Went to a big downtown hospital for my MRI on Tuesday. All but 1 hospital door was locked with a note and arrow pointing around the block to side entrance. They had the lobby all roped off like an airport. Two security type people greeted me and it looked like there were like 2 other non employees in this huge lobby. They gave me hand sanitzer and directed me to the next station. Where I stood in a square taped off on the floor, and stand still. A lady on a laptop 20 feet away asked me to turn and then take of my glasses. I guess they were taking my temperature? but I couldn't see where the scanning device was? front desk lady gave me a fresh mask and a visitor pass. Went to the 15th floor. Checked in and it is hard to understand people with my bad hearing combined with masks on faces. I was the ONLY patient on that entire floor of radiology, waiting. I think that area could seat 125-175. Got called in and given locker and gowns to change into, into another waiting room that fit like 20 people, all chairs had 1 situated for seating then two turned to face wall so no one could sit near each other. Again in the only person in that room. A foreign lady came to poke my vein for my IV and I REALLY had trouble understanding her. but she let me know the procedure might take over 90 mins. I was not prepared for that. Got my IV and waited in another waiting room, same as the last.
Guy came to get me for my MRI and told me i'd be holding my breath a lot for the next 60-90 mins, mostly for 15-20 seconds but a few times for 30 seconds to 60 seconds (or as long as possible) If I fucked it up it would take much much longer.
I got strapped in and they hooked my arm up to the contrast dye shooting machine to my IV. Gave me some headphones for some relaxing music and to hear the guy tell me when to hold and breath. When the machine rolled me in, Immediately had a pretty good panic attack feeling, I guess i'm claustrophobic and I underestimated how muh you feel like you are in a damn cave with the big hot loud machine humming inches from your face. I was internally trying to talk myself out of squeezing the little emergency ball they give you. finally the music kicked in and I locked back, straining my eyeballs behind me and I could see the light of the room, and just that realization that I was not in a tube or coffin, but a tunnel relaxed me enough to hang in there. Did great with the breath holding and got out an hr later. Next time I won't be so scared.
Left the building and saw zero people in halls, elevators and just the employees in the lobby.
results hopefully today or Monday
but those first 3 mins in the MRI hell hole were some of the most uncomfortable moments of my life