Talk with the hospital or imaging center staff about the procedure before the day of your appointment. Understanding what type of MRI machine you will be using, and the techniques associated with it, and visiting the hospital or imaging facility before your appointment can help you avoid any surprises on the day of your scan and make it a stress-free experience. Discuss your medical history with your doctor to ensure that you do not have a condition that would prevent you from getting an MRI. Those who are pregnant or have a metal implant, such as a pacemaker, cannot receive an MRI. If available at your location, ask the receptionist to schedule you in the open MRI. There are different imaging machines that are less restrictive, creating an environment less likely to induce claustrophobia. An Open High Field MRI has open sides and nothing holding you down. In an Open Upright MRI the patient sits or stands in the machine and there is nothing in front of their face. However, this machine produces less detailed scans and is less common. Be sure to inquire about the length of the procedure and the steps involved in the MRI imaging process. Depending on the body part being imaged, you may not need to fully enter the MRI machine. For example, to acquire images of the knee, leg, or foot the patient only needs to insert their leg into the scanner tube - not their entire body. Patients generally experienced less anxiety if they met a staff member before their appointment. Calling for information may also be helpful if visiting the center is impractical. Discussing the hospital or imaging center's resources for making the experience more pleasant may alleviate your fears. The doctors and technologists may have tips and strategies that will help you feel more at ease.

Summary: Plan ahead. Talk with your physician. See what the scanner looks like. Ask questions. Meet members of the imaging center or hospital staff. Strategize plans for anxiety management during the procedure.

Read the recipe carefully before starting to mix or bake cookies. You may need to place the cookie sheet on a certain rack or even change the temperature mid-baking. If you choose to alter the ingredients in any way, be aware that this might change the baking times or temperature. As soon as you've placed the cookies into your oven, set a standalone kitchen timer or program the one on your oven. This will let you closely monitor for doneness and avoid burning your cookies. Make sure that the timer's buzzer is loud enough, so that you'll hear it wherever you are in the house. If you test the cookies for doneness at the minimum time and they aren't done, then you'll want to keep a close eye on them moving forward. As each minute passes, either peer through the glass door of the oven or open it up and perform another check. Be aware that this isn't something you'd want to do throughout the entire cooking time, just at the very end. Opening the oven does change the interior temperature.

Summary: Follow the recipe's directions. Use a timer and set it to the minimum bake time. Check cookies at one minute intervals when the time is up.

If your surgeon closed the wounds with stitches, food won't be able to get in the holes. You may see particles near the extraction sites that look grey, black, blue, green, or yellow. This is normal discoloration and is part of the healing process. Thoroughly brush and floss the rest of your mouth, but avoid the teeth closest to the wound. It's okay to rinse the first day, but you have to take certain precautions. Combine 1/4 teaspoon salt with one cup of warm water. Stir it well to mix. Avoid swishing the saltwater rinse in your mouth or spitting it out. Gently move your head to move the rinse around your mouth or use your tongue to help move the saline solution around. After rinsing, lean over the sink and open your mouth to let the rinse fall out. Don't spit. Your doctor may also give you chlorhexidine gluconate (Peridex, Periogard) to rinse with. This is a germicidal mouthwash that helps kill bacteria. Try diluting it with water at a 1:1 ratio to avoid any possible negative effects of the chlorhexidine. Don't use your tongue to prod the hole, either. Doing this may introduce bacteria to the wound, and could disrupt the healing tissue. Instead, stick to salt water rinses to remove food particles. Any kind of suction activity in the mouth could dislodge blood clots, causing a painful dry socket and potentially leading to infection.

Summary: Ask your surgeon whether sutures were used. Avoid contact with the wound for the remainder of the day. Rinse very gently with saltwater for the first 48 hours. Do not use fingers or any foreign objects to remove food. Avoid smoking and using straws.

Good body language is central to helping the other person feel comfortable and open to talking to you. Sitting ramrod straight in your chair may actually make the other person uneasy. To demonstrate your comfort level, smile gently and lean back a bit in your chair for an angular posture. Or, prop yourself casually against a wall or column if you're standing. Another way to show you're relaxed is by loosening up your shoulders. Drop them down and backwards if they're tense. A good conversation involves a connection between you and the other person. You won't achieve that connection if you're facing away from them. Plus, turning your body or your feet away demonstrates that you're actually ready to leave. Instead, orient your body towards the other person. To exhibit interest during certain parts of the conversation, lean forward towards the person. Regular eye contact is essential to keeping a conversation going. You should immediately make eye contact at the start of the conversation. Then, maintain it by looking into the other person's eyes for about four to five seconds. Looking away is okay, too! Take a few seconds to survey your surroundings before re-establishing eye contact again. Aim for about half the time when you are speaking and 70 percent of the time when you are listening. Sticking to this ratio helps you remember how much eye contact to make without staring someone down. Crossed arms and legs send the message that you're disinterested in what the other person has to say. It can also make you appear guarded or defensive. If you have a habit of crossing your arms and legs, make an extra effort to relax them at your sides during a conversation. It's perfectly okay if this doesn't feel normal to you at first. Give it a try. Over time, you may come to feel more at ease. If you're not feeling too confident, you can position your body in a way that makes you look and feel self-assured. When sitting, try clasping your hands behind your head in an inverted "V." If you're standing, a great way to power-pose is by placing your hands on your hips during the conversation.
Summary: Display relaxed body language. Face the person you're talking to. Make eye contact. Uncross your arms and legs. Power-pose to project confidence.