GetAMammogram

In June of 2013 I had my very first mammogram, I was surprised at how simple it all seemed and was happy that it was over, until….. I received a letter from the technician  stating that my results showed the need for further evaluation.

In July I had my second mammogram, more painful than the first, and was told to come back in 6 months for another scan.

February of this year I went for that scan.

Before I get into how it went, I want to delve into how it felt for 6 months knowing that I had another mammogram to get through and the possibility that this asymmetrical tissue could be more than it was……..

I will be honest and tell you that for the ENTIRE 6 months I was a nervous wreck, even though the Doctor said that I was fine at my last scan, I had the what if’s happening in my head….

What If They Were Wrong?

What If They Didn’t See It?

What If What They Did See Was Something and Not Nothing?

What If?

I knew deep down that if they did have concern that I wouldn’t have to wait for six months for another scan, but in this fragile state of mind that you fall into after being told you need to come back, your brain plays tricks on you.

What I did find out in those six months is that I was not alone. There are many women who go through the very same thing, in fact, a close blogger friend of mine was going through the same exact thing. This helped me immensely, because in a time like this you really feel alone, and like you are the only one going through this.  Friends and family members can offer sympathy, but unless you have gone through it yourself, you just can’t understand how stressful this all is.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Right before my 6 month check-up, an acquaintance of mine was diagnosed and underwent a mastectomy.  She is my age.  I don’t even know what I was feeling when I heard,  sadness for her and her family, fear for her and for me ……so many emotions so close to finding out if my fate would change as well.

The day arrived and I went in for the mammogram. I have to tell you one of the worst parts of the whole experience isn’t the exam at all, it’s the little waiting room you are in, wearing your little hospital shirt, exposed underneath, and seeing the other women waiting to learn their fate.  There is a palpable energy in that room of anxiety and fear, and sadness. I hate it.

I didn’t have a full mammogram, they only checked the left breast where they saw the asymmetrical tissue. It hurt. The last time when they did the follow-up mammogram it hurt as well, and for months after I had shoulder pain.  This time that same shooting pain happened and now 2 months later I am still dealing with the shoulder pain.  Has anyone had this happen?

I digress

They asked me the same questions as they did the last time, family history etc. After it was over I was told to wait until the Doctor could look at the scans and go from there. About 5 minutes later the technician pulled me into a room and said that all looked fine but that I needed to come back in another 6 months.

I wish I could say I was relieved, but the anxiety of waiting another 6 months smacked me right in the face.  Here we go again.

BUT for now it was over.

I received a letter in the mail that stated that I needed to return because of an area that requires a short-term follow-up AND something that is super important for all women to know;

“Your mammographic findings determine that your breast tissue density is not dense.”

“If your mammogram shows that your breast tissue is dense, you should know that dense breast tissue is a common finding and is not abnormal, with about half of women having dense or highly dense breasts. However, dense breast tissue can make it harder to find cancer on a mammogram and may also be associate with an increased risk of cancer.”

Five facts about dense breast tissue

  1. 40% of women have dense breast tissue.
  2. Breast density is one of the strongest predictors of the failure of mammography to detect cancer.
  3. Mammography misses every other cancer in dense breasts.
  4. Breast density is a well-established predictor of breast cancer risk.
  5. High breast density is a greater risk factor than having two first degree relatives with breast cancer.

The vast majority of women are unaware of the density of their breasts.

  1. 95% of women do not know their breast density.
  2. Less than one in 10 women learn about their dense breast tissue from their doctors.

Not all states have this in place, please check out Are You Dense Advocacy to help get laws passed in all States so women know

I will update in 6 months, until then, please #GetAMammogram and send your thoughts and prayers to my friend Maria for her upcoming follow-up appointment.

3 thoughts on “Three Mammograms in Nine Months #GetAMammogram”
  1. You have been through a lot and those waits are agonizing! You may want to ask your doctor about breast MRI. It gives much better reads with dense breasts with no radiation. There are also special ultrasounds now for breasts. Again – no radiation. The very best to you.

    1. I don’t have dense breasts as I was led to believe at first, the second letter confirmed that under the new law. So that is somewhat of a relief. Thank you for your comment and kind wishes 🙂

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