Elvis' Birthday - Part II

So, let's just skip the whole freak out and not eat at lunch stuff.  Just know that I kinda just stared at my food and half ass taught a bit of my afternoon class then left.

Got to Dr. Byars' office - did the usual paperwork stuff and waiting around.  I played solitaire on my phone because it is mindless.

When I was called back I got the pleasure of being weighed - yay- and then my blood pressure taken.  It was high for me 140 something was the top number.  This is high for me.  I told the nurse, whose name I forget, I was scared to death.  She said she would be too.

She started getting out  instruments and John and I thought I was there for a consultation for a biopsy.  She said if he can do it today he will.

Byars came in and introduced himself.  We had met before.  I had taught his kids in school while I was in the science lab.  His wife is on the school board.  He did an examination and could not feel anything.  I did not say this earlier - but neither could Henderson.  He proceed with his ultrasound and he could see it.

So, they started to give me Lidocaine and numb me up good because the biopsy was a go.  During this time John needed to leave.  Not because he was asked, but because Byars and his nurse did not need to worry about picking him up off the floor when they gave me a shot.  John is a great and good man, but needles and thing are not his thing.

So, they stuck this instrument in my breast about the size of a ballpoint pen.  Used the ultrasound to locate it and then clicked the pen to get the needle sample.  then I was bandaged and sent back to school.  I was fine with the pain.  There was not much.

I do need to insert here that I was told that I would feel some discomfort and might feel some pain.  I might have said "ooo" once.  I was too busy looking at the ultrasound.  I have a pretty high pain tolerance and so it was not that much of a deal.  The nurse was amazed at how I dealt.  She said that she has had to hold people down to do it.  I told her that that was just plain silly.

I then started playing the waiting game.  I lose this game every freaking time!  I am such a bad player too.

Elvis' Birthday

My second mammogram was on Elvis' Birthday.  I could go way off on a tangent here- the story about the time I dressed up as Elvis,  my lifetime membership at Graceland Too, the time we invited Elvis Aron Presley McLeod to our Super Bowl party.

My appointment was at 9:15 and I got checked it and was a bit nervous.  A girl (we are all girls) named Tabitha who I was acquainted with was my tech.  The procedure took just a  minute or two.  I stayed in the room because I was suppose to have an ultrasound also.

She came back in and what she told me scared the shit out of me.  She told me that I could go ahead and get dressed because I was needed to talk with the radiologist and then make an appointment to see a surgeon because I needed a biopsy.  As I got dressed I was crying but trying to hold it in.  Tabitha was ever so sweet and reassuring telling me that a biopsy doesn't mean that is awful.

She took me down the hall to see Dr. Roth.  He introduced himself.  I told him I taught at the school where his youngest son went.  He was very nice, but was very concerned about my films.  He showed me the x-ray and I could see the spot.  It looked like an ink blot.  When he was through explaining that it was something that needed further investigation, he said "Good Luck".  Those 2 words kinda freaked me out.  Did I need luck?  Why did he really say it?

Next I new Tabitha was telling me that Dr. Henderson's office would be calling me to set up an appt with a surgeon.  I left and got into the van started crying and called John.  Of course John was reassuring and supportive and said to call him when I had the appt.

I get back to school and go crying to Martha, my principal and then I go cry to Heather.  Next thing I knew I had my call from Dr. Henderson and there was an appt to see  Dr. Byars at 1:30.  I called John and he was meeting me there.

Now I have to say that my memory is usually very precise, but I start to get fuzzy here.  I know I told my other BFFs Kathryn and Allison, but I do not know when.   I want to just say that sometime that morning they knew about what was going on.  Their prayers were with me the whole time. 

Once Upon A Time......

in a galaxy far, far away.  Oops, sorry wrong story.

So my story starts with the Mayan Apocalypse.    December 21, 2012. 

 School had just let out for Christmas the day before and it was our first full day out.  I went to have my yearly visit with Dr. Henderson (who's father incidentally delivered me 41 years ago).  I had skipped my appt the year before and so needed to get it done.

I had never had a mammogram before so I was more concerned about the pain than anything else.  Even more concerned that Doc would get on to me because I had gained weight.  Mammo did not hurt.  I was surprised that it was that painless.  The automatic blood pressure deals are 10x more painful that a mammo.

I was also curious to the fact that I needed to make sure I wiped off the deodorant under my arms.  From a science teacher point of view I thought that was strange.

Rest of visit was uneventful.  I went home - made Christmas cookies.  Enjoyed the weekend and had Christmas with my family.

A few days later I received my letter from the office and it said my mammo was abnormal.  One of my BFFs Heather was at the house, and being a former radiology tech I asked her and she said since it was your first not to worry yet because it was probably dense tissue and they are being overly cautious.

So I called and got my next mammo appt at the diagnositic center  on Jan 8th.  It was a Tuesday and I had it scheduled so that I could run up there while my students were at specials and I would be right back.

I was still not very concerned or scared.

I look back now and think I was an idiot.