Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Just to be safe, just to rule things out.

A year ago I went in for my first ever mamogram. That wasn't so bad, I thought as I was waiting for the results... Not nearly as bad as I had heard it would be. Then the tech lady shows up and says "we need to take a few more." Okay, fine squish away. I wait a bit longer as the film is developed and the radiologist examines the film. While I'm waiting I pick up the latest Redbook which just happens to have an extensive article on Breast Cancer. Oh this is reassuring!! Back in comes the lovely tech lady with: The radioligist wants just two more. Okay fine, no biggy. I can handle that...

Inside I'm starting to get really nervous...Then comes the visit from the radioligist, who is, seriously, one of the most handsome men God created. When I get over the fact that he's beautiful, lives in rural Wisconsin (shouldn't someone like that be in movies?) and is talking about my breasts, I realize there is a problem. They've found some calcifications. Damn! What's that mean? There is talk of a biopsy. Not that it's necessary. Sometimes these things are just naturally there. Hmmm what to do. I go home, worry, talk to Jack, worry some more. Search the web. Worry, talk to a friend. Worry, talk to the radiologist some more. I can't say enough about this man, he gave me his direct line because he obviously saw how worried I was. (like he doesn't do that for everyone??) After speaking to him again I decided to wait six months and have another mamogram.

Six month later, to the day, I am back in being squished. Things look the same, but now we see some calcifications on the other breast. Sigh.. come back in six months.

Six months was yesterday. Lots of scanning this time. It seems I have "youthful breasts" with lots of breast tissue. The mammogram shows strange things sometimes because my breasts are so dense (youthful). This is the reason why instead of 4 x-rays we have to do 8 to 10. Just to be safe, just to rule things out. Every doctor who has examined me has told me that my breasts are "different" so maybe I should have been more prepared. This time Mr Handsome lets me go and see the films. It is so interesting and I am suprised he can even find the calcifiations. They look like specks in the film. He acutally uses a magnifying glass. So there you are. I go back in again in six months. He believes that my breasts are "just that way" but we should look again in six months. Just to be safe, just to rule things out.

Sigh - Have I mentioned how sore I am? Part of the lovely procedure is to make sure they can see every possible bit of the tissue, so they have to practically scrape away the breast to the bone to get it all in. I swear today these pups have to hanging an inch lower. And, I'm to be reassured that when they do start to hang lower, it won't be so bad, there will be less breast tissue and less concern. WHAT!! They are already lower than they should be!!!

AGGGHHHHH!!!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Kathy
I am so happy that you got taken care of and there is attention to follow up etc.

I have the same thing, dense breast tissue and have been having mammograms for years because they cant tell from doing the normal exam. My breasts went west years ago.