It's too Important

Posted by Nancy Lindquist, 10/09/08 09:00 AM

I’m a forty four year old woman who just had her first mammogram a month ago. I found something in my right breast and it scared me enough to get my butt moving. With the death of one of my dearest friends from breast cancer in March, this was nothing to fool around with.

There was nothing in my right breast. There was, and is however, what looks like a Tylenol with an ear on it in my left breast. Very deep, right against the chest wall. I would not have found it on my own. As this posts, I am getting a deep tissue biopsy, or some such. The name is not important. What is important is that they are numbing me up and putting a huge needle in my breast to see if they can figure out what this is. Chances are good it’s nothing, but the doctor is very worried because of the location and some lymph nodes that are enlarged on my neck.

I waited. I waited and waited and never got a mammogram and now there’s a chance I’m going to pay for it. The ridiculous thing is that it’s, Breast Cancer Awareness Month and here I sit with a lump. A big ole, Mickey Mouse with one ear sitting in my boob, doing who knows what?

I would not have known without the mammogram. Sure, it’s easy to forget about it, make excuses. Women do that. We poo-poo and put off and this is incredibly important. This is a cancer that, if caught early, has a huge cure rate. This is something we can do something about. I know a lot of women who are scared of a mammogram. Is it a fun time? No. Is it killer pain? Childbirth is worse, so is breaking a bone, or a really bad period. It’s ten seconds of, “YOU’RE GOING TO DO WHAT TO MY BOOB? and then it’s over.

I’ve caused myself, my friends and my family fear because I waited and I could cost them more than that. Get a baseline mammogram in your thirties. Then, after forty go every year. Most insurance covers it and there are programs if it does not. This is not a joke, it is not something to put off out of fear and it can be a party. Go with your friends. Have ice cream afterwards. Make it a strange, but goofy party and go in pink hats. Just do it. Don’t be me. Sitting here for a couple weeks scared and feeling helpless. It’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever done. Outside of marrying my first husband, of course.

Category: | 10/09/08 09:00 AM
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Comments: [1]

  1. 1 Cathy in AK

    Thank you for your honest and brave post, Nancy. I hope your mammogram confirms it’s benign. My fingers are crossed and my positive thoughts have been shot into the universe for you.

    I had a scare several years ago. I hadn’t hit the “magic number” 40 so I wasn’t concerned and promised myself I’d get a baseline mammogram very soon. Without going into diagnostic details, some funky discharge prompted me to get checked. I had to have several mammograms and an ultrasound. Fear outstripped the discomfort and twinges of being sandwiched between the plates of the mammography machine, but I kept telling myself this was nothing compared to what I’d go through if it was left unchecked and things went south. My mother-in-law was fighting breast cancer at the time (inflammatory breast cancer, a more incidious, less common form than most of us hear about) and with all she was going through I knew I couldn’t complain.

    The ultrasound confirmed size and location of a thumbnail-sized lump. I’d never even felt it. I had it removed as soon as possible. Right before the Thanksgiving holiday, meaning results were delayed. Let me tell you, never has a lapsed Catholic prayed so much :) Luckily, it was benign.

    I have had mammograms faithfully since then and tell my friends and relatives there is nothing more terrifying than lying in bed at night wondering how your kids will react to potentially bad news. And if I hadn’t gotten checked, if I hadn’t had the discharge prompting quick action, if I’d put off going in or was fearful of a bit of pain, and things were bad, how could explain to them that it could have been prevented or at least not as terrible by getting a mammogram?

    Sorry for the long comment. As you can see, this issue hits a nerve with me.

    Again, my thoughts are with you and I wish you the best.

    Comment by Cathy in AK · Oct 10, 10:12 PM

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