Cancer should be called something else. Somewhere in the name of this horrible disease should be the word "wait" because so much of the entire process is waiting.
So what happens after you're finished surgery and treatment? You wait - for your next mammogram. In my case, the wait was 6 months post final radiation treatment. Apparently, our bodies have to have time to release the radiation enough that a mammogram is readable. (I try not to think about the amount of radiation that has gone into my body during the last 8 months...)
Anyway - my first post- cancer mammogram was this past week. A lot of people that read this blog are going through their own cancer journey so just a little bit of how this process works. Something I didn't know - a diagnostic mammogram is different than a regular mammogram. Once a person has breast cancer, they will continue to have diagnostic mammograms rather than the standard mammogram. So - the mammogram works the same - pressure on the breast and pictures etc. They also put these stickers on your nipples and my surgery scar was covered with protective plastic - which marks the location of the scar in the scans. The radiation tech said this also helps the radiologist know where scar tissue could be vs. a spot of concern. (Once again - science is amazing!!!)
My radiation tech was wonderfully kind and reassuring. She asked me lots of questions, calmed my fears. The first scan post-diagnosis is another mental hurdle. Following the scan, I waited for about 15 minutes to get the results. Everything was CLEAR. I swear - longest 15 minutes of my life. I cried and so did the tech. Another moment where medical angels meant I didn't have to be alone.
Something else I have learned through this cancer journey regarding the Bi-Rads imaging reporting. More info here https://radiopaedia.org/articles/breast-imaging-reporting-and-data-system-bi-rads?lang=us - but in summary there are 6 categories of image classification. At my first mammogram at the end of June I was classified as 4A - less than 10% chance of cancer. This diagnostic mammogram showed a rating of 2 and the wonderful word - BENIGN. Why a 2 and not a 1? I have scar tissue from the partial mastectomy and I have very dense breasts which raises the chance that something could be hiding. Luckily, I now have scans for comparison which will make a radiologist's job easier.
This journey isn't over. Cancer is a marathon for sure. But for now, it is nice to lay down at night, knowing that for the moment, treatment is working.
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