MRI Tunes
My Neuralgic adventures included my first MRI, which merits some reactions.
1. I'm kind of weird about what makes me claustrophobic and what doesn't. This didn't.
2. Once there, the only thing that made it hard to follow the instruction "don't move" was laughing at the instruction "don't move." This was a brain MRI, after all. First they wedge you into a neck brace, then cover your head with a clear plastic mask, whose chief communication with the rest of the universe is a mirror. Moving, apart from eye-blinking, was not an option.
3. Your instructions will suggest bringing your own CD for background music. When making your choice, I suggest something that blends with the experience. The acoustics of the experience cover a range from banging apartment pipes to being stuck below a steel deck with someone dumping scrap metal above. Depending on your inclination, I suggest recent American Minimalism, off-tempo electronica or industrial rock. None of these options would make any pretence of drowning out sounds which simply can't be drowned out. They would enhance the existing sonic experience, and seamlessly fill the silent spots between the pipe-banging, spots which otherwise are very distracting.
MRIs belong to that class of experience which become more unpleasant the more you resist them. If you approach an MRI intent on comparing it with, say, an evening with your feet up reading a good book, you'll probably find it disappointing, even upsetting. However, if you consider it as an event in itself, something you can properly compare only to other imaging, and turn your curiosity loose to probe the experience, the outcome will be a lot different.
I can't say I want another MRI real soon. At least, I want enough time to compile suitable background music.
1. I'm kind of weird about what makes me claustrophobic and what doesn't. This didn't.
2. Once there, the only thing that made it hard to follow the instruction "don't move" was laughing at the instruction "don't move." This was a brain MRI, after all. First they wedge you into a neck brace, then cover your head with a clear plastic mask, whose chief communication with the rest of the universe is a mirror. Moving, apart from eye-blinking, was not an option.
3. Your instructions will suggest bringing your own CD for background music. When making your choice, I suggest something that blends with the experience. The acoustics of the experience cover a range from banging apartment pipes to being stuck below a steel deck with someone dumping scrap metal above. Depending on your inclination, I suggest recent American Minimalism, off-tempo electronica or industrial rock. None of these options would make any pretence of drowning out sounds which simply can't be drowned out. They would enhance the existing sonic experience, and seamlessly fill the silent spots between the pipe-banging, spots which otherwise are very distracting.
MRIs belong to that class of experience which become more unpleasant the more you resist them. If you approach an MRI intent on comparing it with, say, an evening with your feet up reading a good book, you'll probably find it disappointing, even upsetting. However, if you consider it as an event in itself, something you can properly compare only to other imaging, and turn your curiosity loose to probe the experience, the outcome will be a lot different.
I can't say I want another MRI real soon. At least, I want enough time to compile suitable background music.
posted by Uncle | 01:24
1 Comments:
The Moody Blues...the only good use in the post-LSD era for overly orchestrated quasi-rockers that can't make a toe tap is an MRI. Bliss to the strings and don't worry about being inspired to move.
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