Seeing as how it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I thought I would share the experience I had today. It started on Sunday when I was doing my monthly self exam (as I don’t have a family medical history, I have been doing self exams since I was 18), I found a lump in my right breast. I messaged my doctor on their patient portal right away, and they sent a referral for me to have an ultrasound done. I called the imaging office, and they got me an appointment right away for the next today.
Fast forward to today - I checked into my appointment and was brought back quickly from the general waiting room to a changing area. I changed into a hospital gown top and put my things in a locker, then was placed in a more private waiting room with other women waiting for their screening. After waiting awhile because they were short one person, I was brought back for the ultrasound. It was painless and easy.
I waited into the room while the technician went over the images with the doctor. Because the technician could feel the lump but it didn’t show on the ultrasound images, they ordered a mammogram and I was brought back to the waiting room.
I was brought back a short time later for my first ever mammogram. I’m still eight years away from the recommended age for screenings, so I was not fully prepared for what I was going to experience. As I am large chested and the lump is tender, the experience was...uh, singularly awful.
I was then brought back to the waiting room again where I was offered a chocolate kiss by a lovely middle-aged woman. She said I looked far too young to be there and that I must be having a problem. I told her why I was there and she rested a hand on my shoulder, telling me she would pray and that early detection is so important because her sister died of breast cancer. I said my young son was in the general waiting room with my mother in law.
Suddenly, many of the ladies in the waiting room were gushing over how that adorable little baby was my son? And oh yes, they could see it now. They were so supportive and helped me forget briefly while I was there, asking all about my sweet boy.
I was called back for another mammogram with smaller plates that would further flatten the tissue so the doctor could have a closer look. This made me extremely nervous wondering “have they found something?” When I came back out to the waiting room, the ladies continued talking to me and giving me chocolate because “all ladies need chocolate.”
After over two hours of waiting and screenings, I was told to dress and met with the doctor to go over my results. Thankfully, the lump I found appeared to be either a cyst or blocked milk duct and was not anything to worry about, but just to be safe I was to schedule a six month follow up to be sure.
I scheduled my follow up and left my appointment sore and tired, but relieved. After my experience, I cannot express how important it is to do self exams. Also, my faith in humanity received such a huge boost today. Those ladies in that waiting room made me feel so cared for despite being total strangers. They made me feel safe and let me know that it was okay to be scared and cry, but that no matter what I would be strong enough to get through.
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