I am generally fascinated with big and huge things – be it automobile, buildings or machine. The endlessness of sea attracts me much more than the calmness of soothing river.
So whenever I used to see big machines whether in factories or hospitals, I always wanted to use them and to play with them. So when the doctor prescribed me an MRI, I was happy in a way. Though till date it is not clear to me as to why doctors prescribe so many tests for any ailments but anyway I would let it be a matter to be pondered on by those enlightened white coat wearers. However phobic as I am to the medical procedures – I kept on postponing the scan for quite some time. Then after being prescribed by another doctor (well doctors probebly just need to know that certain test has been asked for by another doctor and they would prescribe the same withjout any delay) and pressuree by a couple of my friends, whose minds have been doctored by their Medicine schools, I decided to take a plunge into the mammoth machine.
I mean, I have been through Ultrasonography and X-rays but those machines fail to bring about same impact as MRI machine would. Whereas USG machine let a probe touch the body and X-ray subjects you to be target of some invisible rays, MRI lets you be a part of itself. Takes you in and makes you one with the system.
The reception nurses scared me a lot by mentioning again and again about the low temperature etc. But I still went on and submitted myself to the radiologist. The Siemens made machine was in front of meinviting me to get in – the same way sursa invited hanumanji in the mid of the sea. the first instruction I received was to put away all metals on my body. The next one was not to move at all and keep my eyes closed. I was just afraid that I would feel asleep when I am inside the gigantic machine. now tell me what a man is suppose dto do if he has to keep his eyes shut and his body still?
The moment I was slided in, I pressed the diaphragm given to me to indicate that I wish to get out – I still had my rings on my fingers. I was llater told that gold and silver would have no effect of the magnetic field. Though I had read in my chemistry classes that magent impacts primarily ferrous alloys, it is another thing to believe on all the theory when you have your dear rings at stake. So I grabbed my fingers in my fist and allowed myself be pushed in. Once inside, when I did not feel any pull on my fingers, slowly I relaxed but still not letting my fingers be straight, lest at some point the ring are sucked by the golianth.
Then came the realization that i am in the magnetic field and they have put on a matrix of structure around my face. Initially I thought probably it would be to save my eyes and face from some radiation. Later was I told that the matrix structure is to capture the image and my eyes weretp be closed as the matrix may catch artifacts from my eyes (well I do not know what artifacts he was talking about). No sooner than I was about to give in to the idea of sleepinig peacefully in the cold environ, the machines started humming and then slowly the noise turned more discturing, sometime even accompanied by vibration. everytime the noise kept on changing, taking away the chances of sleep completely.
Now when you cannot sleep and you cannot move, somehow or other some part of your body starts itching, knowing quite well that the demands would not be satuated. Now in such situation, the itch would start travelling in the body stimulating different parts of yoru body. Thankfully for me, it ended at my palm where i could caress with my fingers.
All the humming and drumming sound of the machine went on for around 15 minutes, which passed quite like ages for me and I was getting restless to move my body and to feel the life in my muscles. By the time the radiologist announced “2 minutes left”, I was already in countdown mode. Some weird noises were still on from within the machine and as it were the last two minutes, i was enjoying them the more.
Finally as all other good things, my stay in the womb of the elephantine machine came to an end and my stretcher started moving out. The matrix was dismantled and I was relieved to see the world again. I could answer to my 15-minutes itch now and can me visibly impressed by the dimension of the things around.
Time to get out and get going!
