Mammo Update!

[Mary Anne in TX]

What an adventure this mammogram has been! I called to see if they would give me the results of my mammo last Wed. over the phone; so that I wouldn't have to wait forever for a letter or drive an hour, but, "oh, no, we don't give information over the phone"!!!!
So, up I got, and headed for Corpus for "my letter"!!!
Got there and I didn't seem to exist! Then, I was discovered and "almost" handed a letter! As I talked to one of the technicians, she began to ask questions about my appt. As I told her the story about my circumstances, she was reading the letter, ready to hand it to me! All of a sudden she said (5 or 6 minutes after I had told her twice)...."you had a mastectomy?" Yes, I did. And as I looked at the brief letter and read that BOTH BREASTS showed slight calcification!!!! How interesting!!!!!
I pointed it out to her that the phrase, both breasts was not only impossible, but gave me pause if trusting any information I got from them, she began to back peddle.
She was a nice person. Didn't seem to have a clue what Her2 was or why getting the information at the time of mammo was important. She just kept saying...."when it's ONLY a screening we don't this and that"......
Started to scream, but hung in there to get my message across.
The bestest part is that they charged me for both sides!!!! How fun is that?
Well, needless to say, she grabbed the letter away as if it was gold and declared that she would call me tomorrow when the radiologist returned and she had time to show him the "problem"! Just can't wait for that call!
Who knows what they will say! But I wouldn't trust it no matter what! Guess I had better make that trip to San Antonio after all.
Once I calmed down, I had to laugh at the insanity of it all. And it also made me sad because of what I preceived as the attitude they have of "just a screening"!
Once again, I am so very grateful for the wonderful care I get at CTRC and the referrals they send me to. I am treated like I matter rather than being "just a screening"!
Thanks for listening! I had bad thoughts for a while this morning!!!!! Glad humor took over!
ma

[tousled1]

Mary Anne,

I don't know how you managed to maintain your composure. I think I would have absolutely flew through the roof! How can something like that possibly happen -- did they even read the right mammo? It certainly seems worth the trip to San Antonio. I'm just in total amazement at how such a huge mistake could be made. I admire you that you didn't loose your temper -- you're a better woman than me.

[Mary Jo]

Wow Mary Anne.....................What a NIGHTMARE! Like Kate said, "to think something like that could even happen!" It's unconsiounable really!!!!! Oh well, I suppose "blowing a gasket" wouldn't have helped (although that's what I would have wanted to do) so good thing "humor" found ya!http://www.her2support.org/vbulletin/images/icons/icon7.gif I look forward to chapter 2 of the story.

Hugs to you,

Mary Jo

[Mary Anne in TX]

Kate and Mary Jo, thanks a million for your responses! I was mad as the dickens, but knew that wasn't what was needed with that person, although I felt like it. Had the radiologist been there, it might have been a different story. It was that attitude of "just a screening" that I was told by so many. Tells me what the "top of the heap" believes. Scares me the care that people without the knowledge gained here could get!
They are supposed to call me today with the "correct" information (oh, yea), so we'll see what happens. More later. Many thanks. ma

[Mary Anne in TX]

Hello again.
Final update...the office called at 8:14 this morning to let me know that as soon as the radiologist came in he looked at my mammo and declared it fine. They told me that they did have all the information that I had given about my surgery and treatment, but somehow things just didn't work right! What a story!!!
They told me to be sure to come to the main office next time (really) and to be sure to tell them that I need a diagnostic rather than a screening mammo. They said that they would do diagnostic screenings up to 3 years after surgery. Can you even believe that?
Oh, well.....
Good to know that it was clear, but I'll still be glad to get the next information in December from an MRI!
Thanks again for listening, ma

[Mary Jo]

Glad it all worked out Mary Anne. You know, I really don't have that much faith and/or trust in the so called medical professionals in some places (like the city I live in). I chose my surgery and oncology care in Milwaukee where I am treated as a person and not a number. The doctors and nurses really do know "their stuff" and truly do care. I live in a city of 50,000 people and the horror stories I could share about the medical "professionals" in my city are downright frightening. LOL! I always say that the doctors in my city must have gotten "C's" in medical school and that's why they are here.

Oh well............................glad it worked out for you Mary Anne. Hugs to you.

Mary Jo

[Mary Anne in TX]

I would have panicked and gone nuts if I didn't know that I have CTRC in San Antonio to care for me. I thought it would be easier to have my yearly mammos close by, but never again. I get such incredible care in SAT, I won't make that mistake again.
The treatment room nurses and others know my name and are so wonderful to me! They always greet me by name and I do the same. I would have a very hard time going anywhere else. They've gotten me through some real emergencies and I have total faith in them!
They think I've gone through a lot these past 20 months, and I just think....if you only knew my Her2 Support Group pals....they've gone through a lot, not me!
Once again, I'm soooo grateful for CTRC, my doctor and nurses, and for all of you on this site!
I'm ready to do the spa thing!!!!
ma

[kareneg]

Dear Mary Anne,

I am so slad the mammogram came back good. And I don't blame you for wanting to only go to San Antonio, it's so important in this fight to feel safe and secure with your treatment team. I feel just like you do about my onc nurses and my Doctor. I love your ability to find humor in all this that my friend is what truly brings us through this tough battle. Sending you happy thoughts and prayers my friend.