On May 5th, 2022 I scheduled my very first Mammogram! Please don’t judge me but I’ve tried to get my mammograms before but something always came up. Either the machine was down, my schedule was crazy or life got in the way! Finally, I was able to make an appointment and get in! I visited Dr. Simone Whitmore’s (Married to Medicine) office at North Perimeter Ob/GYN for my annual pap smear and after that exam, that’s when they referred me over to Northside Hospital in Suwanee for my mammogram test.
My Technician name was Ms. Lisa and she was an absolute gem and she was the best and handled my boobies with great care! During the exam It was a bit uncomfortable but not as bad as some said it would be. Everything was pretty much routine and she instructed me that I would get a phone call in about a week with my results. I left the clinic feeling very reassured and happy. I was still kinda nervous but I felt good about the exam. No-one on my mom’s side has ever had breast cancer but for those that know me or familiar with my back story, I do not know my dad.
So that can be bothersome sometimes when it comes to my health and things like this occurs, this is when I get hella nervous! I go in for doctor visits and the question always arises, give me your “family history” and that’s when I have to reveal that I don’t know my dad side. It can be very frustrating when situations like this occur but I try to champion through and get things done.
Anyway, the VERY next day I got a scary phone call from a nurse practitioner asking me if I could come back in asap! I was startled and she could hear it in my voice and she assured me that everything was going to be ok but that they saw something abnormal and wanted to do some more extensive testing! Gasp, I was not expecting to hear that and I went into panic mode right away!
I made my next appointment and she told me where to go and things to do until my visit. I immediately called all my girlfriends who had previous mammograms and they all told me that, that had happened to them as well! Some had calcium build up, dense boobs, cysts on their breasts and the list of things went on. It was nerve wracking for a few days and the doctors office kept calling me non-stop to make sure I was not going to miss my appointment. That made me even more nervous because they were taking this situation very seriously!
I made it into my second mammogram testing yesterday and it was quite different from the first! It required them to do more tests and I had to have an ultrasound. Then you sit and wait because the radiologist and doctor have to look over everything. They later give you your results right there. I was on pins and needles waiting, which took about 25 minutes. I think I loss about 20 pounds waiting and sweating lol. They came in the room and told me I had a clean bill of health and to get out of their office jokingly! I’m sure I got on their nerves asking a million questions lol.
I felt very relieved but I say all of this to say, make sure you get your yearly mammogram ladies and if you feel any lumps or anything that may feel uncomfortable, make sure to make an appointment and get checked out! I am thanking God that everything turned out good but I have several girlfriends that didn’t get good news and was diagnosed with breast cancer. Stay healthy and God bless, till next time!
Mammography is the process of using low-energy X-rays to examine the human breast for diagnosis and screening. The goal of mammography is the early detection of breast cancer, typically through detection of characteristic masses or microcalcifications.
Mammograms take about 30 minutes.
Each of your breasts will be compressed for only 20 to 30 seconds. While compression can be uncomfortable, it’s also very important. It allows the breast tissue to spread and flatten. This ensures a clear view of the breast and reduces the amount of radiation needed to make an image.
