Showing posts with label breast exams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breast exams. Show all posts

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Life on hold!


WARNING: Partial breast photo ahead.


Don't you just love it when you meet someone new and they totally get you?

You know what I mean. You feel like you've known them all your life - or, at least, all their lives if they are eversomuch younger than you. And let's face it. Nowaday, who ain't younger than me, if you know what I mean!

Anyway, I met Amy and her sister Ann on vacation. They are cousins once removed, which means they are my cousin Chuck's children, making my kids and Amy and Ann second cousins. Their children will be third cousins, in case you've always wondered about such things - unless I can get Amy to marry one of my boys [legal in both states!] and then their children would be...goodness, I don't know what they'd be. Maybe monsters.

Anyway, Amy gets me. I know this because here is her email to me:

"Aunt Demanda, [She calls me that just because I snapped my fingers at her to get some gum!] I just read your news on your blog. Please tell me this is some crazy story concocted just so you can talk about your boobs on your blog!! [Does she get me or what!] However, I know this isn't true, since you would need NO reason at all to talk about your boobs on your blog. [Oh, she so gets me!]"


Isn't she gorgeous!



Anyway, since I don't want to disappoint Amy, let's boob talk.

I went to the radiologist to get my breast biopsies done. First, they deadened the area with a shot of xylocaine, just like your dentist uses. It stings just like any other shot. If you ask nice, they'll turn the screen of the computer towards you and you can watch it all since they use the sonogram machine to make sure they hit the tumor. After the first biopsy, I didn't bother looking again. Creepy!

Apparently, there are two types of needles they could use. One suctions part of the tumor into the core of the needle and then snips it off. The other one shoots the hollow needle into the tumor. They used the later on me. Two loud clicking noises are heard with each biopsy. They said they'd take three biopsies but took five instead.

I can't say I didn't feel anything but it was certainly something I could handle. I went home and put an ice pack on it. Of course, just like at the dentist, as the xylocaine wore off, I felt more but as long as the dogs didn't jump on me or someone didn't hug me, I was fine.


There is bruising. The very dark spot pretty much
shows the size and location of said tumor.
I named it Dennis the Menace because
it's a pain in the arse breast!

So now I wait for the results. I asked the radiologist if he could tell anything from looking at the extracted tissue and he said no. But, he said, the image on the sonogram does not look good.

Waiting....

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Dear Journal


Dear Journal,

Today we came home from our long vacation. Even the Texas heat feels good. It's downright cold up north! How do those Yankees stand it?

The Texas Woman
*********

Dear Journal,

Didn't have to work today so laid in bed late catching up on my TV watching. My fingers found a lump in my breast. Good thing my annual is already scheduled for next Tuesday. Funny how our body tells us things if we'll only listen! Probably nothing. Sure shows the importance of self-exams, though.

The Texas Woman
*********

Dear Journal,

Put M-I-L in the hospital tonight. A raging infection has taken over her body, making her hallucinate. She taught history all afternoon, her caregiver said. Old people don't always generate fevers. Since his mother is crazy as a bedbug and his wife lumpy as an old couch, I'll have to rename my husband Furniture Man! Poor guy.

The Texas Woman
*********

Dear Journal,

My GYN is "concerned" about my lump. Tried to get me in at the radiologist today but couldn't get me an appointment until tomorrow. The speed of it all makes me nervous.

The Texas Woman
*********

Dear Journal,

Had my mammogram and sonogram today. Yup. It's a lump, all right. A dern tumor. The radiologist gave me the option of surgery to yank it out to analyze or a needle biopsy to see what we're dealing with. I chose the needle. Ouch. Hurts to think about. I'll tell you, dear journal, all about it soon.

The Texas Woman
*********