Guest guest Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 I just cringed when I read your description of having to wait so long for the results. I don't know why they do that to cancer survivors. It just brings it all back. I just had a mammogram a couple of weeks ago, and had to have more pictures done, and then an ultrasound. I got a letter from the radiology clinic saying that they found something that was most likely benign and that I should return in six months for another mammogram. I phoned the radiology clinic to ask who makes that six month appointment, apparently my Drs. office should do that, but I have to remind him. I talked to the guy who signed the letter that was sent to me, and he assured me that in most women my age it is usually just a fibrous cyst. I'm not sure if he knew that I am a cancer survivor, but I'm sure he knew by the questions I asked. I hate that wait between tests to see if anything has changed. Congratulations on your clean bill of health! I agree with you that the mammogram is a very important test to have done, along with the Pap; which my Dr. says I don't have to have anymore since I've had a hysterectomy. Take care, Kerry OT: Mammogram done Posted by: " nancydewolf@... " nancydewolf@... croppingwoman Date: Mon Jun 22, 2009 12:58 pm ((PDT)) Hi Donna, , Darcy and everyone else reading this thread, I made it through the exam and am fine for another year. It was an extremely difficult time though. I had to wait forever to be taken and normally it is pretty quick. I took that in stride but my anxiety level couldn't help but go up a little bit. Then a seriously chatty (as in waaaaaaay too chatty for my mood) technician took me in. I got a gown with a missing string so I had to go and get another one myself. I handled it but it was just one more thing going not quite right so the meter went up a wee bit more. Seriously chatty tech was also not nearly as gentle as other techs I've had at this hospital. I have never had a painful mammogram and most I've had haven't even been very uncomfortable. This was not painful but definitely not comfortable. For once I was thankful to only have 1 boob they have to check (the other is an implant, I still have to do monthly self-exams on it but mammograms don't work on it)... there are blessings in even the very worst circumstances, sometimes you have to look hard to find them but they're there, this was mine in this morning's experience. Before I continue with my story... do not let fear of pain or discomfort of a mammogram keep you from having one done!! The physical and emotional pain of a cancer diagnosis and treatment, especially if you don't catch it early, is far worse!!! Anyway, mammo done, tech tells me to sit in the mammo waiting area (where you sit with other women in their gowns waiting for the exam or results) and she'd be back in 15 minutes with results. A lady near me starts talking to me about how she was a 12 year survivor of a very aggressive cancer and that one time she'd had a mammogram and they hadn't given her results for 45 minutes and she was terrified but thankfully she was fine. They always come out to give you info after about 15 minutes there, I thought to myself, hopefully that won't happen to me today. Wouldn't you know it, but 45 minutes later, I finally went and found someone to ask about my results! My chatty tech got sidetracked apparently. During the time when I debated about finding someone I was remembering when I was diagnosed. After *that* mammo they wanted more pics, okay no big deal there, I've had that with x-rays before and besides, I was only 37, nothing could go wrong. Then a doc talked to me and told me he was recommending a biopsy, and said most of the time there is no cancer. My MIL told me she'd had several biopsies and it was no big deal, nothing had ever been found so I was fine going into it. When they said they actually wanted to biopsy two different areas I got nervous but figured it was probably no big deal, I'm young (my best friend, who is a veterinarian, said she knew it was cancer as soon as I told her they biopsied more than one area, turned out they could have done a third but were pretty sure what they were dealing with already). Then I got " the phone call " and I finally realized, I had breast cancer... I tried to keep myself calm today with all that flooding back, trying to calm myself knowing it could happen again, remembering how I became aware that it could happen at all... I finally got up to ask someone about my results and was amazed at my composure. I sat back down, fighting to stay that way and finally the tech told me that everything was fine and that they'd see me again in another year. I was so relieved and so upset at the same time I know a few tears escaped in front of her. I hope she realized (and told my original tech) that they cannot keep survivors waiting that long!! I'm fine now though and very glad I'm okay. I went & got the kids from my in-law's house and, after playing with my 1 year old niece and 3 year old nephew for a few minutes, we went to the library and lost ourselves in a world of wonderful books. Eventually we wandered home and had lunch, now I'm digesting and having to start working on dinner soon (it was a late lunch). I haven't gotten to my workout yet, but it is Walk & Kick and a new to me yoga workout so that will be easy to do after dinner. I don't like to do tough workouts in the evening though. I don't have the mental and emotional energy for them but this I can do. It has absolutely no dread and I look forward to it so I should get it in unless something weird happens between now & then. Will post it when I do it though, for accountability at any rate. Thanks for reading this long tale and thanks so much for thinking about me today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 23, 2009 Report Share Posted June 23, 2009 Hi Kerry, I think I'd freak out and faint if I got a letter like that!! It is an awful thing to do to a survivor! At the 2 hospitals here I've had mamograms at since my diagnosis they always tell the survivors their results before they leave