Every Woman’s Fear of Breast Cancer?

* A few of you have requested I upload a few additional/more recent photos to my photo site.  Hopefully the ones you’re interested in are now available.  (Photos are organized by galleries.)  Let me know if I missed any! *

Yesterday, I got “the call” every woman dreads.

I was informed my routine mammogram had left the radiologist “with concerns.”

“We don’t want to alarm you, but we’d like to see you tomorrow morning for approximately three more hours of testing.”

The following thoughts went through my brain in a millisecond:

•  Tomorrow morning?  That soon?

•  Soon is good … less time worrying.

•  Three hours?  That’s some serious testing.

•  But wait, I can’t!  I’ve got so much to do for my trip Friday morning!

•  THAT was a ridiculous thought.

•  Shit!

•  It’s probably nothing.

*  She didn’t make it sound like nothing.

•  I’m sure it’s nothing.

•  Pink.  Pink, pink, pink.

Pink flowers.  Pink for breast cancer.

My brain flashed back to the technician who did my mammogram, and the serious frown she got on her face while I was there.

I’ve never had a technician act like that before, and I definitely noticed her reaction.

It isn’t my first abnormal mammogram.

A couple years ago,

I got called back from a mammogram for a “follow-up ultrasound.”  As it turned out, I had a couple small (completely harmless) cysts which were aspirated during a biopsy.

At the time, I swore I would never panic over a “call-back” from a mammogram again.

Most of the time, in fact 90% of the time,

Whatever is spotted as “suspicious,” resulting in a call-back, ends up being nothing.

My brain knows that for the truth it is.

Yet, at the same time, the doubts are there.

Fear grips my heart, even as my brain tries to push it away.

Last year, I had my first mammogram post breast reduction surgery.

I expected a call-back since there was undoubtedly scar tissure, and things surely looked different.

But?

No call-back.

Instead, I got the dreaded call-back this year.

February and March are my body maintenance months each year.

I go to the dentist.  (I’ve NEVER had a cavity!)

I get a mammogram.

I go to my annual gyn check-up.

I get my eyes checked.

I get a skin check.  (Skin checks are SO important for everyone of every age!)

This year, I also had a colonoscopy.

I lead a very exciting life.

I made a “maintenance” joke to a doctor friend recently.

His reply?

It’s all about preventative medicine and early detection.  There’s no question it saves a lot of lives.

Today, I will not be doing all the things on my “To-Do” list for my San Francisco trip.

(I can always buy warm clothes while I’m there, right?)

Instead I will be spending a good chunk of the day at our local breast center.

By the way,

I consider myself very lucky to have a great breast care facility in our area.

Nonetheless,

I’m hoping, after today, I won’t need it.