Having an MRI

The province of Ontario is carrying on a very large longitudinal health study. Years ago, when I was still working, I volunteered to be part of it. Every few years I am invited to participate in voluntary health testing. I usually agree. I mean, why not?! If they find some issue before it becomes a big health problem, it's win-win for me.

A few months ago, I was invited to have a voluntary MRI to test for heart health, thyroid, and other problems. I've never had an MRI before, so this was a new adventure for me!

The hardest thing was having to lie still for so long - about 50 minutes.

I found counting helped distract me from thinking about moving my fingers or scratching my nose. The magnetic machine produces sounds most of the time, sometimes a series of short beeps. At other times a long blare. I'd count the number of beeps and the length of each blare. This silly technique distracted me from the boredom of having to lie still for such a long time. It relaxed me as well, helping time pass more quickly.