Derek Cole describes his claustrophobic MRI experience and how heat triggered his MS symptoms, including slurred speech. He compares imaging facilities and shares practical tips like arriving early and resting before appointments to manage fatigue.
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So I pressed the button again. She lets me out. You know, I get up and I'm like, sorry, I was just on the high. She's like, oh, you only have, like, three minutes left. Convenience store. And it said that, you know, smile your own camera. And I looked up and, you know, has the. Has the measurements on the door. So apparently, according to them. I didn't know this. According to them, I'm five. Five, five and a half feet.
So.
Somewhere along lines, you know, I shrunk. I shrunk five and a half inches somewhere even I thought was funny. But, yeah, I'm headed to. To Duke for my checkup. Check in, see how everything's going. Do not have to do an MRI today. I actually haven't done one. Hadn't done the run in a. I know I said this on the podcast, but I don't think I said it on YouTube. The last time I had an MRI, it was. I won't say where, but it was a little warm in the room for me. So anytime my body heats up or my temperature heats up, my ms, you know, comes out. Anytime I'm tired or exhausted, it makes my Ms. Worse. So that's why you hear my slurring sometimes. Or when that happens, I'm usually tired or warm or both. Anyway, it was. It was kind of warm in the room, and I was like, it's a little. This is a little warning me. But, you know, the MRI is going to take an hour and 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how quickly they go through it, because you got to do a brain again. And then after the brain, the neck and the spinal cord and all that takes a minute, it's fine, but a little warm. Start getting there, you know, lay down. This is. This place is kind of old school compared to Duke. Has the mask that goes over your face like I used to have. So I'm like, all right, I'm fine. A little claustrophobic, but, yeah, I've done, what, like, almost 20 of these, so it shouldn't be a problem. Right? So it starts. They start. Let me back up scene. I'm used to people. There's no clock in there. Okay. You know, I don't have access to my watch, don't have access to my phone, so I have no concept of time whatsoever. So as this is going on, you know, I'm trying to control my breathing. You know, there's the mask right over my head, right over my face. Trying to stay calm. It's a little warm. Heart rates up a little bit. Trying to be still for the mri, so when I'm used to it, Duke. Anyway, the room is cool, almost cold. They're always talking to you. They're always talking to you. Hey, we're doing this again. It's going to take you 15 minutes. Boom. We're doing this one. It's going to take 20 minutes. Boom. We're doing this. It's going to take 40 minutes. Boom. But at this other place, there's no one talking to me, so I have no concept of time. I just know I'm not. I'm trying not to freak out. I don't know how long is left. I don't know how long I've been there. I just know I've been there for a while. I got that little button thing in my hand. I've never pushed this in my life. I've never freaked out because mainly I'm used to someone telling me, hey, do you have this much left? We're doing the spinal cord. We're doing this test. It's going to be 15 minutes starting now. So always have a someone talk to me, tell me, hey, you're fine. We're doing this. We're doing this. I got some idea of time anyway. At this appointment, at this mri, none of that is happening. So claustrophobic. Got mask on my face. It's getting warm. I'm getting hot. Heart rate's really going up. I can feel it. But I'm like, derek, calm down.
It's fine.
Calm down.
It's fine. But no one's talking to. No one's saying anything. I have no concept of what's happening. I've lost the fact that I don't know how long I've been there. I don't know how much I got left. Anyway, I literally cannot take it anymore. You know, I'm trying not to freak out, but finally I pressed the button. Press the button. The lady comes on. She's like, you're all right. I'm like, let me out. Let me out. And she lets me out. You know, I get up and I'm like, sorry. It was just. I'm.
I'm hot.
It's. I have no. She's like, oh, you only had, like, three minutes left. I was like, okay, that was a very good piece, information before I got out of here. Got out of the machine and stood up. So, anyway, I didn't have a. A good result on that last portion of the spinal cord, but I guess it was good enough. They didn't say anything else, so I'm saying that to say this. Every place is not equal. I got to Duke. I got used to the cold room. They don't have a mask anymore to go. They got earphones. They don't have a mask that goes over your head anymore in your face. So anyway, next time I get an mri, it's probably going to be back at Duke. No, it's a long drive. Two hours one way at 45 minutes, an hour makes a difference. So I did not. I. I didn't get a survey. I didn't get a feedback form. If I would have, I would have said that. And if I'm in the environment and someone asked me, I will tell them. But yeah, yeah, near, you know, laying in a confined space for like 40 minutes, you do need to talk to someone to let them know what's. Yeah, I got up. It's just like, yeah, like three minutes left. I was like, all right, that was good information before I got up.
But anyway, no MRI mask anywhere on the Duke campus. But I'm in a room by myself, but already checked in. We didn't part, took a nap and walked over here.
A little.
Hack for you. Always show up worthy, especially with Ms. Or if you have fatigue. One thing that I've been ashamed of, and I'm working on it, but it's my fatigue and having to take a nap or having to take, you know, 20 minutes and, and refocus to regroup. So today I showed up like in like an hour before my appointment. That way they want to check in 30 minutes before the appointment, but it had, you know, 15, 20 minutes after a part of just sitting in the car, relaxing. I don't think I even took a nap, just relaxed. Take a moment, take a beat. Sometimes you need that. And then I, you know, walk through the parking deck and walked all the way over here to the clinic and checked in and weighed in and now I'm waiting. So just take a minute and, you know, if it takes you a little while somewhere, give yourself plenty of time. Give yourself time. Don't try to cut it close. Give yourself time so you can be the best version of yourself at that moment. So waiting on the doctor and we'll see how it goes.
If you would like to help me personally, then please rate and review on Apple podcast. Give it some stars. Leave a review, because that stuff actually does help. And I read all the comments. So my last thought for today, please remember, you deserve better air at home and greater comfort at home. Don't settle for being uncomfortable for your heating and air every single month. We are so thankful for having you here in our community. And be sure to go deeper with us at simmons1hour.com.
