Friday 24 June 2011

More wonky body stories, or the story of my breast screening

I did a blog last night on hurdles to be overcome at hospital, as I was thinking about my visit today to the breast screening clinic. I was there this morning and I can honestly say, it was pure and utter torture!

I had 2 nurses, the more senior one had seen me the last time, so was all ready to deal with me and my problems. She had the chair ready, as we had found it was impossible to “do” me while standing last time.

So, there I am sitting in the chair being ordered to sit up as straight as I can - my spine is almost totally fused and bent - so me and straight do not go together!! My neck has little movement too, so imagine trying to sit up straight as possible, and twist round from the waist and hold head up and twisted back out the way of the machine…………... After much pulling and pushing they get you as near to the position as they can then the machine comes down and you feel as though your breast is going to explode!! (I would remind you that my back is made od lots of metal work which gets in the way of twisting round, and my middle section is still very tender of the surgery last year). And that is just stage !, they then have to do the other side, then full frontal mode, which was just the same but at a different angle on both sides. Back, neck and hips are clicking and having spasms, shoulders aching, sore head with it all and then even the bloody boobs are sore and tender!!!!

On the positive side, the nurse did say that I should think very very carefully when I get the next invite, if I want to go through this again, she admitted she had found it stressful too knowing how much she was hurting me. The alternative would be to attend GP’s practise nurse for exam when needed and if they wanted, they could organise for an ultrasound exam to be done instead of the one I had.

After all that, I waited for the pictures to come back, and although the quality was good, there wasn’t 100% of my breasts in the pictures.

Oh well………………………


So more painkillers to see me through the next day or two, might even have a wee scotch now, and just as well I stopped smoking or I might have gotten through quite a few!!

3 comments:

  1. came over here from twitter because i couldn't resist colour co-ordinated walking sticks - I had a very elegant friend who went the same route - when I need them - me too.

    On a more serious note sorry to hear of your struggles - you would think with a rapidly aging population someone would have thought of the answer to these machines

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  2. Thank you for your comments Alberta, there are more and more of these machines, which while they do a great job,the people who are physically able to use then is reducing either by age or physical disability. I wish someone would considee this, as a machine able to cope with the less average person can still be used by the average one....................... Lovely to hear from you and thanks for following me on Twitter x

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  3. gentle *hug*s. I am going for CT scan soon and dreading it. I can't lay flat but no where near as bad as you. I think you are very brave the way you take on these things and still come out smiling if bruised! xx

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