Hey Ya'll.
Warning, warning, extra long post and lots of photos!!!
Well, my appointment for my Mammogram/Ultrasound was yesterday. My daughter Christa had originally intended to go with me, but at the last minute she couldn't make it. So my DH stepped in for her and went with me. As it turned out, I am glad that she didn't go, and I wish that I had just went by myself!! I have been to this location many times for multiple reasons, such as CT Scans, MRI's (Brain, Upper (Neck), Mid, Lower Spine), Standard X-Rays, etc. So I wasn't afraid to go by myself. They just felt that I needed some support with me.
I had told Walt in the past, that men are not allowed in the back area where the women wait in the staging area for the Mammograms, Ultrasounds, Dexa Scans, etc. And I forgot to tell him he should bring something to read to pass the time! Usually, I take something to read myself, and I barely have time to read more that a few pages and I am called back and then released to go!! So I didn't bring myself anything to read this trip either! Bad decision....as they had nothing interesting to read back there! They did have one Oprah magazine, but it was dated....September 2008!!! Talk about old. LOL.
Anyhoo, I was taken back to the women's private waiting area, and instructed to disrobe from the waist up, put on the nice thin cover up, so that it opened to the front, yada, yada, yada. After about 10 minutes, I was called back into a special Imaging room, where they had one of the special Diagnostic Digital Mammogram Machines setup, using CAD (Computer Aided Detection). This is the first time I have had a Diagnostic Mammogram, and to tell you the truth, either I am just getting really used to these (I've had a Mammogram almost yearly since age 35, with my first one at age 18!), or this machine didn't hurt me as much!
But anyway, I was called back pretty quick, so I figured that they would give me the go ahead to leave within a few minutes as per prior years after making sure the scans were clear. Uhm.....yea, not! I was back there sitting in my skimpy thin robe for so long that I was just about to ask someone if they had forgotten me (as other women were going back, getting their Mammograms, Ultrasounds, etc AND LEAVING)!!! Finally, the Lab Tech that took my Mammograms came back out and requested that I return for further Mammogram Images. So she took another 5 images of the right Breast, making it about 10-11 images total with all but 2 of them of the right Breast!
Then I was asked to sit again in their sitting area, to see if the Radiologist was happy with the views she got. Again, I was there for a longgg time! In fact, by then, I had been back there for about 2 HOURS!! Walt finally went to the receptionist and asked if she could find out if everything was ok. He was afraid that maybe I had passed out or something. I was ok, just WAITING! Finally, another female Lab Tech came out, and called me back to the Ultrasound area where they proceeded to do my Ultrasound. So finally, 2.5 hours later, I was released to go home. It was now 3:15, my appointment was 12:45 and I had not had a bite to eat all day!!
Now I have to wait about a week until my Doctor gets the results. So I am trying not to think about the worst case scenario and concentrate on the positive that in past years, it has always come back ok. But this year felt really different. They were so much more thorough that they either ruled out Cancer or found it! Here's crossing my fingers and toes that it is the latter.
So although Walt was not a happy camper, since he didn't have anything to read while there, was alone the entire time, and missed out on working as well. He felt really bad about my experience and the implications of what the day could mean, and that I hadn't eaten yet, so he kept totally calm and took me to dinner at Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que Restaurant. We shared their 3 Course BBQ Feast For 2 and it was gooood! By the time we got our food, Walt was in much better spirits and so was I!!
Tonight we went for our nightly walk together as usual. But this time I suggested that since we hadn't eaten yet, we walk down to the closest Subway Sandwich Shop and split a Footlong Sandwich. Walt thought it was a great idea, so we took off walking there. The walk there was super easy as it was down hill all the way. The return walk was of course, uphill all the way. But, it turned out to not be too bad tonight! The round trip was about 1.8 miles, but because we sat down and ate there, I forgot to clock the time of actual walking.
The funny thing is, we made a point of not walking in front of our favorite local Pizza place, which is in the same strip mall, as they know us, and would have been crushed to see us walk by and not go in to eat there! So we walked a route that enabled us to not walk in front of the Pizza place both directions. We thought we were in the clear. Then......an SUV pulled up along side us, and opened their window (we were thinking who the hell is this?). Sure enough, it was the Mother of the owner of the Pizza place, out running a Pizza delivery!! She asked why we didn't stop in and eat!! Oh well. We will have to go in later in the week and visit so they don't feel like we were avoiding them.
So, now that I have made one of the world's longest posts, I will go for now. But first, I want to say, YEA!!! NHRA Drag Racing started again this weekend!!! I will also be posting some more of the photos taken at my FIL's Memorial.
These are 3 of Walt's Nephews. Mathew on the left, Chris in the middle and George on the right.
I have since found out that it was Walt, not my MIL that included this photo! But there wasn't very many photos of my FIL to show!
