No, they were nice. Back I was in radiology. Well, what a menu! they joked. There were quite a few X-rays ordered by my GP.
I was sitting along the wall, hoping no one would notice me. Then I felt a tap on my shoulder and Dr. N. was holding out his hand. Per French protocol, you're supposed to stand up but I just kind of compromised by sitting up, for lack of time (and being surprised). Hate when I'm called "Madame D." I think they're talking to my mother-in-law!
I was in so much pain taking Davina to school this morning. I could barely walk. I'm actually okay walking but stairs take me a moment but I can do it.
I like the X-ray that rolls back. They did the standing one and then put a pillow behind my head, while still standing. "Hold on!" as it leaned back with me in it. Sort of like an amusement park ride.
Then they threw me into the hall. Such a long wait! I wasn't in a hurry but thinking about my parking and our over-enthusiatic meter maids here.
Finally, when I saw him again, I told him I was in pain but the X-rays only showed a bit of arthritis. He thinks the pain is from my knee and radiates to my hip, because my hips are fine. My right hip had the worse displacement but "it's cured now" as he says. Okay... I showed him the worthless drug the GP gave me. "I can't figure this out without knowing what the generic is" he said, pulling out the info page.
You'll be better in a week. Great. I'll just hobble around like an old lady till then.
He said he was late because of another wire-marking procedure for surgery. Good excuse! Of course, we had to bring up the cancer. I'll get mammos/sonograms alternated with mammos/MRI's. I'm asking him, why do mammos when they're worthless on me?? He laughed. "Protocol". No, don't say that! But seriously, he explained that sometimes mammos can pick up things that are missed on the other two. He just had a case (older woman). She didn't have dense breasts, did she? No. Mine don't show anything. I kind of had to let it go. I got my point across.
I finally said what I'd been waiting to say. "Please tell me something so that I won't be having these third tumor nightmares??" We've done everything. The mammo, the MRI, the sonogram, he went on. We've seen what we need to see. We're as sure as we can be that there's nothing else in there. Not completely put at ease, but better, okay...
Then he told me a story that made my blood go cold. Woman who had a double mastectomy and had reconstruction, 10 years ago. She injured herself getting off the bus and ended up back in his office. Since he was X-raying her shoulder, he found something. Biopsy and bad news.
Nooooo! That's why women have double mastectomies!!! They're supposed to get "peace of mind" and not have to be followed, like I'll have to. My choice, theirs' is different. That's the philosophy. Chop off your boobs and not have to go through as much afterwards. Keep them and agree to additional treatments and screenings. That's usually what's on the menu for a breast cancer patient. All that surgery and she still got bad news! She has a good prognosis but it's just so unfair!
There's still tissue underneath. There are no guarantees in medicine, he said. I know that but my brain wants to categorize everything. Do this and that will or won't happen. Don't make it sound like a crap-shoot.
I think he saw the time and jumped up, said a quick goodbye and ran out of the office like the proverbial rabbit. I hobbled out of Adassa with my huge envelope of X-rays which are doing squat for my bad leg.
Problem is that I have two things going on at once. One is Very Serious and needs operating, etc. But I've never had a second of pain or problems with it. I couldn't even feel it. By contrast, I definitely feel my leg but it's not life-threatening so I'm having problems getting everyone to take it seriously.
I then went over to the pathology lab to pay for the original biopsy, a little late (the bill was a "rappelle") I didn't trust the rickety elevator so I walked up the three flights of stairs. "So this is it" I thought to myself "where my Fate was determined!" It was a very creepy looking building, in sharp contrast to Adassa's makeover. I couldn't see any labs but the place was a mess with papers. Hope your labs are more organized! Eek!
I tried taking a bath and that seemed to help. I also have put a towel under my knee when driving. Driving is killer for it. At least I didn't get a parking ticket!
I was sitting along the wall, hoping no one would notice me. Then I felt a tap on my shoulder and Dr. N. was holding out his hand. Per French protocol, you're supposed to stand up but I just kind of compromised by sitting up, for lack of time (and being surprised). Hate when I'm called "Madame D." I think they're talking to my mother-in-law!
I was in so much pain taking Davina to school this morning. I could barely walk. I'm actually okay walking but stairs take me a moment but I can do it.
I like the X-ray that rolls back. They did the standing one and then put a pillow behind my head, while still standing. "Hold on!" as it leaned back with me in it. Sort of like an amusement park ride.
Then they threw me into the hall. Such a long wait! I wasn't in a hurry but thinking about my parking and our over-enthusiatic meter maids here.
Finally, when I saw him again, I told him I was in pain but the X-rays only showed a bit of arthritis. He thinks the pain is from my knee and radiates to my hip, because my hips are fine. My right hip had the worse displacement but "it's cured now" as he says. Okay... I showed him the worthless drug the GP gave me. "I can't figure this out without knowing what the generic is" he said, pulling out the info page.
You'll be better in a week. Great. I'll just hobble around like an old lady till then.
He said he was late because of another wire-marking procedure for surgery. Good excuse! Of course, we had to bring up the cancer. I'll get mammos/sonograms alternated with mammos/MRI's. I'm asking him, why do mammos when they're worthless on me?? He laughed. "Protocol". No, don't say that! But seriously, he explained that sometimes mammos can pick up things that are missed on the other two. He just had a case (older woman). She didn't have dense breasts, did she? No. Mine don't show anything. I kind of had to let it go. I got my point across.
I finally said what I'd been waiting to say. "Please tell me something so that I won't be having these third tumor nightmares??" We've done everything. The mammo, the MRI, the sonogram, he went on. We've seen what we need to see. We're as sure as we can be that there's nothing else in there. Not completely put at ease, but better, okay...
Then he told me a story that made my blood go cold. Woman who had a double mastectomy and had reconstruction, 10 years ago. She injured herself getting off the bus and ended up back in his office. Since he was X-raying her shoulder, he found something. Biopsy and bad news.
Nooooo! That's why women have double mastectomies!!! They're supposed to get "peace of mind" and not have to be followed, like I'll have to. My choice, theirs' is different. That's the philosophy. Chop off your boobs and not have to go through as much afterwards. Keep them and agree to additional treatments and screenings. That's usually what's on the menu for a breast cancer patient. All that surgery and she still got bad news! She has a good prognosis but it's just so unfair!
There's still tissue underneath. There are no guarantees in medicine, he said. I know that but my brain wants to categorize everything. Do this and that will or won't happen. Don't make it sound like a crap-shoot.
I think he saw the time and jumped up, said a quick goodbye and ran out of the office like the proverbial rabbit. I hobbled out of Adassa with my huge envelope of X-rays which are doing squat for my bad leg.
Problem is that I have two things going on at once. One is Very Serious and needs operating, etc. But I've never had a second of pain or problems with it. I couldn't even feel it. By contrast, I definitely feel my leg but it's not life-threatening so I'm having problems getting everyone to take it seriously.
I then went over to the pathology lab to pay for the original biopsy, a little late (the bill was a "rappelle") I didn't trust the rickety elevator so I walked up the three flights of stairs. "So this is it" I thought to myself "where my Fate was determined!" It was a very creepy looking building, in sharp contrast to Adassa's makeover. I couldn't see any labs but the place was a mess with papers. Hope your labs are more organized! Eek!
I tried taking a bath and that seemed to help. I also have put a towel under my knee when driving. Driving is killer for it. At least I didn't get a parking ticket!
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