the clinic and I am so grateful for that. Usually it is a 15 minute wait... a very long 15 minute wait but not nearly like yesterday. I hope you'll let us know what the results are after the 6 month appointment! Good luck with the waiting for it too! Hugs, Re: OT: Mammogram done I just cringed when I read your description of having to wait so long for the results. I don't know why they do that to cancer survivors. It just brings it all back. I just had a mammogram a couple of weeks ago, and had to have more pictures done, and then an ultrasound. I got a letter from the radiology clinic saying that they found something that was most likely benign and that I should return in six months for another mammogram. I phoned the radiology clinic to ask who makes that six month appointment, apparently my Drs. office should do that, but I have to remind him. I talked to the guy who signed the letter that was sent to me, and he assured me that in most women my age it is usually just a fibrous cyst. I'm not sure if he knew that I am a cancer survivor, but I'm sure he knew by the questions I asked. I hate that wait between tests to see if anything has changed.Congratulations on your clean bill of health! I agree with you that the mammogram is a very important test to have done, along with the Pap; which my Dr. says I don't have to have anymore since I've had a hysterectomy.Take care,KerryOT: Mammogram donePosted by: "nancydewolfsbcglobal (DOT) net" nancydewolfsbcglobal (DOT) net croppingwomanDate: Mon Jun 22, 2009 12:58 pm ((PDT))Hi Donna, , Darcy and everyone else reading this thread,I made it through the exam and am fine for another year. It was an extremely difficult time though. I had to wait forever to be taken and normally it is pretty quick. I took that in stride but my anxiety level couldn't help but go up a little bit. Then a seriously chatty (as in waaaaaaay too chatty for my mood) technician took me in. I got a gown with a missing string so I had to go and get another one myself. I handled it but it was just one more thing going not quite right so the meter went up a wee bit more. Seriously chatty tech was also not nearly as gentle as other techs I've had at this hospital. I have never had a painful mammogram and most I've had haven't even been very uncomfortable. This was not painful but definitely not comfortable. For once I was thankful to only have 1 boob they have to check (the other is an implant, I still have to do monthly self-exams on it but mammograms don't work on it)... there are blessings in even the very worst circumstances, sometimes you have to look hard to find them but they're there, this was mine in this morning's experience. Before I continue with my story... do not let fear of pain or discomfort of a mammogram keep you from having one done!! The physical and emotional pain of a cancer diagnosis and treatment, especially if you don't catch it early, is far worse!!!Anyway, mammo done, tech tells me to sit in the mammo waiting area (where you sit with other women in their gowns waiting for the exam or results) and she'd be back in 15 minutes with results. A lady near me starts talking to me about how she was a 12 year survivor of a very aggressive cancer and that one time she'd had a mammogram and they hadn't given her results for 45 minutes and she was terrified but thankfully she was fine. They always come out to give you info after about 15 minutes there, I thought to myself, hopefully that won't happen to me today. Wouldn't you know it, but 45 minutes later, I finally went and found someone to ask about my results! My chatty tech got sidetracked apparently. During the time when I debated about finding someone I was remembering when I was diagnosed. After *that* mammo they wanted more pics, okay no big deal there, I've had that with x-rays before and besides, I was only 37, nothing could go wrong. Then a doc talked to me and told me he was recommending a biopsy, and said most of the time there is no cancer. My MIL told me she'd had several biopsies and it was no big deal, nothing had ever been found so I was fine going into it. When they said they actually wanted to biopsy two different areas I got nervous but figured it was probably no big deal, I'm young (my best friend, who is a veterinarian, said she knew it was cancer as soon as I told her they biopsied more than one area, turned out they could have done a third but were pretty sure what they were dealing with already). Then I got "the phone call" and I finally realized, I had breast cancer... I tried to keep myself calm today with all that flooding back, trying to calm myself knowing it could happen again, remembering how I became aware that it could happen at all... I finally got up to ask someone about my results and was amazed at my composure. I sat back down, fighting to stay that way and finally the tech told me that everything was fine and that they'd see me again in another year. I was so relieved and so upset at the same time I know a few tears escaped in front of her. I hope she realized (and told my original tech) that they cannot keep survivors waiting that long!! I'm fine now though and very glad I'm okay. I went & got the kids from my in-law's house and, after playing with my 1 year old niece and 3 year old nephew for a few minutes, we went to the library and lost ourselves in a world of wonderful books. Eventually we wandered home and had lunch, now I'm digesting and having to start working on dinner soon (it was a late lunch). I haven't gotten to my workout yet, but it is Walk & Kick and a new to me yoga workout so that will be easy to do after dinner. I don't like to do tough workouts in the evening though. I don't have the mental and emotional energy for them but this I can do. It has absolutely no dread and I look forward to it so I should get it in unless something weird happens between now & then. Will post it when I do it though, for accountability at any rate.Thanks for reading this long tale and thanks so much for thinking about me today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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