As you can see in the later comments on Tuesday’s post, @Xeni’s first MRI did not go well. She was given no hint of what the experience would be like – the horrible banging and clanging in the claustrophobic space – and the tech operating the thing “scolded” her (Xeni’s word) for not being still enough as she tried to use deep breathing to calm herself.
Can we not do better than this, people?? Â Yet others said they’ve had similar experiences. I had no idea what it would be like, and at the time although I did okay with it, I kept thinking, “Good heavens, is there any reason they can’t WARN us about this?? Give us a YouTube of what it’ll be like, gory sounds and all??”
A bunch of us created, ad hoc, a hashtag #firstMRI, and collected ideas, all in 2-3 hours. Here’s a Storify capture of some of the resulting tweets. I want to pump this out before I run out for errands – see what you think. Some good intro videos, but the REAL thing – the sounds – didn’t come out until the bottommost link. FINALLY!
Now let’s find a way to get this out into every MRI shop in the world – WARN US, people! Let us prepare!
It would also be useful to provide this to parents of infants and young children who will need MRI. My daughter went for an MRI almost as an afterthought after hip surgery at 8 months old. It was the single worst experience out of 6 months of surgeries, appointments, cast and brace. I had to physically hold her down AND try to keep the ear defenders on her, all while she screamed in terror.
Good heavens, Ruth. What hospital did this? Did they give you ANY warning of what it would be like??
That must have been a horrible experience.
And was no form of sedation possible for this child??
Kudos to you on this project! It took me 3 years to get over the latent claustrophobia triggered by my first MRI in a literal living coffin 20 years ago. So glad others can be spared!