This may sound strange to some, but it is this way with me.

I have worked underneath cars solidly sitting on jackstands with my nose almost rubbing the undercarraige and my arms stretched over my head dong some work that I could not reach otherwise. I do this with no fear and small discomfort of a mental nature (Although sometimes I wish I was rich enough to have someone else do it.). I can work in small rooms with closed doors, in tight places, get on elevators, and scrunch up in cars and buses without trepidation.

I can not get into a sausage stuffer MRI!

I used to do some weight lifting when I was younger and although some of the muscles are no longer all there, the large chest and wide shoulders are. I weigh 265 lbs. and am 5' 10" (And shrinking.), so there is a fair sized gut involved.

The last time I tried to get into a tube shaped MRI, my shoulders were so wide that they wanted me to hold my arms above my head for the 45 to 60 minutes that I was going to be in there. Stretching my arms thusly tended to make my belly jut upwards and almost touch the tube. The MRI was for my right knee, and they would still have had to put my head completely in the tube which would have put my face within kissing distance of the tube. Even though I had taken a relaxant pill before hand and it had mellowed me out, as soon as my face started to go into the tube with my arms in an extended position which was not just uncomfortable, but painful because of my arthritis, I demanded out of the tube. I ended up having the MRI done at a place that had an open MRI, with music and a muscle relaxant. My arms stayed at my sides and the only discomfort was having my knee locked up in a jig for that extended period of about 45 minutes.

So why can I crawl under a 4,000+ lb. automobile, while alone, which can slip and crush me, and still fear a solid tube that is monitored by competent and caring people which cannot hurt me?

I believe it is about CONTROL!

If I begin to feel uncomfortable while working on something, I decide if I want to slide in, do not have to remain still (I do a fair amount of twisting, grunting, growning, and swearing.) while underneath, can always slide out, take a break, have a Pepsi, and go back underneath at my time of chosing. Over the years, I have developed techniques for working under cars that make it easy for me.

Back in the old days when I couldn't jack the car up high enough because of my girth to use a mechanics creeper, I would put down some heavy dry cardboard so that I could slide in and out faster and easier than you would be able to on concrete, asphalt, or dirt. I didn,t use carpet because it was not as slippery as dry cardboard that I would get free at the local furniture sellers.

Since I am one of these guys that would look at a new tool catalog before I would look at the swimsuit addition of a sports magazine, I am on a lot of mailing lists. One day I got a catalog from Harbor Freight Tools out of California and went straight to ecstasy. They were selling a 2 1/2 ton floor jack that would lift a car 31+ inches. I made all my bills for that month wait and wrote out the check for $159.00 and ordered one. It took two of us to get that thing off the loading dock, into my van, and into my garage. I then bought four 6 ton jack stands, not for the weight factor, but for the height they offer. When I work on cars now, I can use a mechanics creeper and slide from one end of the car to the other without feeling constricted.

Craig, the MRI is safe!

Craig, the people that are going to be there for you care, and they want to help you.

Craig, my fear is unreasonable and therefore should NOT be your fear.

If you still feel uncomfortable, always know that they will listen to you and remove you at any stage of the examination and in your case that should be enough.

Good luck!

Bountyhunter