Had a MRI scan this morning after seeing the Doc about my persistent shoulder pain. It was a result of an old injury that happened couple of years back while doing IPPT - did a Superman for SBJ...don't ask. I didn't think much of it then, and after a while, it felt ok. But during the cable-ski trip at Batam couple of weeks back, I think I injure the shoulder again. The scan was to identify whether I had any SLAP lesion or something else...
While sitting outside the MRI room, I could hear the loud thumping noise of the machine as a woman was being scanned inside. It was going on and on like at some night out at Zouk with the jungle-beat going - zheh zheh zheh zheh zrrr zheh ... and on and on it went.
Soon I was brought into the room where I can see that cylindrical MRI machine...it looks small, probably around 1m diameter, like those you see in the tv show House, there's this platform where you lie on before they slide you in.
As the area I'm scanning is my right shoulder, I had to tilt my body to the right, supported by some hard foam, slide my right hand under my butt, with the left arm across my tummy and the knees propped up. Not very comfortable.
Just before I was moved into the machine, I was given a pair of cans to listen to music...and I think it was some 80s music being played...not very comforting actually. And next thing I know, she has shifted me into the tube...pretty much a tight squeeze, especially for my size.
It was pretty chilly inside, especially with just the thin green scrubs I was wearing. After making sure that I was comfortable, the jarring noise of the scanning started. The cans didn't help much but I can't imagine how it would have been if I weren't wearing the cans. It's absolutely not the place to go if you are claustrophobic! It didn't help that the technician didn't inform me of what's happening next.
During the scanning, you can feel the varying strength of the magnetism being used, both by the sound it generated, and also the physical effect it had on the body and the air around it. At one point, I can feel the skin around my waist area almost pounding in-sync with the scanning.
So there i was, stuck in the tube, with the loud jarring zheh zheh noise going on and on for around half an hour before I was unceremoniously rolled out being none the worse.
Later that day, I picked up my report and found to my relief, no lesion or any visible abnormality was detected. So I'll wait for my next appointment with my Doc at CGH to see my next course of action and hopefully no more visit to the MRI...
