Tri-monthly check up.

[scottishlass]

Today I had my tri-monthly breast cancer check-up. Mommography, blood tests and over all exam of my breasts.

OUCH!

Now my arm pit hurts (thanks doc, for grinding your fingers into my lymphoid node which was perfectly PAINFREE before you examined it!!).
My boobs hurt because of the shitty and COLD mammography thingimegig and my right arm hurts and develops all those interesting, colourful bruises, the colours look straight off an LSD trip. The doc wanted to draw blood himself and couldn't find my vein even though it was RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM. I could have used that blasted cannula on myself that vein was throbbing so obvious in my arm.
Last but not least I feel a bit woozy as they took not two, not three but four ampules of blood plus a smaller one for extra testing.

Have taken a nap for five hours (is that still considered a nap??) and still feel strange and off .. and everything hurts. Bleh!

Comments

[qnuy.livejournal.com]

Oh please don't tell me you have breast cancer T_T

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

I was diagnosed with estrogen-receptor positive cancer (a form of hormonal breast cancer) the first time in 1996. Since then I have had 5 weak chemotherapies with both cobalt ray treatment and chemical IVs.
I'm in remission since May 2007 but still have to attend my tri-monthly check-up and usually it goes smoothly, but today was the check-up from hell. The doc was a newbie and normally, I have a female doc who is very efficient.

I usually don't talk much about this, although there is more about cancer when I get chemos as it is very much on my mind then, but in my every day life during remission like now, I don't want to think much about it. Of course, I need to be careful about certain things, need to take my medication every day to keep the cancer cell count low in my blood and take precautions when there is a cold or flu epidemic (usually wearing a mask as not to catch any) as my iummune system is only slowly recovering after so many chemos. But when you live with this kind of shit for 13 years, it becomes part of your life, an every day occurence so it is not a topic anymore.

I once wrote a lengthy entry back in 2007 I think when someone told me I was faking it, as her aunt or mom (don't remember) had breast cancer and died. Then entry is here (http://scottishlass.livejournal.com/201488.html) where i explain in length how I got it.

[back2real.livejournal.com]

argh...sounds painful! and you remind me, I need to get all that done (though they don't usually draw blood here as a rule)

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

Not when you just go to the prevention check-up. My check up is during remission. The taking of blood is for testing how many cancer cells I have in my blood and if I have to get new medication.

[back2real.livejournal.com]

oh oh oh...how did I not know about the cancer???? *hugs*

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

Usually I only write about it when I'm in chemo treatment but as I have been in remission since May 2007, I only mention it if something goes wrong or I have an examination from hell like today.

[back2real.livejournal.com]

ahh, don't blame you for that. how many tests are they running on your blood, they took so much?

at least you got a nice nap!

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

They use it for the usual blood tests as well as TNM-staging.
Usually every person has cancer cells in their blood but depending on how many per mg in the blood you can see if there is an actual iundication for cancer in the human body. Additionally, with knowing on how much over normal your cancer cells in blood is, the better they can give you certain medication in order to keep the count low.

[back2real.livejournal.com]

hmm...I see. How often do they take your blood? Once a year?

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

4 times a year, every three month. And this is binding otherwise you loose your health insurance if you don't go to the tri-monthly check ups during remission.

Here in G they advice you to go to a yearly breast cancer prevention check up, but twice a year is better though you have to pay for the second one as it is not covered with health security anymore.

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

Ugh - no fun. I hope the results of the exam will be good though.

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

I hope so too. The last two check ups went with no hitches and I had really good blood results although I was a bit anaemic.

[padawansguide.livejournal.com]

Good! I'm glad the results of the last tests were good - hope this one will be too!

[miss-dian.livejournal.com]

Aaah. I hope you feel better soon, although bruises would probably take a while to completely heal, hey >_>

[scottishlass.livejournal.com]

My right arm .. or better my elbow pit looks as if I was manhandled :) But I have a cute Winnie the Pooh bandaid on the cannula entry thanks to my hubby :D Now the yellow and red clashes with the blue and purple of the skin :D

[callingmethere.livejournal.com]

*hugs you tightly* not nice doctor :/ and hope the results turn out hood.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

** hugs ** I hope the results are all good!!!!!!!!!