I went into a MRI similar to this with a mask tighter than in this picture. ©Salisbury Healthcare HistoryOn Monday 11th August I had an experience that is a nightmare for anybody with ADHD - despite the title of this article.

As part of my recovery I had to have an MRI scan. MRI stands for ‟Magnetic Resonance Imaging.” The machine is a beast to put it mildly.

It doesn´t hurt you, it performs no invasive actions on your body, but it creates pictures of whichever part of your anatomy the doctors want to study. I have attached a picture so you can visualise how confined you are.

What it does do however, is roar - it has a repertoire of strange electronic ‟outer space” sounds that blast loudly through the cotton wool stuffed in your ears and the noise cancelling pads over your ears. The noise levels can reach 120db - which is like standing next to a jet plan taking off. 

 This is just 2 minutes of the MRI sounds sourced from Pixabay Freesound Community

 My head was clamped into a cage or helmet because you may not move once you are in the tunnel and this is so difficult for a person with ADHD - the process can take up to 45 minutes!

The top of the tunnel is about 10cm above the mask. I was told to keep my eyes closed which I did the whole time - except for 2 quick peeks - I realised it is better to shut out as much of the stimulus as you can.

Just like an old CD player or vinyl record, every now and again, the noise stopped for a couple of seconds, then a different ‟tune” would start. Sometimes the bed I was lying on would move a couple of centimetres forward or backward - then the beast would roar once more.

The only other discomfort was the ‟air conditioning” - you are blasted with polar-temperature air throughout the process, but I told myself that cowboys don´t cry in front of their horses, so I just ignored it.

I have no idea how long I was in the tunnel the first time, it felt like 15 minutes, but was probably less than that. It was during this first period that I became aware that every time the noise changed, I would tense up. Then I would try to de-stress ever so gently, just in case the movement meant having to start the process all over again.

Eventually the bed rolled out into the light and the radiographers- who are, without exception, just brilliant at Helen Joseph State Hospital- instructed me not to move while they put a drip up.

I am still too weak to clench a proper fist, so they battled to get the drip in, but after slapping my hand a few times, I felt the needle go in. I was very pleased to hear one of the radiographers say, ‟carefully now, I don´t want to have put in stitches!”

These are an example of MRI Results from SJRA.comThis second time was not as long as the first, in fact it felt like half the time. When I rolled out the caring radiographer - Maggie who is in charge of the MRI smiled at me and asked why I was so short of breath. At the time, my senses were so battered I couldn´t think of an answer.

When I say caring, I meant it. Just before the end, Maggie had gone into the passage to call Pat so that she would be there to help me get dressed again.

The wound from the drip was still bleeding, so my angel of a radiographer beckoned me into the darkened control room and patched up my hand. Sitting off to the side facing away from me in the door was the professor.

I heard him say, ‟ this is a beautiful brain!”

I like to think that he was referring to my brain and not just the quality of the MRI pictures!

 PS: I get the results on Tuesday 19th August