The New Base Line

Today I had my first mammogram at Jefferson Honickman Breast Imaging Center since I had a lumpectomy and radiation after they found breast cancer at my last annual mammogram on May 25. As I wrote in my last post, I was very nervous. Of course, I was always nervous before a mammogram since there was always a chance that they would find something. And a few times, it was necessary for extra pictures to be taken and even ultrasounds to be done.

Once, I remember, I was the last person to leave. I waited the longest and had seen the image where there was a white mass the size of a nickle. I had several go-backs to redo the images (before digital imaging) and had an ultrasound. I was really scared because I saw the mass myself and knew it was huge!. Turns out it was squished calcification and was really nothing when viewed the other way!

Today, I also was the last woman standing. I had several go-backs and an ultrasound. they were nice enough to come tell me that I was waiting because they only had one technician doing the ultrasound. Dr. Tara Eisenberg, the same radiologist as last year, read the results this year too. She called Dr. Sataloff for her reports from the surgery to be sure there were clean margins because she saw  “things” and wanted to be sure it was scar tissue and not any problems. She expects it is only scar tissue and wants me back in 6 months to check the right breast again just to be sure that it is scar tissue. This will be the new base line.

This is my new normal.