I showed my red boob to the rad tech and she wasn't impressed. "Pretty typical. Is it a little hard?" Yup. Don't worry about it, she assured me.
I think I did get through to her that I wasn't suffering. I was concerned that with such an early reaction to the rads that I was in for trouble. I was relieved to hear this. I figured, if it's already reacting, is it going to balloon up and explode by the 20th session. Guess not.
They gave me a new card with my photo.
I took the girls to the optometrist. He's this tall, good looking guy who can be a bit clinical. His first name is Serge. I mean, how can any ugly guy have a first name like that?? Then he has this four syllable typical Alsatian Jewish last name, which makes for an amusing name pairing. I'm with him only because I don't need to make an apt. 6 months out. He runs a tight ship and is on time (like the only doctor of any speciality in France...) Let's be diplomatic and say he isn't there to win any personality contests. He checks your eyes, you get your Rx and NEXT!
Oh no, it's been over a year. Look how much their refraction has changed. You need to follow this a bit better...
WE GET IT! No, I just sat there and told him he was right. Bad mama I am!
I wasn't scheduled but then I gave him a big smile and pointed to the chair. Sigh. Go ahead.
"Are you taking any medications?"
"No but I will be soon"
"What will you be taking?"
"Tamoxifen and it has a lot of side effects. I'm wondering with my eyes..."
"Why are you taking that??"
"I had Breast Cancer. I was operated in October. I'm doing radiation right now, like this morning..."
So sorry I was a bit distracted and didn't get my kids' eyes checked out when I should have!!!
He quickly turned the topic to my bifocals. I told him that they don't work and that I have to lift up my glasses to read something small. Well, that's kind of defeating the purpose. Read this, he ordered and showed me something in fine print. I barely got through the first line with my wonderful accent than he yanked it back. "Guess you don't need bifocals..."
Guess I don't! So he just wrote it for one refraction.
I took Ronnie in the week before. I apologized for being late (I had called, I'm the only patient in France who does this apparently) and they were fine with it (once they get past the shock of having an actual patient call and say they might be late). When I showed up, I told her my "good" excuse.
She had lost her mom to breast cancer. The woman was only 52. Um. You realize...
"Yes, I know..." but I was encouraging. Caught early. Not a big deal. Still scary but no chemo. Get yourself checked! Do you like your radiologist? No, she doesn't. Here's mine. OMG, he did my pregnancies! Yes, go back to him. He caught my cancer and did my biopsy. Yes, I know him! Talk to him about ultrasounds in addition to mammograms, possibly a MRI. Ask him what you need to do...
Most importantly, do your checks and then don't think about it. Just live your life and don't let this be a big black cloud looming over you. Bad news may never come and if you're on top of it, your bad news could be my bad news, which will be a few difficult months of my life and that's it!
Ronnie yanked me out of the office to go.
This time I gave her my email and phone. Any questions, contact me. Then Talia yanked me out of the office.
It's like their mom is a member of some Secret Society. Too scary how many are touched by this...
I think I did get through to her that I wasn't suffering. I was concerned that with such an early reaction to the rads that I was in for trouble. I was relieved to hear this. I figured, if it's already reacting, is it going to balloon up and explode by the 20th session. Guess not.
They gave me a new card with my photo.
I took the girls to the optometrist. He's this tall, good looking guy who can be a bit clinical. His first name is Serge. I mean, how can any ugly guy have a first name like that?? Then he has this four syllable typical Alsatian Jewish last name, which makes for an amusing name pairing. I'm with him only because I don't need to make an apt. 6 months out. He runs a tight ship and is on time (like the only doctor of any speciality in France...) Let's be diplomatic and say he isn't there to win any personality contests. He checks your eyes, you get your Rx and NEXT!
Oh no, it's been over a year. Look how much their refraction has changed. You need to follow this a bit better...
WE GET IT! No, I just sat there and told him he was right. Bad mama I am!
I wasn't scheduled but then I gave him a big smile and pointed to the chair. Sigh. Go ahead.
"Are you taking any medications?"
"No but I will be soon"
"What will you be taking?"
"Tamoxifen and it has a lot of side effects. I'm wondering with my eyes..."
"Why are you taking that??"
"I had Breast Cancer. I was operated in October. I'm doing radiation right now, like this morning..."
So sorry I was a bit distracted and didn't get my kids' eyes checked out when I should have!!!
He quickly turned the topic to my bifocals. I told him that they don't work and that I have to lift up my glasses to read something small. Well, that's kind of defeating the purpose. Read this, he ordered and showed me something in fine print. I barely got through the first line with my wonderful accent than he yanked it back. "Guess you don't need bifocals..."
Guess I don't! So he just wrote it for one refraction.
I took Ronnie in the week before. I apologized for being late (I had called, I'm the only patient in France who does this apparently) and they were fine with it (once they get past the shock of having an actual patient call and say they might be late). When I showed up, I told her my "good" excuse.
She had lost her mom to breast cancer. The woman was only 52. Um. You realize...
"Yes, I know..." but I was encouraging. Caught early. Not a big deal. Still scary but no chemo. Get yourself checked! Do you like your radiologist? No, she doesn't. Here's mine. OMG, he did my pregnancies! Yes, go back to him. He caught my cancer and did my biopsy. Yes, I know him! Talk to him about ultrasounds in addition to mammograms, possibly a MRI. Ask him what you need to do...
Most importantly, do your checks and then don't think about it. Just live your life and don't let this be a big black cloud looming over you. Bad news may never come and if you're on top of it, your bad news could be my bad news, which will be a few difficult months of my life and that's it!
Ronnie yanked me out of the office to go.
This time I gave her my email and phone. Any questions, contact me. Then Talia yanked me out of the office.
It's like their mom is a member of some Secret Society. Too scary how many are touched by this...
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