The Next Step
I had my follow up today. One more image "just to take another look." The sweet mammography technician Teresa assured me that they were just taking more images for now. She told me that the radiologist wanted one more image to take a look at some things and that he would be in after the imaging to talk to me, whether it showed good or bad. She told me that they understand that when someone gets a call back, they automatically go to "worst case scenario" and it is their usual protocol that the radiologist comes in to see the patient for the follow up call "no matter what." I felt a little better.
I did my thing, stepped up and had the image taken. She stepped away and told me she would go take the image to the doctor to see what he had to say and see if he wanted any more images, and if not she would be back to let me re-dress and then she would have him come in. She said, "He will be in to talk to you about whatever he thinks. I don't like to give people bad news. Well I don't give people the news. That's for the doctor, but don't think just because he shows up that it's bad." She left, showed back a few minutes later and had me re-dress. She tried to reassure me again and said "Don't worry. You don't know if its good or bad news." Well she knew. Of course she knew. I re-dressed.
He came in and introduced himself and said "Well I see something suspicious and you have missed a couple of years, but there is significant calcification since the last mammogram and it's enough to make me think you need to go to the next step. On the positive side, I don't see any lumps or masses, but the increase in calcification is suspicious." The next step is a stereotactic biopsy, or maybe an ultrasound biopsy. I don't know what technique they will use and that's for the team of physicians that will be in charge of your future care to answer. Remember, we are just doing more tests to see if there is anything to this, but the amount of calcification is my concern."
Okay, so my mind has officially jumped the track. A biopsy? That's never good. It's always to assess something suspicious and worrisome. On the other hand, it's just a test. BUT.... that whole mention of a "team" to manage my care? Why do I need a team? A radiologist? A surgeon? Why a surgeon? I don't know where this is going but I am not liking the sound of it.
He did ask if I had any questions but he said that he had read all he could read and the next step was to get me on to people who could better assess the situation. I figured there was nothing more he could tell me so I didn't ask any questions. Now I know the ones I wanted to ask.
Can I see the scans? Can I see the previous ones? Please show me the difference and what you find suspicious. Is there a pattern? Is there an amount that makes it suspicious? Is there a timeline to what is going to happen?
Theresa, the mammogram tech, told me if I hadn't gotten an online referral or heard from my doctor by Tuesday to check back in with them. That sounds pretty urgent to me.
I really don't want to jump the track here, but I have to admit I am a little scared.
Yet I know I have a loving God who holds me close and will be with me no matter what.
I did my thing, stepped up and had the image taken. She stepped away and told me she would go take the image to the doctor to see what he had to say and see if he wanted any more images, and if not she would be back to let me re-dress and then she would have him come in. She said, "He will be in to talk to you about whatever he thinks. I don't like to give people bad news. Well I don't give people the news. That's for the doctor, but don't think just because he shows up that it's bad." She left, showed back a few minutes later and had me re-dress. She tried to reassure me again and said "Don't worry. You don't know if its good or bad news." Well she knew. Of course she knew. I re-dressed.
He came in and introduced himself and said "Well I see something suspicious and you have missed a couple of years, but there is significant calcification since the last mammogram and it's enough to make me think you need to go to the next step. On the positive side, I don't see any lumps or masses, but the increase in calcification is suspicious." The next step is a stereotactic biopsy, or maybe an ultrasound biopsy. I don't know what technique they will use and that's for the team of physicians that will be in charge of your future care to answer. Remember, we are just doing more tests to see if there is anything to this, but the amount of calcification is my concern."
Okay, so my mind has officially jumped the track. A biopsy? That's never good. It's always to assess something suspicious and worrisome. On the other hand, it's just a test. BUT.... that whole mention of a "team" to manage my care? Why do I need a team? A radiologist? A surgeon? Why a surgeon? I don't know where this is going but I am not liking the sound of it.
He did ask if I had any questions but he said that he had read all he could read and the next step was to get me on to people who could better assess the situation. I figured there was nothing more he could tell me so I didn't ask any questions. Now I know the ones I wanted to ask.
Can I see the scans? Can I see the previous ones? Please show me the difference and what you find suspicious. Is there a pattern? Is there an amount that makes it suspicious? Is there a timeline to what is going to happen?
Theresa, the mammogram tech, told me if I hadn't gotten an online referral or heard from my doctor by Tuesday to check back in with them. That sounds pretty urgent to me.
I really don't want to jump the track here, but I have to admit I am a little scared.
Yet I know I have a loving God who holds me close and will be with me no matter what.
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