To tell the truth, I never even thought about having to worry about
MRI’s since I only use silver. After reading the posts about getting
pieces of sawblades, etc. stuck in people’s eyes, it makes perfect
sense for ANYONE doing any kind of metal work requiring tools made
out of metal to take note of the fact that they could end up with
some type of magnetic metal stuck in their body without ever knowing
it. If any of you Orchidians do engraving as well as jewelry design,
maybe you should consider whipping up your own line of medic jewelry
targeted specifically at the blacksmithing community. It could have
a metal working (blacksmith anvil & hammer or something
similar–maybe even have a choice of designs to be stamped or
engraved onto it) emblem as well as medic alert symbol on it and
enough area to engrave ‘Metal Worker - NO MRI’s’ (for example) and
any other medical conditions the particular customer has as well as
the standard info. Whether it says Metal Worker, Jeweler,
Silversmith, Blacksmith, etc., I think it would be VERY beneficial
for the person to have NO MRI’s added as well, because just listing
that you make jewelry doesn’t mean that the person in the medical
profession checking the bracelet will automatically think about
possible problems having one done. There could also be other tests
that may need to be done that may affect embedded metal as well as
MRI’s. I just ordered an inexpensive stainless bracelet after
reading the posts, but have a feeling my husband will make fun of me
saying that I won’t have to worry about ever needing an MRI done.
Heather Plessner
–In WA state, where 50 degrees F feels like binkini weather
My engineer husband worked in a wire mill and frequently came home
with tiny pricks that turned out to be embedded metal. Though many
years ago, this is a good warning. Also, those who care for elderly
parents need to be aware of their partial dentures. My 88 year old
mother’s pride led her to conceal one of her two partials. We
thought we had removed her only partial until she came back from the
MRI complaining that her mouth was burning. Find out now before
illness has rendered your elderly loved one unable to tell you these
important things.
Mr. Plessner, I must have missed something why can’t one have and
mri if you have a sliver of something of metal on or in you… I know
I just had a foot mri and had to take off all my jewelery etc…
didn’t think to ask why… maganets… but what would a piece of
silver sliver do to one??? calgang not looking forward to amy more
INdian drums beting tho… hopefully… calgang@aol.com
Sorry I haven’t responded earlier. I’ve gotten really behind on
reading the Digest, and haven’t even gotten all the way through the
ones piled up in my In-Box yet. So someone else most likely let you
know why you have to worry about MRIs and metal. I don’t know
exactly how an MRI works, but it is a huge VERY powerful magnet. So
you can’t have any kind of magnetic reactive metal on when they do
one. As far as I always knew, silver isn’t magnetic, but the tools
used to craft silver ARE. So if you get a metal chip from one of
your tools embedded in your eye or anywhere else and then have an
MRI while it is still inside your body, the magnet can interact with
the metal, causing a ‘blender’ effect. As one previous post
mentioned before I submitted my message, if you have a piece of
metal in your eye and have an MRI done, it can swirl around in your
eye and cause permanent blindness or even death if it somehow shoots
into your brain or spinal cord.
One other suggestion I had and forgot to mention about if anyone
decides to start their own line of Medic jewelry targeted at metal
workers, you may consider making anklets or even arm bands/cuffs.
That way, the people who wear a lot of bracelets or necklaces and
don’t want to be ‘encumbered’ by having to constantly wear a Medic
Bracelet or necklace that doesn’t ‘match’ whatever else they are
wearing clothing-wise or adornment-wise will be appeased. I know
anklets and arm cuffs aren’t as noticeable as the standard bracelets
and chains, but if the person wearing it has a ‘wallet card’ like I
have seen available on most medic jewelry sites, then I don’t see a
reason why one couldn’t be worn somewhere else.
Also, if someone is considering creating their own line of medic
alert items, but are worried there won’t be enough visibility for
selling the product and targeting blacksmiths of all trades, Orchid
may let you advertise them on their site if you pledge to donate a
certain percentage of the profits to help support their wonderful
database of knowledge… It would also help promote more
awareness of the potential for serious injury and possible death to
occur while having an MRI done. I am a beginning silversmith, and
didn’t know about it until a couple weeks ago, so I am sure there
are plenty of other newbies out there who can benefit from the info.
Heck–there are probably many a seasoned blacksmiths out there that
have never taken the time to stop and think about maybe needing an
MRI later on down the line, and then when it comes time, it totally
slips their mind…
Heather Plessner
-WA state, where it was getting up into the 70’s and felt like I was back in
Tucson, but now is in the 50’s again (perfect bikini weather!!-NOT)