“Ample” – The Breast Surgeon

by Heather

During my phone call from the OBGyn, she told me that she’ll send the referral over to the breast surgeon, and that I should come back by their radiology department and pick up the films to take to him.  His office called me back the following Tuesday, and my appointment was the Monday after that – the 18th of June.  In his office, he looked at the films, then told me that there’s no way he would expect me to have found the mass in a self exam, due to the location of it, and the size of my “ample” breasts.  And, during the exam he couldn’t feel it either.  He is also the first person ever to tell me that a self exam in the shower or standing up would be nearly ineffective for me.  He kept using “ample” to describe my boobs and essentially even asked if I realize that they are “ample”.  Honestly, that made me chuckle.  My thought was “I’ve been tucking them in my waistband since I was 14. Of course, I know they’re ‘ample’!”

His demeanor and voice are very soothing.  He told me that in someone as young as I am, a mass is usually nothing to be worried about, but recommended that I get a biopsy.  Before I left his office, he told me that I will be getting an “image-guided” biopsy because of the position & depth of the mass, and walked me through the biopsy procedure.  I had lots of questions as a result of some internet research (where negative experiences reign), and he reassured me that there was only the most minimal chance of

Bruised

Boob

By

Botched

Biopsy.

The alliteration is my effort at turning something about this into some form of poetry.

The radiology/imaging department at the hospital would be calling me later to schedule it.

One thing I’ve learned from all this waiting is:  Wait.  The referred office will call when they’re ready to call you.