Visiting the "Quote Garden" Before My MRI

Worrying is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do, but it gets you nowhere. ~Glenn Turner

I am extraordinarily claustrophobic, so an MRI is basically my least favorite thing in the world. Dr. Nash ordered a mild sedative for me this time, which hopefully will help.

One of my students, who is a cheerleader, let me in on a little secret ... before the cheer team goes into a big competition (and they usually win Nationals), each cheerleader tucks a small slip of paper with an inspirational quote on it into their shoe. My student explained that the quote changes with each competition, and gives the team a sense of hidden strength and unity.

I'm stealing this idea, and have chosen the following quote to slip inside my own shoe for today's competition between myself and that coffin-like tube...

"We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot." Eleanor Roosevelt

Between the quote and the sedative, I might just be able to control my panic long enough to avoid being pulled out of the machine every 15 minutes because I'm "freaking out" (I believe that's the medical term for it). Guess we will see.