The Mammogram, a traumatic life event.

The Mammogram, a traumatic life event.

Once breast cancer has entered your life there is no such thing as a routine mammogram, for the survivor or the family members. This is the week the survivor has to a mammogram… and the daughter has to have a mammogram….stress filled traumatic event week…..

Even if it’s not you with the cancer your mammogram is now traumatic.(extremely distressing, frightening, having long term psychological effects)

Questions, questions, and more questions …does it run in the family? Do I have the gene?

You have to work up the nerve to have it done…and OK, I’m done … OK it’s over and I’m done I survived it was a pain but the good news is don’t have to do this again for 365 days……

Then you get the call we need more shots go for diagnostic mammogram….OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here it all comes again. Last year this time we learned about the cancer. This is what happened before moms mastectomy in January…. Look up breast cancer…got to do some research …if it’s spread thru the body. Is this why I have pain … got to see the report why do they want more shots? What did they see? OK you are mailing me a copy. I need to see it now, why do I need further test? What did they see?  Primary care doctor do you have the report? Not yet… Gyn Do you have the report? Not yet…. OK calling the place I had the test done can I have a copy of the report… Yes…….good finally I need to see in writing…why are they calling for more test? What did they see?

Got an appointment…. Stress for another day..

I need to see the report before I go in there need to know what they are looking for…

Got the report…something suspicious might be a nodule…appears to be benign….no evidence of malignant.. Need additional shots…

OK.. Now that I read the report I can breathe…..Benign …not a threat to life non-cancerous …not malignant not likely to spread to other body parts.

 Ok Here I am ….they took 3 more shots…..now I’m sitting with 10 other stress filled ladies in the same pink top…waiting….waiting…..waiting for them to read the films….it’s been over an hour it took 15 minutes for the shots…this is the hard part what will they say ….was it ok… still hanging out on this ledge….

YEA ITS OVER EVERYTHING WAS GOOD IT’S NOT A NODULE!!!!!!!  We will see you in a year!

We do not have to go thru this for another 365 days YEA!!!!!

Did I mention …I HATE MAMMOGRAMS.