Don't forget to have your mammogram...

skg

New Member
I'm kinda new at this. I have been browsing the forums for a few months, but have not contributed much, so forgive me if this is posted in the wrong place.....

As everyone here seems to be quite health conscience, I would like to remind all women to be sure to get their mamograms. The employees in my office include 9 women, two of which have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the past month.

The range of emotions in this office right now is something else.

One of those women is 35 years old. She has already had the necessary surgery and is waiting to see her oncologist to decide on treatments. She talks about her situation openly and frankly to anyone who will listen. It seems this is therapeutic for her.

The other woman is 52 years old. She must decide on a lumpectomy or mastectomy. Her doctor told her that if she has a lumpectomy, the chance that the cancer would come back is high. However, she is having a hard time facing how the loss of her breast will look, even though reconstructive surgery is a possibility. She had no idea that vanity would get in the way of such a decision. She, on the other hand, does not want to talk about her disease, and is agonizing over this decision.

This hit home to all of us in the office. Those of us who have not had a mammogram in the last year have scheduled one.

Both these ladies caught their cancer in its early stages. I urge everyone to get their mammograms.
 
Thank you for posting this! I absolutely concur! I had a little spot on mine. It turned out to be nothing, but had it been something it would have been caught early. I do not like these any more than you do - there is nothing fun about having your boob pressed to a pancake, but it's so worth it. Go out and get your mammogram!
 
Accidental double post. But, it was also because of my mammogram that they caught the lump in my thyroid. I'm fine right now, but it could progress to something, so now I'm under observation - once again, catching things early. So - again - go out there and get it done.

SKG - sorry about the women in your office. That has to be hard for everyone. My thoughts and prayers are with them.
 
I agree! It's a (relatively) painless and non-invasive procedure that catches a lot of problems early. I had my first at 35 to get a baseline because of family history and since it was clear, didn't have to do annuals until 40. It's easy - get it done as a present to your health!
 
It is one of the best presents you could give yourself. Also, if you are not great about giving yourself monthly self examinations, you should schedule your yearly 6 months after your mamagram. This gives you a good breast examination every 6 months.

Cheryl
 
It is one of the best presents you could give yourself. Also, if you are not great about giving yourself monthly self examinations, you should schedule your yearly 6 months after your mamagram. This gives you a good breast examination every 6 months.

Cheryl
 
I agree, there have been 4 ladies in my office, and one friend of mine that has been diagnosed this year, all caught with mammograms. There is one woman who refused to go to the doctor, because she is afraid of what they might find. No matter how much we tell her it is better to find it soon, and not later, she will not go and she is almost 50 and has had no mammogram or pap smears, ever.
 
Thanks for the reminder. I need to make my appointment for this year, and will do it promptly.
Nancy
 
I've got to schedule mine at the end of the month. I've been having them every year since I turned 30 because my sister had breast cancer, fortunately it was caught early. I'm nervous about going this year. Last year I got called back for more x-rays because they saw something. It turned out to be nothing, but I remember the sleepless night I had when I got the news, and the dread of driving back to the office the next morning. I'm not looking forward to it at all!:-(
 
YES! This is very very important. It is also very important to do self exams, especially if you are younger. I am 28 and found something suspicious on a self exam a few weeks ago. My gyn sent me for an ultrasound (more accurate for people under 35 - has to do with denseness of breast tissue or something). Anyways, something did come up on the ultrasound that they didn't necessarily like, so they went ahead and sent me for a mammogram too. Like my gyn had already said though, the mammogram didn't tell much because of the "denseness" of the tissue. Based on the ultrasound though, I am now being sent to a breast surgeon for a consultation. We do not think it is going to turn out to be anything but a cyst of some type, but I have learned how very important all steps to detecting problems are! Make sure you are still doing those self exams!!! And ladies under 30, keep in mind that people our age DO and HAVE gotten breast cancer. The nurse who did my ultrasound said they have even had girls younger than me come in with it. So do not wait until you are older to start checking for it!
 

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