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Friday, November 30, 2007

New and Improved--Now with More Lumps!

Well, the title says it all.

After being stuck in the inevitable time warp that exists at OB/GYN offices--an 11:00 appointment really translating to 12:20--I got to see the Nurse-Practitioner assigned to me. She examined me and pointed out that I actually had two lumps; the one I had already found near the center of my breast and one over to the side, closer to my armpit, where lumps are usually found. It took a few attempts for her to guide my finger to the spot she was pointing out. I couldn't find it at first, but then discovered it. It wasn't as close the surface as the first one.

She said they felt "cystic" which is a nice way to alieve someone's fears without really saying much. We talked about things for a while, and then she gave me a prescription for a diagnostic mammogram and an ultrasound for the breast with the lumps, making it clear that I was to have these done in no more than two weeks time.

She was nice, responsive and generally helpful, but she chilled me to the bone when she commented, about making sure with the tests, "Well, you have young children. We want to make sure you're around for them."

I know she meant it in a reassuring way, but it played on my worst-case scenario and took a moment for me to shake off.

3 comments:

Musicguy said...

sending some positive energy south. my mom went through the same thing a few years ago- just cystic- and all was well in the end.

Anonymous said...

Terri, not to sound dirgey here, but even if it WERE malignant, nowadays, that doesn't perforce mean draconian: both my former landlady and hairdresser underwent simply a small incision where the mass was snipped out. They were still totally intact afterwards.

Wishing you the best and inner peace about it.

Jazzki

terri said...

Thanks everyone.

I oscillate between imagining the worst and thinking everything is just fine and this is but an interruption in normal life.