Round Two Again

Mammogram testing round two sends you to the hospital outpatient center, which was where I went this morning. You're supposed to be 30 minutes early, but I have to confess I wasn't feeling it. So I got there almost on time, and no one was waiting so it's not like it was a big deal anyway.

I verified who I was and was taken from this tiny room back to the bigger, ladies only section of the imaging center. This time I enjoyed a coffee, Lorna Doones and graham crackers, compliments of the Center for Women's Diagnostics.

That really is a superior shortbread cookie, in my opinion. Pecan Sandies are the worst cookie on the planet. This cookie opinion piece is off topic but it's the sort of stuff I was occupying my mind with while I tried to sort out if my locker bracelet thing would tighten (it didn't) and if there was anything to read (there wasn't).

I went back for the "better" machine to do a check of the right breast. The image from the previous center was up and I wish to hell I could've had an image of it. It looked CRAZY. I can see why they refer me if that's what they get with the FIRST machine. Huge white mass of ...MYSTERY. I mean it just LOOKS like doom.

The better machine apparently provided better pics however many were required. And more were required. And more again. Then I went back out to sit, and have more cookies, and wait. Then they come to say "Hi I'm here for your ultrasound" which I had suspected I was gonna have but didn't really know for sure.

After the girl slathered me up with goo and shoved a wedge under my shoulder, thereby dislocating it from what I could tell, and forcing my arm back in a direction it doesn't go, she got to work looking for whatever was in the mass of mystery. After about 30 minutes and my shoulder going numb, she told me she had to go get someone else to take a look, because she was new to this facility.

I didn't actually believe this lie. I thought "Oh hell here we go something IS wrong dammit." But an older tech came in, took one look at me and said "Let's get some towels under your arm, that has to hurt." I instantly liked her better. She started doing the tests again, and did the entire series over, but she TALKED. She told the other tech "This is a better shot, this shows that it's just it's just dense tissue. See that? Look it's an artery - that's nothing see? Ok look this is just dense tissue here. This is what he wants to see." etc.

In essence, SHE told me it's just dense tissue and I'm fine.  She even said "This all looks really good." and smiled when she left.

I have orders to go back in six months but this time they aren't "watching" anything and I don't need to go see the boob doctor. Which is good because he was kind of weird, I thought.

So I'm fine.

I intend to stay that way.
Tweet