Mammogram

Today I was scheduled for my mammogram. Just one of those things I have to do... and because of my history, the tech told me that it's always classified as a diagnostic mammogram and not just the routine one. Plus because I just had an MRI done in Feb, they want to make sure everything is alright as well.  Even at 8 in the morning, there were already 6 of us waiting to be seen. There is a sense of camaraderie in the locker room, as we're all exchanging stories. One lady is a survivor for 25 years. She was nervous because they called her to come back in and she was afraid they found something. One lady was there because her aunt died of breast cancer last Nov. Another lady was diagnosed 2 years ago like I was. We compared notes and she was surprised to find out I had 2 different kinds of cancer. She thought there was only one kind: breast cancer. I told her there's at least 6 or more different types of breast cancer. I was shocked she did not know that, after all, she herself had cancer. I told the ladies if we had to wear these drafty gowns, they should at least make them pink. So I told this to the tech when she took me to the back. She told me that years ago, they had robes that the ladies could wear, warm, comfortable, not drafty robes. I asked her what happened. She said that they started disappearing. They'd be sent out to be laundered and less and less came back. It became a hassle to keep track of them so they resorted back to these good, ole blue drafty gowns. I was incredulous!! People stealing gowns that people wear for mammograms. How wrong is that?!?  


After that, I headed to the cancer center for my treatment injection. It is a scary realization that you've been around someplace so many times that people at the front desk can now call you by your first name and they just ask you for your birth date because it's a requirement to check you in or give you medication. The clinic nurses even give me sympathetic smiles since I was waiting for over an hour for the pharmacy to mix up my medicine. I tell you though, there is comfort in knowing that people there know me and they're looking out for my well-being. Even when I check out, they know to schedule me exactly 4 weeks from today, first available and no need to fill out a card. I'll be there :-)  I don't mind the wait so much. I have some books that I specifically take with me to these appointments and I've finished several of them already, all from waiting :-) for treatment or other things.


Finally after that, I headed back to the outpatient center. I'm telling you, by the time I went to all my appointments, I must have walked at least 1/4 to 1/2 a mile. Not that I'm complaining. Loyola does cover an entire block of buildings. Anyways, on to try my new gas permeable contact lenses. I was a little nervous, since I've only worn soft contacts since I was 16. It wasn't too bad. At first I couldn't see a thing and I thought, oh now, I've either not put it in correctly or they got the wrong prescription. I think the tech was hungry and eager to go to lunch. When the doctor came in, he rewashed and re-rinsed the contacts and I could see better :-)  In checking it out though, it was discovered that the right one needs to be a little bit stronger, as I can only see 20/40; the left is a cool 20/20. I told them I couldn't see any more beyond that line. It still annoys my eyes but I'm getting used to it. I've had to learn a whole new way to put them on and take them off. I hope this will help me see better... we'll see what my tolerance level will be.


After that, Frendell came and took me home. I'm so tired but I'm glad all those things are done. More appointments to schedule, more blood work scheduled next week. As soon as we got home, Frendell just gave me a huge hug and told me, "Honey, I hope that you'll be alright. I hope everything will work out soon". I wonder where that came from. Many times he hides how he feels and I never know what he's thinking. But once in a while, I get a glimpse of his uncertainty and worry for me. I know he's concerned, he just doesn't always voice them out. And frankly, I thought by now, my doctors appointments would be less... some are, but then new ones are added. I tell you, nothing like character development, right?  So, we plug along and do what we can. But the most important thing I read today from the book, Plan B by Pete Wilson, is that God is always with us in whatever circumstances we're going through. No matter how hard, how easy, how fun, how sad... God is always there.. and that's the most important thing He wants us to learn. The outcome does not matter. What matters is that we understand to our core being that He is there, that He understand, that He is reliable, that our hope rests in Him.