Annual Mammogram

A couple of weeks ago, I had my annual mammogram. I know I'm a bit young to be starting mammograms, but my sister passed away from breast cancer when she was only 29. Plus, my mom is a breast cancer survivor so I screen early. Before you get all worried, I'm about 99% sure I'm going to fine.

On Friday afternoon, I got a call from the radiology department saying that I need to come back for a repeat mammogram because there is a concern on my left side. I think my heart stopped beating for a second when I heard the person on the phone telling me this. The girls were in their cribs for quiet/nap time. I pretty much fell to the floor crying. My biggest fear was coming true. I know it seems dramatic, but with our family history, I get nervous every single time I have a mammogram. I impatiently wait for the card in the mail telling me everything is fine. This time, the card never came. Instead, I got this awful phone call.

I was told I had to come back for another mammogram and that the radiologist would review the results with me on the spot. There was no other information that could be given to me at this time. I would need to speak with my doctor for more information. This was on Friday afternoon at around 3pm right before a holiday weekend. I was too upset to be pissed.... but later was completely pissed that they chose to call me at 3pm right before Christmas when there was nothing that they could do or nothing that they could tell me.

When I got off the phone, I immediately tried to call Bob at work. He didn't answer his office line so I called my mom and asked her to come right over. I was crying pretty hard and new I couldn't handle the girls on my own that afternoon. Then I emailed my doctor begging for more information and hoping that he would get the message before he left for the weekend.

My mom is awesome. She was able to semi-calm me down and she really helped with the girls. I was pretty much a big ball of weepy mush. I just felt so hopeless. I had watched my sister lose her battle and her poor son has been without his mother. I cannot imagine not being here for my girls. They are my world!

I was so thankful because around 9:30 that night, my doctor returned my email.

This is the what he said.....


Barbara,

I was not in the office this afternoon and just got your message. 

The mammogram showed a very small area of asymmetry in the superior and outer left breast. There were no suspicious calcifications, or architectural distortion. This means that they did not really see anything suspicious for cancer.

Most of the time these asymmetries turn out to be just differences in how the pictures were taken. It just takes a small fold of skin to make the pictures look this way.

Radiology wants some additional pictures to see if this finding is just the way the pictures were taken.

Sorry that you received this news before the holiday weekend.



I was so relieved. For around six hours that day, I thought I might have breast cancer. I know I was jumping to conclusions, but when you have my family history, it's hard not to fear the worst. I have my follow up mammogram this Friday. I am still a little bit nervous, but I'm hanging in there. I have an appointment for an ultrasound right after the mammogram, if it is needed. That way, if they do see something, I won't have to wait all weekend to find out what it is. I'm trying to stay optimistic that the asymmetry is just due to the way the pictures were taken and that everything will be okay.

It's amazing how a scare like this really puts things into prospective. There were things I was worried about and life stresses as always, but I'm not as worried about those things now. I'm just thankful to be blessed with an amazing family, three beautiful healthy little girls and wonderful friends! That's all that matters.

I won't leave anyone in the dark. I will post an update on Friday to say that everything is okay! But in the meantime, prayers would be comforting!