This post is my one rant to looking back (I've been told by my doctors not to), but I've justified it to myself by deciding if it makes one person make a different choice, then that's fine with me. So now that I know what I know, what do I wish?
I wish I understood that when a mammogram comes back negative, it does not necessarily mean that they examined all the tissue and they were able to see clearly that nothing was there (a true negative). It could also mean, they've looked and they cannot distinguish normal from tumour tissue (inconclusive). So ladies, when the radiologist tells you "Ma'am you've got dense breasts", know that it means they can't see a darned thing. If you think something is going wrong, press for an alternative diagnostic tool or monitor yourself more closely in the coming months knowing that the mammogram you just had that said negative, really said, "We don't know". Oh..and enlist the aid of a specialist (see next "I wish").
I wish I understood that there are different experience levels when it comes to detecting lumps. At the bottom of the ladder is the primary physician, then your ob/gyn, then likely an oncology surgeon and then at the top of the list the oncologist. So, again, if you think something is going on, don't start with your primary, start with a specialist. And what about the owner? I think for sure self-examination is your first line of defense provided you can do it right and you don't trick yourself or talk yourself out of what you've found, if you've found something.
I wish I understood that instead of focusing on trying to detect a lump, I should have been looking for changes. Any change. Shape, feel, look, texture, sensitivity, etc. Perhaps the breast cancer may not immediately appear as a lump, so don't limit "change" to that one word. Anything that makes one not like the other is cause for concern.
I wish I had less faith in the health care system and more faith in myself. Or perhaps I wish I was more paranoid. Or both. I think what's best is to assume anything wrong is cancer and then move up from there. For a doctor, they won't assume the worst (or at least they won't tell you that right away), but for your sake, press them to act as if you had cancer and then prove that it isn't. You know, people always say, don't assume the worst, but in the case of this disease that might be your best self-preserving bet.
I wish I understood that when a mammogram comes back negative, it does not necessarily mean that they examined all the tissue and they were able to see clearly that nothing was there (a true negative). It could also mean, they've looked and they cannot distinguish normal from tumour tissue (inconclusive). So ladies, when the radiologist tells you "Ma'am you've got dense breasts", know that it means they can't see a darned thing. If you think something is going wrong, press for an alternative diagnostic tool or monitor yourself more closely in the coming months knowing that the mammogram you just had that said negative, really said, "We don't know". Oh..and enlist the aid of a specialist (see next "I wish").
I wish I understood that there are different experience levels when it comes to detecting lumps. At the bottom of the ladder is the primary physician, then your ob/gyn, then likely an oncology surgeon and then at the top of the list the oncologist. So, again, if you think something is going on, don't start with your primary, start with a specialist. And what about the owner? I think for sure self-examination is your first line of defense provided you can do it right and you don't trick yourself or talk yourself out of what you've found, if you've found something.
I wish I understood that instead of focusing on trying to detect a lump, I should have been looking for changes. Any change. Shape, feel, look, texture, sensitivity, etc. Perhaps the breast cancer may not immediately appear as a lump, so don't limit "change" to that one word. Anything that makes one not like the other is cause for concern.
I wish I had less faith in the health care system and more faith in myself. Or perhaps I wish I was more paranoid. Or both. I think what's best is to assume anything wrong is cancer and then move up from there. For a doctor, they won't assume the worst (or at least they won't tell you that right away), but for your sake, press them to act as if you had cancer and then prove that it isn't. You know, people always say, don't assume the worst, but in the case of this disease that might be your best self-preserving bet.
Comments
When I saw the report for last year's mammogram this year when I asked for it, the Dr. reported there were no prior films for comparison (not true). Although it didn't make a difference in my case, it may do for you. This year they found all prior years films.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444246904577573181463638846.html