Some you know this because you've been holding my hand, giving me information, providing a shoulder but I went in for a mammogram last week. I didn't realize it's been 9 years but my husband was sick - I have every excuse in the book. Plus mammos hurt.

To my absolutely shock the Doctor found "something." Because I know everything (!) I didn't stick around and she had to call me with the results. Could only happen to me but my past reports and films had been destroyed.

I got the call today - it's breast calcifications. Nothing to worry myself about but my Doctor is scheduling me (at my request) for a breast MRI.

The lesson - if it HAD been something it could have been "there" for 9 years! I was really, really scared.

Now for the men - there was a man in the waiting room, also wearing his blue paper smock. We talked. He's a really nice guy. His Doctor thought his breasts looked uneven and sent him in. He called me this afternoon. They found a lump and need to do a biopsy.

- it's not just women and it's curable if it's found in time.

If ONE person makes an appointment I'll have done my job.

And to all the people who held me up and prayed for me (and one of the members had her husband and grandson praying and I swear I could feel the power - and we all know I'm not terribly religious) I say - you know who you are. Thank you.

Yes, Judy, it is men as well. My dear hubby has had a biopsy done as well. Luckily all came clear.

I'm very happy to hear your news. And, yes, it could have been there for 9 years. Meaning that it would have been metastatic by now.

I'm by no means trying to scare anyone, but I have been there, done that, took the chemo and got the roses.

If it runs in your family, or even if it doesn't (my case) mammograms are a necessity of life. We don't like them any more than men like prostate exams. :p

Judy, you've done your job. I'm going to my doctor for a regular appointment on Thursday. While there I'll ask him to book a mammogram.

He's been talking about it for a while now, because breast cancer and other cancers run in my family. I'll be 40 soon, so it's time.

I'm glad you're okay Judy and thanks for the kick in the butt. ;)

Alty - let me know? Thanks.

Its part of living in a techno world. We all need to get checked out. Judy Im glad your going to be OK.

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Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

Alty - let me know? Thanks.

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Will do. :)

Congratulations on the good news! And thank you for the reminder. I should have insurance in a month or two and scheduling a mammogram is the first thing I'll be doing.

Judy, I don't know if you read my thread or not, but I'm kind of in the same boat as you, but in the opposite direction... if you know what I mean...

But it's been 3 years since I have had THE exam. Now I am suffering when it's something that could have been found and solved a long time ago...

Thanks for this post.

Congratulations JKT, that's a relief to hear.

Aurora, best of luck to you.

And to Men: please, please please... get your prostates checked. Yes, it's uncomfortable, and yes, it's not that much fun, but trust me, the medical student DOING it, isn't having that much fun either.

Yup imagine how women feel when they have a 60 year old male gyno with a huge white beard, telling you to lay back and relax, he'll be gentle.

Not fun.

Well I'm just glad you're going to here for us.

Bella I'm sorry.

Kind of a sidetrack... but the "instructional" video on how to do a vaginal exam... resembled a 45-minute porn flick from the 70s. I'm talking grainy video, HUGE hair (how was that POSSIBLY a fad?), and just... really bad overall.

... 20 min into the video, I raised my hand and interrupted the video to 600 students and asked, "Um...shouldn't that guy be wearing gloves?" I was replied by hordes of laughter.

Ewwww, he wasn't wearing gloves?

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Originally Posted by Aurora_Bell

Ewwww, he wasn't wearing gloves??

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Bella you are in my prayers.:) You are a good friend.

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Originally Posted by Aurora_Bell

Ewwww, he wasn't wearing gloves??

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no. he wasn't. It was odd. And from the looks of things down there, he really should have.

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Originally Posted by Kitkat22

Bella you are in my prayers.:) You are a good friend.

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Thanks Kit. That means a lot. :) When I know what's going on, I'll let you all in on it.

Sneezy, all I can say is double eww, and I hope he washed his hands. (I wish they had a throw up emoticon)

Yeah... not... too... fun.

Great news Judy, I'm glad everything is OK.

Bella... please keep us informed:confused:

I go every year, I have the easy boobs, they are big but not dense, so there is no pain, I just feel stupid and amazed looking at them squished in a couple different ways:eek:

It's also important to know your own breasts. Self checking at least once a week in the shower is simple, if you can remember to do it and then you will know if something is different.

I have a friend who always did this and felt something, she went in for a mammogram and they found nothing. She explained why she came in and then they took a closer look. She had a very active case of breast cancer and ended up going through chemo. She is fine and healthy now. This was 3 years ago.

I believe self exams are very important, just hard to remember to do with our busy lives.

Bella, no, I didn't know - please keep me informed.

And I do weekly breast exams (my mother worked for an ob/gyn and stressed the importance) and so I kept telling myself there were no changes. Apparently the calcification is so deep that I couldn't feel it.

But, yes, self exams are important.

Know what's worse than the old guy examining you? My ob/gyn works with medical students - some of them really attractive. So this attractive guy says, "Put your feet here ..."

Flashback!

Judy I'm glad your going to be OK,it's a scary place to be when you have no answers or waiting for results.

Even though we 'know' we need to get checked,I know with me I tend to put it on the long finger,when its on your doorstep or its someone you know the reality hits home.