Funny little side story about my MRI experience...
On this particular Monday, when I found myself preparing for an MRI, I had two pieces of body jewelry - a small stud in my nose and an industrial bar in my upper ear.
I had gotten my nose pierced back when I was 19, and then had to let it go for "professionalism" reasons, based on early-aughts government contractor standards (things have certainly lightened up on that front). I got it re-pierced in January of 2020, with a cute little sparkly stud that I liked, and then the world shut down and I ended up needing to wear a mask 97% of the time, and I just never really thought about it - it was just there.
The industrial bar came a little later, right after piercing establishments opened up "post"-Covid (we're still not really post-Covid, but there isn't another phrase that works so well), in June 2021. Similarly, I got it done, enjoyed how it looked, but didn't really pursue changing the jewelry out or changing the look of it in any way.
I tell you all of this because, as I sat in the emergency department room at B&W hospital, I realized I needed to remove my jewelry before heading into the machine. Easy enough to remove my rings and a small bracelet cuff I wear most days, and I fiddled with the industrial enough to figure out how to get it out... but I was suddenly struck by the thought:
I don't know how to take the nose piercing out.
Back in the day, nose piercings were kind of a corkscrew-like set up, but this more recent time, it was a stud with a cap on the end to keep it in place. I had fiddled with it randomly in the past, and never seemed to get anywhere, so I just left it alone. Now, I really didn't have any idea how to get it out. There was no release lever, no little catch, seemingly no edge to grab. How was I going to get this out?! I had visions of the machine doing it for me - not pretty visions, and certainly not helpful in keeping my anxiety and blood pressure down. I fiddled, I tried to pull at it... but the real drawback of this approach is that you look like you're picking your nose. Endlessly. Not even really picking - digging for treasure! So gross.
I confessed my conundrum to friends I was texting with throughout the night, mostly laughing at myself. At least one friend helped with some google resources and the consensus seemed to be that I just needed to pull harder.
So I did. I grabbed as firmly as I could - not easy with a tiny little stud in my not-very-spacious nostril with my not-so-tiny fingers - and tugged. I took a deep breath and tugged some more.
FINALLY, it came free without any real damage. I was sooo relieved (still kind of embarrassed) and found a small pocket in my backpack to put the stud in. I made a mental note to ask for some rubbing alcohol so I could clean it thoroughly before putting it back in, backpack pockets being notorious catchalls for all manner of junk. But then it seemed like I might need to have another MRI sooner than later, and then... well, I fear I missed my window. So I'm back to no nose piercing anymore.
Probably for the best, since I know I will need to continue to have MRIs regularly for awhile. At some point, when all of that settles down, maybe I'll replace it again. Or maybe I'll spring for some decent faux-piercings to hold me over? I did get the industrial bar back in, and even upgraded the jewelry, but I do miss that nose stud.
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