Mammograms and saying Boobies

Last November while getting dressed I noticed a strange lump above my left breast.  I use the word "lump" loosely because it actually felt more like a jellyfish.  I knew it hadn't been there long and  I figured it would go away on its own.  

Fast forward a month and it was still very present.  I decided to mention it to Scott and get his input.  He said the mobile mammography unit would be at his place of work the next month and I should make an appointment.  I called the next day and my appointment was scheduled.  

January rolled around and the day of my appointment Mother Nature decided to cover our beautiful part of the world in a blanket of snow.  The appointment scheduler called and said they needed to cancel due to weather, but would re-schedule the following month.  This is when a slight panic crept into my body and took over my thoughts. 

I knew the "area" appeared in November and here it was going to be February before I could hear someone in the medical field tell me "it's nothing to worry about."  I couldn't help but think of all the stories from women I knew that had found a lump and didn't get the luxury of hearing "it's nothing to worry about."  They all spoke about time being critical when they were diagnosed.  So what if, what if this was something to worry about.  Could I wait another month?  The answer was no.  

I called the breast center the next day and told them my predicament.  I apologized for calling them because I was sure it was nothing, but what if it was something.  The lady on the other end of the phone explained that the mobile unit technology was not as thorough as the technology in the office, and since there was an area of concern they recommended I come into the office.  They scheduled me the following day.  

I want to add that even though I felt silly for calling, because I knew there was nothing to worry about, the employee on the other end of the phone assured me I wasn't being silly and said she would much rather I come in and find the area was "nothing to worry about" instead of not coming in and finding out much later that the area was in fact the dreaded C-word.  

I didn't tell anyone besides Scott about my appointment because I didn't want anyone to worry.  I felt I was worried enough for everyone.  I explained to the kids that mommy had a doctor appointment and they were going to come with me.  In an attempt to ward off awkward questions while we were at the doctor, I explained that the doctor was going to make sure mommy's boobies were ok.  The kids had a few questions and I attempted to answer in child friendly terms.  

When we arrived at the office I was given instructions to remove my top and bra and wait in a small waiting room in a robe.  The kids thought it was interesting that I was wearing a robe with my jeans and found it even more interesting when we joined 5-10 other women sitting in matching robes.  The room was quiet as we each waited for our name to be called.  As small children are known to do, the questions slowly started coming out of my kids mouth.  "Why is everyone wearing robes?" Paisley asked.  As if wanting to answer her brother, Lila said, "Is everyone getting their boobies checked?"  This caused a wave of laughter to go through the room.  

As I made sure my children didn't untie the other ladies robes or eat all the hard candy sitting out in dishes, I felt someone approach me and say my name.  As I looked up I felt I had stepped backward 20 years.  It was the mother of my high school boyfriend, you know the boyfriend you think you are going to marry and spend forever with.  Before my mind could come back to present I was standing up to greet her and she was leaning in for a hug.  As I hugged her I could feel the eyes of my children wondering who the robed lady was that I was hugging.  As I found my voice I introduced her to my suddenly quiet babies and she instantly began talking to them.  

I hadn't seen her in over 20 years but she talked to the babies and I as if we were old friends.  It was so nice to see a familiar face in this situation, although it would have been nicer if I would have had a shirt on while catching up with her.  With the kids crawling over me I was continually worried one of my breasts would become uncovered while we caught up on life.  She loved on my babies and talked about her own grandchildren.  Before I knew it my name had been called and I stood up with my tiny support group.  The nurse asked if I had someone to watch the kids while I got the mammogram.  Crap.  I hadn't thought about the kids not being able to be in there while I had the x-ray.  My ex's mom quickly offered to watch the kids while I went back which was an incredibly kind offer.  If I could have told my 15 year old self that one day my then boyfriends mom would be watching my children with my future husband, I would have thought the world had gone mad.  

Another nurse overheard the question and quickly said she would be happy to take the kids to another room that contained a tv with cartoons and she would entertain them.  Before I could say a word off they went.  I thanked my "mother-in-law that never was" for the offer and said it was so good to see her before I disappeared behind the door.  

First I had the mammogram which was painful yet fine.  She spent a lot of time focusing on the area of concern and made me feel like I had made the right decision by getting this checked out.  After numerous pictures, we moved on to do an ultra sound of the area.  I hadn't had one since I was pregnant with Lila and I have to say getting an ultrasound of a baby is much more enjoyable then getting an ultrasound of a lumpy boob.  

I was taken back to the waiting room where I was reunited with my kids and told to wait as the doctor looked over my images.  While we sat there Paisley handed a lady a Country Living magazine and told her there was some "good looking recipes in there she needed to look at."  If nothing else, I am confident my children provided comic relief for all the ladies there that day.  

The nurse came out and handed me a piece of paper.  With a smile in her eyes she explained that I have "nothing to worry about."  I felt the air escape my lungs with great force as she went on to explain that I have extremely dense breast tissue.  While this doesn't make me a greater candidate for breast cancer, it does make breast cancer harder to detect.  She reassured me that I did the right thing by getting them checked and I need to continue to watch for changes as I age.  I scooped up my babies and happily returned my robe for the comfort of my own top.  

My kids talk about boobies a little more now then they did before and sometimes they bring up "that time you were in your robe with all those women."  I am so glad that the employees at the breast center made me feel comfortable in my decision to schedule an appointment and get checked out.  They were all so kind, and caring, even when they realized I brought along my question filled 2 and 4 year old and needed to be watched.  

I'm glad I listened to myself and to my body.  I'm glad the results came back favorable.  Listen to your body.  If you feel something isn't right, get it checked out.  This is the only body you're ever going to have, make sure you're taking care of it.    

Linking up with Polka-Dotty Place for Tuesday Talk!  Visit her blog at 
http://polka-dottyplace.blogspot.com