Back from my exciting morning at the Women's Health Center. (David and the kids spent even more exciting moments in the car, waiting for me.. for well over an hour).

I got there, filled out some insurance info, then was escorted into the Women's center (this place is like a mall for health care. It was bizarre). I was asked to remove everything from the waste up, leaving my gown open in the back. Since at this point, I was just in for an ultrasound. After maybe 10 minutes of waiting (seemed like forever), I was told that because I had pain in a specific area of my breast, they would have to do a mammogram as well. Oh goodie. My first ever, and I wasn't prepared. LOL After waiting a while, I was escorted into the back, where I was told since it was my first "mam" (as they called it), they would be doing both sides.

[I have always heard it was "uncomfortable". Actually, with the padding they put on underneath the breasts, it wasn't bad at all. A little odd having these little pink and blue bandaids on each nipple, each one sporting some wierd metal ball thing. Anyway.]

At this point, my gown was switched to open in front. No big deal until I got to the waiting room. I sat down to wait some more, then realized I had to use the restroom. There were only women in this area of the clinic, but still. I got up and flashed everybody. LMAO. (It's ok.. somebody else was in for a "down there" exam, and she got up and flashed everybody too. LOL!) After some time, I was informed that the radiologist saw something he wasn't sure he liked.. I would need to get a second mam done on the left side. I went back, and about 5 minutes later, it was determined I needed to have the right side re-done. Ok.. this round of "mams", there was no padding underneath. And because they needed a closer look at whatever the hell it was they saw, they really smashed down. The right side felt like it was going to rip right off the front of my chest, pulling outwards. Holy crap. I wasn't in excrutiating pain or anything, but it was not at all pleasant- not compared to the first round.

After about 10 minutes of waiting in the "mammogram" room, I was escorted to the ultrasound room. The lady was real nice. Even asked me to remove the funky bandaids on my nips. Heh. She was the first to tell me that everything looks more or less normal, but being as I am a younger woman with more dense breast tissue (than older women), that is why the concern and the additional tests. That, and despite the fact I went in for pain in my left breast, they spotted something interesting in my right breast. Now, I guess it was lucky for me it was my first time having a mammogram (so they could check both sides). Otherwise they wouldn't have spotted it. And since they have no previous tests to compare this "interesting" thing with, I will be going in for another mammogram in 6 months, to make sure it hasn't changed. They did say everything looks benign, and most likely this is just (if I have this correct) a "glandular island". Sorta out in the middle of nowhere.. a spot of glandular tissue, which can be found elsewhere, and isn't anything to be worried about.

ETA.. to have a mammogram or breast ultrasound, you're not allowed to wear deoderant or lotions, powders, etc.. So you can imagine by the time I got around to having my ultrasound done, I was a tad ripe under the arms. I apologized for not wearing deoderant, but I guess it's not allowed. She just laughed. LOL

So.. my exciting day of seeing my breasts in a whole new light.

Oh yeah.. this lady kept calling me Julie. You ever just not want to bother correcting people? Thank god she had the right chart. Otherwise....