 25 minutes early only be to be told they were running quite late. A woman waiting for her husband informed me that his appointment was at 2.45pm and he hadn't gone in until 4.30pm. Oh brilliant. I've got hours to sit here and panic about everything going on. I could hear the machine clunking away in the next room for what seemed like an eternity.
When the husband of my companion in the waiting room came out, he looked very red faced as if he'd been in a sauna. 'I used to go out with a radiographer, but she saw straight through me' he said. It wasn't funny so I struggled to laugh. Sensing he hadn't won me over with his joke he added 'I then went out with a doctor but she lost her patience'. Worse, I thought. I forced a laugh. He continued in the same vein with another couple of Christmas cracker jokes and then as they bid me farewell, I found myself sat on my own in the waiting room with the Antiques Road Trip on TV for company. Even though there was only the TV and me, I didn't watch it, I couldn't put my mind to anything but how I was going to make myself stay in the tube! No one had given me a Plan B so I had to get through Plan A.
After about 15 minutes I was escorted into the changing room and asked if I had anything metal and removable on my body, such as teeth, hearing aid, belly button piercing? No. I was told to put my belongings in a locker in the changing room a bit like when you go to the baths, or certainly what I did in my childhood when I went to the baths. Has all that changed? I haven't been for about 30 years!
I was asked if I knew I was to go through the machine on my tummy, I did - and thank you Mr Consultant for suggesting this because it was absolutely nowhere near as bad as going through on my back. I could see daylight and this helped massively. Every time I felt a bit panicked, I glanced into the open, airy room and and felt OK again. I won't say it was easy because it wasn't. 20 minutes felt like a lifetime and how I managed to stay still for that time amazes me. My knees were killing me, my neck hurt and I felt I needed to cough on several occasions. Worrying about coughing actually made the time go by as I tried my hardest to control it fearing that if I DID cough, it would nul and void the part of the MRI I had already done. The noises made by the machine were varied. I counted them, I don't know why. I have a tendency to count everything, steps, stairs, people walking on the beach, paving slabs and sometimes, how many steps it will take me to get to the car or get home. I think it's called 'being a prat syndrome'.
If you have ended up reading this page because you are worried about having an MRI scan then please don't. Honestly, if I can do it then anyone can. The machine wasn't even switched on for my first attempt before I was back in the car and heading home. It was something that I just felt wasn't going to happen so please suggest lying on your tummy if you DO have difficulty. Not seeing the tunnel above you really is a huge help.
So another step completed and now I have more sleepless nights worrying about the outcome. It's been a long few weeks and no doubt it will be a long few months.
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