To get the ta-tas checked!! Yes, I went for my mammogram today. And ladies if you have not went in a while or have never been for one, please go! And for the men reading - encourage your wife, girlfriend, significant other to go have one as well! It only takes about an hour and it means alot to you and alot of other people!!
Now, I am sure you are wondering why is she going to write about this? Isn't this blog suppose to be about the road to the new her? Well, on the road to the new me, I have decided to stop making excuse for going to the doctor. Also, there two reasons why this is so important for me.
Reason #1 - A friend, Beth, lost her battle with breast cancer this week. She fought the cancer with more courage than I could ever imagine. Sadly, she lost the battle this on past Monday at the age of 36. Please say a prayer for her three children and her husband.
Reason #2 - After my own scare, it is worth it because of the piece of mind is what it gives me. Only a few of my friends know this story and now I want to share it with you.
In 2008, when I went for my annual exam, I was giving an order to go for my very first mammogram. I was going to be 36 and this was my birthday present from Dr. Pearcy. Well, I did not go. I kept saying I will do it tomorrow and of course something always came up. Well, the next year, guess what I got again? Yep, another order to get a mammogram. Again, I kept putting it off but in December 2009 when Johnny told me I needed to get it done before another year went by again. So, on December 30, 2009, I went in for the mammogram. Now, we have all hard the horror stories of how bad it hurts and all that. Ladies, I am here to tell you it really does not hurt. Yes, it is a little uncomfortable but nothing to horribly bad. So, I had the mammogram and went on my merry way. Sadly, in a week, that merry feeling would be replaced with a lot of feelings of anixety and other mixed emotions.
On the first week of January 2010, I recevied the call no one wants to hear. Something had shown up on my mammogram and I needed to have an ultrasound. I was scheduled immediately and began freaking out because they could not tell me anything except that it was something abnormal and needed further testing. So, the next week, I went back to place I thought I would only see once a year - the CAMC Breast Cancer center. I guess the tech could see how nervous I was and she was absolutely wonderful. She kept making small talk and just keeping my mind off the procedure.
Again, I left but this time praying that nothing would come of this. Maybe it was only a little shadow and nothing more. But of course, my mind swung to the complete opposite direction. What if it was something more serious? Those were some very intense days. I had just finally decided that it was out of my hands when....
I got the next call no one wants to get - There was something found on the ultrasound and I was being referred to Dr. Witsberger. I felt literally about fainted. This was not good. Every bad thought rolled through my head. I was told I would be scheduled ASAP and would be called when they got in touch with the Dr's office. I finally received the call the next day that I would be seen on February 10, 2010 (I think that was the date but honestly the actual date may be wrong) for a biopsy.
Those were a very long couple of weeks. I would think about what if it were cancer? What would happen to Johnny and JJ if something happened to me? Why couldn't we just do this now to stop all the worrying? Sadly, I went into a little shell and became depressed. Johnny was very supportive though he had a very hard time talking about what was going on though I really wanted to talk.
Finally, the day came. Johnny and I went to the Breast Cancer center for the third time in less than 2 months. Nerves were very raw and I felt like I was going to burst into tears at anytime. I just kept silently praying, please God do not let this be cancer. Please let there be only good news today. Finally, after we set in the holding room for what seemed like an eternity, we went back to the operating room. And yes, I said we. Johnny was allowed back at the very beginning when Dr. Witsberger talked to me and did another ultrasound. After the ultrasound was complete, Dr. Witsberger showed us the area and told us what he was going to do. That is when I could not take it anymore, I had to ask the question - "Does it look cancerous?" Dr. Witsberger looked at us both and said he highly doubted it. He told us it looked more like a fibroid and if he thought it looked cancerous, he would tell us up front.
So, Johnny was taken back to the holding room and Dr. Witsberger proceed with the procedure. It honestly was over quite quickly. After he was done, unbeknowest to me, he went and talked to Johnny one on one. Again telling him he did not believe this was cancer and he felt confident that everything would be benign. After finding out about this, I gained even more respect for Dr. Witsberger. Finally, I was taking back to the holding room and we were released. I would like to say that hearing what Dr. Witsberger said about it not being cancerous calmed my fears. However, I still kept thinking what if.
Thankfully, I received the call a couple of days later that everything was fine. (Of course, this was after calling Dr. Witsberger office for what felt like a million times.) It had a been a fibroid and was benign. I would receive a letter in a couple of days with the findings. However, I would need to have another mammogram in six months just to double check everything. I was also told that there was a good possibilty that more of these fibroids could appear later. I immediately called Johnny and shared the good news. Six months later, I returned again for another mammogram and praise the Lord, everything was perfectly fine.
I wanted to share this because even though it was a benign fibroid, it was so small I could not feel it when I did my own exams or when the doctor did his exams. Therefore, this is way mammograms are SO IMPORTANT! Don't think just because nothing is felt, everything is perfectly fine. Because sometimes, something could be there too small to be felt. And even though mine turned out okay, I keep thinking if it had been something worse, maybe my chances would have been better because we caught it early. So, thanks to my wonderful husband for pushing me to get that mammogram done!
Sadly, I will admit - I did not go last year for my mammogram. I should have and again I made reasons for not going. I also think fear played into not going because I kept thinking "what if they find something else?" But after Beth losing her battle this past week, I decided that there would be no excuses this year or any year after this.
So, after my annual appointment today, I marched myself downstairs and got my mammogram! Yes, I will admit, some of those old thoughts have came back in already. However, I have faith that everything is going to be just fine. I know that the Lord will give me the strength not to worry about this until I get the results which I know, again, will be fine.
SO - LADIES - even though this was a little long - moral of the story is this -- GET YOUR MAMMOGRAM!!! You just never know......
(Again, sorry so long but I felt like I need to share my story. And, if you would ever need a doctor for this matter - which I pray NONE OF YOU EVER WILL - I cannot recommend anyone higher that Dr. Witsberger! He was absolutely fabulous!)
