Yikes ~ A Recall Mammogram

From time to time I have to blog about serious topics and serious things going on in my life!!

I just turned 46.  My family Dr. has been after me to get my baseline mammogram since before my 40th birthday!  I am one of those people who absolutely hates Dr's and Dentists, and will avoid going as much as possible. (Someday I will share why I dislike dentists so much...could be because I had an allergic reaction once to the anesthesia and threw up for three days straight and the same dentist poked holes in both of my sinus cavities....)For Dr's  I think it's because it puts too much control in the unknown.  If I have done something like "sprain my ankle" or "have a cough" I will go because I already know what the diagnosis is, and what the outcome will be.  If it's something like this, a mammogram or other "checkup" I will put off going, because after all, I feel just fine and if I don't have any symptoms....what could possibly be wrong :)  I am probably one of the least medicated 46 year old women around, and things like my blood pressure are great!!

Soooo last Friday I was brave, and went in for my baseline mammogram.  It was just like they said, I was in and out in less than 20 minutes.  The tech was great, although, everyone has to admit, it is just a LITTLE weird having to stand there topless in front of someone you don't know while they take your breast and move it around on their little machine etc....but I was a good girl and held my breath and didn't move just like she asked of me!!  :)

Well, Monday I got a call from them again.  They need me to come back in because of something they want to look at closer on my right breast. The message they left said it would be another mammogram and a possible sonogram.   I called today to schedule the appointment. 

The girl I talked to said "it's very common to be called back in, especially on your first baseline visit.  The radiologist has no previous mammogram to look at so he needs to get a better picture so that in the future he will have something to compare it to". 

I finally breathed out for the first time since Monday.

Then she said "it may take one to three hours for this visit".  After it's done the Dr will be there to visit with you and tell you the results. The way she said it just sounded like she knew something I didn't know.  Don't you hate that, when you read something into a conversation.   Ummm yeah, so there goes the momentary feeling better about this visit. 

I've googled everything I can find of course, and pretty much what I am seeing is that one in ten gets called back for a second mammogram, and that 2% of all mammograms end up with a diagnosis of breast cancer. 

Once again I will be holding my breath until next Monday morning.  I go in at 7:30 a.m. 

It's scary. 

I have so many people who depend on me for so many things.  It would be soooo hard to have to put my whole life on hold right now. 

I am praying that it's just because I am a Dolly Partonish kind of woman that he just had a hard time reading the xray film LOL and needs a better picture!!

I know I'm not the only person who has ever had to deal with this dread, and if it turns out to be nothing, I am truly fortunate.  If it is something....I will be in for a big fight!! :)

I wrote this blog for anyone else who is dealing with this now, or who has experienced this in the past, and for all of the beautiful women who have fought breast cancer valiantly. 

For all of you chickens like me

GO GET YOUR MAMMOGRAM!! 

I got my "recall mammogram" on Monday morning!!  Here is the blog link to what that visit was like!!  Please feel free to ask questions or leave comments!!  If I can in any way answer any questions of what it was like or what to expect I would be happy to!!

http://thebesttexasmimi.blogspot.com/2011/08/recall-mammogram-update.html