So, time to go, sorry this post went so long! Hope everyone is having a great weekend and a fantastic Valentine's Day tomorrow!!!!
Aloha My Friends :)
16 comments:
Oh dear...I will keep you in my prayers and let's hope that they were just being extra cautious....great photos
Thanks GB, that's what I am hoping too.
I will have my fingers, toes, hands, legs, arms ... and everything else I can cross, crossed for you. But I guess they have to be very cautious and maybe the first pictures were just not clear enough so they had to take more. Try not to worry too much. have a great VD
You know what Debi, I had to go through almost this same experience a few months ago (November I think.. had a worry with a breast..) so I TOTALLY understand and could picture this happening to you. It was almost the same scenario here in Oz. I really hope everything is ok and they were just being extra cautious. I had to go back in twice too, but turns out they didn't get a clear enough pic the first time on one side. I'm hoping, fingers crossed, that's what it was for you too (though they should have said instead of leaving you worrying.. bad people!!)I will be thinking of you and hoping for a negative result. xx
Love the pics. You are a rarity.. a woman that gets on really well with her husbands ex. You're amazing, lady. xxx
I too have been through this scenario. This FIRST time when they use the digital machines, the radiologist has ALOT of work to do to compare old images and they want to be sure that they don't miss a thing.
I'm an OLD PRO at mammos/ sonos, getting both every year since 2002.... Try to do your best NOT to worry yourself for this week. Likely: things are OK and there was a need for thorough exam with new and upgraded views...
I will say this, and I hope it helps too, it is what I try to say to myaelf when I get stressed: even if there is a finding, you're already getting the care you need-- identification.
But I am hoping and thinking healthy thoughts for you that you are totally FINE and Benign.
Thanks Julie and Cara!! I am trying to think positive thoughts only. But I do have several different Cancers in the family, Breast Cancer being one of them. So it is hard to not think about it.
As for being friends with Carolyn. It took years for us to feel very comfortable around each other (like 10-12 years), but in the end, it is really great that we can be so close. She has lost most of her family so all she has left that are close to her, are her Sister and the kids. So she has become a natural extension of our family!!
She is invited to all of our family gatherings and she invites us to have dinner with her and the kids when she is visiting here. And like I said, we half jokingly call each other sister.
But this is not so rare in my family!! My Aunt was really close to her ex-husband and his second wife as well! In fact, our whole family was close to her. His second wife was a real sweet heart. She was too good for him though.
So I don't see any reason why we can't be friends! In fact, we invited her to go on our next vacation to Hawaii, when we take all the kids!! Assuming we can all still afford to go of course!!
Thanks Vanessa!! I needed to hear that! You are right, at least if it is the worst, hopefully we are catching it early!! But I have to believe it is nothing to worry about, at least until it is!
Yep, I have yearly mammo's and every time the tech about has a heart attack. Apparently I have 'very dense breast tissue' and lots of cysts (benign) in both breasts. They also did the ultrasound once. Even though I now know to tell the techs all this, they still always get extra images and make me wait. Oh, and I agree, when they switched to the new machine that was the biggest ordeal.
Thinking good thoughts for you! I know, it's hard not to worry...I still do each time.
Great pics!
Thinking good thoughts for you. The waiting is the worst. So glad you are taking photos (they are great!). I stopped having my photo taken for years until I realized that there was no history of me during that time. I guess if I had died, they would have had to post my pic from my sister's first wedding (she divorced). Keep the faith. We are all thinking about you. BTW, the walking is looking great. I think you have given me the push to get off my butt and get out even if just for a few blocks.
Thank you BG and Sandy! Yes, waiting is the hardest.
Sandy, I was just like you, I used to hurt so much that I couldn't even walk to the end of the street without my walker, and I would be in extreme pain!
However, just losing the small amount of weight that I have lost so far is remarkable! And I started out just walking around the block too! Of course, we later figured out that, that was a half mile!!
But after a few weeks, I was extending my walk further and further and now, I rarely walk less than a mile! And I am walking at least a mile and a half most nights!!
So, you can too!! Just start out walking a block or too, and begin extending it. Before you know it, you will be walking a mile or more too without any trouble too!!
Debi - what an ordeal! I hope that everything comes back clear and OK. The waiting in these situations is the worst. I'll be thinking of you - please let us know what is going on.
Thanks Linda! I will definitely post what I find out! Hope you had a nice Valentine's Day.
What a crappy experience! Hopefully they just screwed up and needed to redo them.
Never thought of that possibility!
Sending good thoughts your way Debi! I know the waiting is the hardest part.
Funny about the pic with your hubby and his first wedding. SOOOOOOOO something my family would do and like you, nobody would get too upset about it.
BTW- you have a beautiful family. :)
kagead
Thank you kagead!!!
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