Today, October 16th, 2009 is National Mammography Day to find a clinic near you go to nbcam.org

Smashogram, that’s what my mom always called mammograms.   She’d pretty much convinced me they were some type of horrible medieval torture.  Then this past spring I had my first one.

Here’s your TMI (too much information) warning, if you don’t want to hear it…run now. And don’t say I didn’t warn you.

One day I found that I had a questionable nipple discharge and called my Dr.   I was honestly torn between wanting to be told, it was nothing to worry about but, also not wanting them to blow it off given my family history. They told me that I needed to come in and be seen.  After seeing the Dr. she told me that while she was really feeling it would be nothing, that it was something that needed to be checked and a mammogram was scheduled.  Then, I began to be nervous.   I worried about the possibilities of what they could find AND about the test itself.

The morning of the mammogram I really thought I would throw up before I got there.   So I get there and check in,they call my name and take me back to a locker room and give me a locker for my stuff and a lovely hospital robe. Once in my robe, I go to another waiting room with many other women wearing our beautiful hospital robe tops.  From there, my name is called again. A super sweet nurse brought me back to the dreaded contraptions.   It took probably about 20 minutes and I’m not even going to lie, it wasn’t fun.  It didn’t feel GOOD.  I would NOT choose to have one as a form of relaxation.  But, it was not anything to be truly fearful of.  I’d rather get a mammogram than go to the dentist ANYDAY.

Afterward, I was told to wait in the room as the radiologist is on location and reads them right away. After a little waiting the nurse came back and told me that while they didn’t see anything that they were worried about they wanted me to have an ultrasound. After a few more minutes of waiting I was taken in for an ultrasound. As I lay there exposed to both the tech and the radiologist I will admit it wasn’t my ideal afternoon but after delivering three children I have little modesty left.

After the ultrasound I was told that while they still couldn’t see anything, they also didn’t see a reason for the discharge and wanted to do just one more test before deciding that there was nothing to be concerned about. When they told me I would need a ductogram I didn’t think much about it. I’d never heard of it. Then I was taken to a scheduling nurse to make appointment for it. SHE made me nervous…VERY nervous.

For a ductogram, they use a small needle to inject dye through the nipple into the ducts and then do a mammogram.  Did just reading that make you squirm a little? Because it did me.   If I thought I was sick to my stomach the morning of the mammogram, it was nothing compared to the morning of the ductogram. I did NOT sleep well the night before and I was sooo nauseous that whole morning. I’ll even be honest and say I came up with a million reasons to call and cancel the appointment. But I went. And you know what, I lived through it. I know you’re shocked, right? It was uncomfortable and kind of made me stomach church to watch but it finally came up with an answer. That made it more than worth it. It WAS nothing to worry about. But better than just a “eh we don’t see anything” it gave me a reason and some SERIOUS peace of mind. And THAT was worth all the minor discomfort, pulling prodding and poking I endured.

If you have been putting off getting your first, or fifth, or tenth, mammogram, STOP! Pick up for the phone today and make an appointment.  Sure you’re busy. And I know it’s not nearly as fun as say having lunch with a friend. But this slightly uncomfortable and yeah a little embarrassing test could mean that you’ll be around to have many MORE lunches with friends.

If you’re not sure if it’s time for your first, check out the information below courtesy of Susan G Komen website.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure® recommends that you:

1. Know your risk

• Talk to your family to learn about your family health history
• Talk to your doctor about your personal risk of breast cancer

2. Get screened

• Ask your doctor which screening tests are right for you if you are at a higher risk
• Have a mammogram every year starting at age 40 if you are at average risk
• Have a clinical breast exam at least every 3 years starting at 20, and every year starting at 40

3. Know what is normal for you and see your health care provider right away if you notice any of these breast changes:

• Lump, hard knot or thickening
• Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening
• Change in the size or shape of the breast
• Dimpling or puckering of the skin
• Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple
• Pulling in of your nipple or other parts of the breast
• Nipple discharge that starts suddenly
• New pain in one spot that doesn’t go away

4. Make healthy lifestyle choices

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Add exercise into your routine
• Limit alcohol intake

Post by Lisa Noel

Yes, those are mine

Save The Ta Tas is a fabulous website with quirky clothing and merchandise that supports Breast Cancer Research and Lisa Noel, the authoress of this post is giving away on Save the Ta Tas tank of your choice to one lucky reader!

1. Mandatory first entry:  What are you doing this year to help spread the word or fight breast cancer
2. Bonus entry:  Donate to Blogging for Boobs and leave a comment, once the donation is verified.. your bonus entry will be counted
3. Bonus Entry: Visit Save The Ta Tas and tell us which item is your favorite.
4. Bonus Entry:  Tell us your smashogram(mammogram) experience

This Contest will run until 11:59PM Saturday, October 17th, 2009 (CST)

Two years ago, this weekend, September 2008, a group of women from my mom’s group joined together to participate in the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure. We were friends but, had never before the race, discussed our reasons for walking.   As we got walking we quickly realized the impact breast cancer had had on our lives.  Out of five women, four of our mother’s had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Three had survived and one of my friends lost her mother quite young to breast cancer. Then we started discussing aunts, grandmothers and friends and the list was long. It just seems nowadays there isn’t anyone who hasn’t been touched in some way by this disease.

I had been married for one month when my mom called and told me she was heading to the doctor because she had found a lump. The doctor had told her it was probably nothing since she had a clear mammogram a few months before. They decided to biopsy it as a precaution and immediately knew something was wrong.

I can picture exactly where I was sitting when my mom called me and told me it was cancer.

The world just stopped for a moment.

My mom was lucky. Her cancer was caught very early and it was not that aggressive. She didn’t have to have chemo or a mastectomy. She had radiation and then five years of Tamoxifen and she was cancer free.  Then, a few years later, my mom’s sister got nearly the exact same diagnosis. We started to comb through the family tree and found a lot of breast cancer.  My mom’s mom had also died of ovarian cancer which is closely related.

Suddenly, I felt suffocated by my family tree.

When my mom and aunt decided to meet with a genetic specialist to see if our family carried the BRACA gene I had to come to terms with my risk. I was in my early 30s. I had to wonder if I had passed on the gene to my two girls. I had to wonder if I would live to see my two girls grow up. It might seem a little melodramatic, but waiting for the results to come back was nerve racking.

The results came back negative for the BRACA gene, but obviously we are dealing with some serious family history. This is why when I found a lump a year ago I immediately demanded that I have surgery to see what was going on. It was an aggressive move for a lump that everyone agreed was nothing. But as a daughter of a survivor and a mother to two young girls I had no desire to “wait and see.” Thankfully, it was nothing, but again, I felt like the shadow of breast cancer was still there.

In my life I have a mom and an aunt who are blessed to call themselves survivors. I have also lost two friends in their early forties to this disease. I have had a breast cancer scare myself and have a scar as a constant reminder of it. And I am only in my mid thirties. I can only imagine how many more encounters I will have in this lifetime. We must beat this disease. For my mom, my friends, myself, most importantly my girls.

We MUST.

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Jill’s story could be any of ours.  I am blessed to call Jill a friend and yet, I had no idea that this was in her life, her past, her present.. her future.

I want to reach out and hug her, yet.. I can’t, she’s too far away.  Instead, I’ll make another donation in her honor and her mom’s and her aunt’s.  Please join me and help us to raise money that will result in us finding that cure.