So, a few weeks ago I felt a lump in my breast. I thought “okay, this is odd but maybe it’s just a day thing and it will be gone by tomorrow.” Well, tomorrow came and went and it was still there. I’d feel it and it would feel big, sometimes smaller, and sometimes it was hard to find altogether. I tried not thinking about it. I mean I’m young-ish and pretty healthy.
One day I asked my husband to feel it and he thought it felt odd, too. He encouraged me to go to the doctor and get it checked out. A week later I’m at my primary doctor for a checkup. I had been meaning to schedule an appointment anyway to get refills on medication that I take for other health reasons, so this seemed like a good time to check on the lump too. This doctor is a new one for me, so we got acquainted and then she asked me about my medical history. I do mention the lump, but I don’t press it and we don’t get back to it because there’s so much to talk about.
A week later I’m still feeling the lump and getting a little uneasy about it. So, then, I schedule with my gyno. I was nervous, but I have a great doctor and that always helps me be more calm. I go in, she feels around. Next, the nurse practitioner training along side her that day feels around too for a second opinion. They confirm that something is definitely there. I’m okay at this point but I am still wanting to know if I should be worried The doctor says, “No, most of the time these things are benign and it’s nothing to worry about, but we should get it looked at further to be sure.” She tells me that the next step is to get a mammogram and then an ultrasound. Since I am over 30, they won’t just do the ultrasound. They wanted the mammo to come first.
Mr. Fruits actually went with me to get my tests done. He was worried and wanted to be supportive since I was really nervous. After all, this is really scary stuff! He wasn’t able to go in with me though since it’s a women’s only zone (which I totally get NOW, I mean women are just walking around in robes!). Speaking of robes, I’m not sure if it is like this everywhere, but the office I went to gave us nice, plush robes, our own lockers for personal items, comfy chairs and couches to sit on, TV’s and water infused with lemon and cucumber! It was all very relaxing and needed in my moment of panic.
Bee came and got me to get my mammogram not too long after I checked in. She was AMAZING. I am so glad I got her as a first timer. She was very careful and encouraging. She told me what was going on every step of the way and what would happen before anything even happened and even the “why” of it all. It was very much appreciated.
Okay, so the mammogram: I don’t know why, but I was always told horror stories of getting a mammogram and how much it would hurt and that they were going to squish your boob and flatten it like a pancake that wouldn’t return to shape. Umm… no and yes.
It doesn’t hurt per-say, but it was uncomfortable and there is a lot of pressure pressing down on your breast which does flatten it. It is really not like a pancake!! I mean, I guess I wasn’t really looking, but it didn’t feel that way. They took several images of both breasts, but more of my right breast since that is where my lump is. I was also a tiny bit sore a day or two afterwards – totally normal!
I waited about 30 minutes for my results, and they had to take 2 more images and then I waited another 30 minutes for my ultrasound. Nothing new or different happened regarding the ultrasound. They just put some warm gel on my right breast and looked around. The technician said the doctor would come over in a bit and check things out once more before giving her diagnosis.
Turns out everything is fine! What it looks like is that I have dense breast tissue and that on my right side I am developing more tissue growth along the tail of my breast. The doctors want me to come back in 6 months to check again just to be sure, but for now I need not worry. However; I have heard that since I am under 40 years old, my mammogram is not covered by insurance and well…the ultrasound is likely expensive too. The only thing I am worried about now is my bill! Sad but true.