Today is the kick-off of Breast Cancer Awareness month. It’s time to paint this entire city pink – have you seen the pink fountains at the 6000 Fairview Building in SouthPark? AWESOME – my kids get so excited every time we drive by! Wear your pink with pride, Smarties, this is a breast cancer movement! We recently blogged about getting your mammogram in Fight Like a Girl – Smarties for the Cure and Get your pink on Smarties & check your ta-ta’s. So I thought it only fitting for me to get my act together and drag my 37-year-old booty in to get my own mammogram.
So I’ve had “get mammogram” on my to-do list for two years now. For some reason, this is the one item that gets bumped day after day, month after month. I’m so busy taking care of everyone else that I often forget to focus on the one person who holds everything together in my world – ME. I do not have a history of breast cancer, however, I do have a history of women’s cancer on my mom’s side. I asked my OB/GYN why I had to wait until I was 40 to get my mammogram. Why is 40 such a magic number? Her response – here is a referral, go get yourself a mammogram. So yeah, that was 2 years ago. It’s just not top of mind for me – I’m too busy to be sick and too busy to go to the doctor. So when CSP partnered with Charlotte Radiology to help build awareness for mammograms and breast cancer, I jumped on the opportunity to get one for myself.
Ironically, I was on the phone with one of my self-admitted hypochondriac friends on my way to get my mammogram. She was horrified that I was going by myself to what could be a life-changing appointment. She too had been putting off her mammogram. I had thought about the outcome of this test and what this could mean for my future. Maybe the results would be too terrifying to think about. But for me, it was the exact opposite. What if I had breast cancer and continued on with my life as if nothing was wrong? Nothing good can come of that.
I went to Charlotte Radiology in Morrocroft (SouthPark) and I was pleasantly surprised by the spa-like settings. I truly felt like I was about to get a massage! There was coffee, tea and cookies in my room. In addition, The View was playing on a flat screen TV and a table filled with every fabulous women’s mag. So I was completely distracted in a good way and extremely relaxed. The technician came for me quickly and off I went for my mammogram. For some reason, I had in my mind that this would be painful, but it really was nothing. Pretty sure most people reading this have given birth and if you’ve experienced one early labor contraction, then you’re totally fine. A mammogram is a walk in the park from a pain-tolerance perspective. Yes, your boobs will be squished in ways that you never imagined. But it lasts for maybe 10 seconds and then you move on to the next angle. The entire process lasted 11 minutes from beginning to end. How’s that for service? As I left the building, I did get a little knot in my stomach thinking about what could happen. The technician told me that it is normal to get a request to come back so they can get a really good baseline. So don’t be panicked if this happens to you. I’m happy to report that I do not have breast cancer at this time – phew! My results came within a week and I’m in the clear right now. My next mammogram is scheduled for when I’m 40 unless I find something before. So always remember to do your self-exams!
Now I’m off to Dilworth Coffee today for my 8-cent coffee and to the new Ben & Jerry’s in Parktowne Village (across from Park Road Shopping Center) to get 8-cent cones for the entire fam! Hope to see you there!
3 comments
a very informative post – thanks Jen P.I too had my 1st mammogram this yr (I'm 38)- due to finding several significant lumps in my breasts – turns out they aren't cancer but rather breast cysts– to quote the doc, my breasts are "riddled" with them– apparently not something to worry about cancer-wise, but boy are they disconcerting. They are especially large and palpable the last 2 weeks of my cycle (ovulation to menstruation). Apparently you can get cysts aspirated but they often return. I would love anyone's advice re; cysts – I know they aren't cancer, but to feel them just scares me so.
This is from my Smarty big sis:I was diagnosed with fibrocystic breast disease in my early 40's. Since then I have seen a specialized breast surgeon affiliated with one hospital breast clinic who specializes in ultrasound-guided cyst aspiration. I go twice a year to eliminate any cysts that could potentially interfere with your ability to detect non-cystic lumps you may have in your breasts. It also aids in removing obstructions that may interfere with a clear view from a mammogram, digital 3-D mammogram and/or MRI. It was generally believed that there was no direct correlation to breast cancer; however, in the last couple of years the AMA released a statement that women with this condition are at a slightly higher risk of developing breast cancer. This is not because the cysts turn into cancer, but attributed to the difficulty in detection of cancerous tissue because of the obstructions from the cysts and density of the fibrocystic breast tissue. Although it is not the most comfortable procedure to endure, it does not last long and, in my opinion, is worth doing it if it will help in early detection. Good luck!
thanks to your big sis!