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It appears Iā€™ve left some of you hanging. Iā€™ve had a few people reach out about the results of the testing.Lone highway

They called from KU Med Center to schedule my mammogram and ultrasound on Thursday February 27. I explained that I lived 350 miles away and told her that I couldnā€™t be there today. We talked about Friday. That would be great, I want to get this off my mind.

So, we got it scheduled for 9:30 am on Friday February 28. I had less than 24 hours to get myself ready and get there.

I left mid-afternoon. John was working that evening so I would meet him there and get his key. As it happened, I got there at intermission of the show he was working so that worked out great.

I was up early the next morning because I never know how long it will take to get to Kansas City from Lawrence with traffic I had a nice breakfast at First Watch because I love to go out for breakfast and I donā€™t very often.

sunrise over Kansas City

Sunrise over Kansas City.

I think I checked in for my appointment 30 minutes early. Turns out it didnā€™t take as long as it can at that time of morning. When the technician came to get me she explained that normally they do mammograms first but they had requested the ultrasound first on me. She had me undress and go to the waiting room.

The ultrasound technician came and got me and we prepared for that. She asked me several times where the tiny lump I had felt was as she was having a hard time finding it. The technician at Colby had to ask as well. Then she pulled up the images from Colby so she could compare and make sure she was finding it.

She took the images to the radiologist while I was back so they could determine if I needed a mammogram. She had to come back once to make sure she had uploaded the images. She had.

I feel like some people would be annoyed by her coming back to check on the images. Things were working a little slower than normal ā€“ it happens.

Then she came back and told me that they did want the mammogram. So I was sent back to the waiting room.

Old boots on fence posts

We spend our days waiting for the ideal path to appear in front of us but we forget that paths are made by walking…not waiting. – Jody Harris

The mammogram technician came to get me. She said they were going to take some ā€œspecialā€ images. That sounded like it would be more uncomfortable than normal. She did several images and set the machine up a few different ways then sent me back to the waiting room while the radiologist looked at them.

She came to the waiting room to get me and took me back to the mammogram room. The doctor was waiting there. She said my photoshoot was over. I had a cyst under my arm ā€“ sometimes they form. They had also seen some unordinary tissue in my breast caused by the surgery. Nothing malignant, I could get dressed and leave.

I had taken the 9:30 time to give me time in case they wanted to do more tests. I think I was done and in my Jeep before 11 am. I had driven 700 miles for peace of mind.

The hardest thing about this is that I donā€™t have Mike to share it with. Not the happiness and relief with the results. Not the 700-mile drive.

After my screening mammogram and appointments in December I was elated. I went to the Seeā€™s Candy store in Nebraska Furniture Mart at the Legends to get some chocolate for my parents for Christmas. I bought myself a little something to celebrate. As I walked back out to my Jeep, I felt anger with Mike for not being there to share this good news with me on the way home.

Horse

Bugs A Special aka Sassy, my guardian.

As his spouse and then caregiver we shared many drives whether good or bad. Now Iā€™m finding a new purpose without him to share it with.

If youā€™d like to experience how the horses can help you deal with caregiving, being a patient, or making better connections with caregivers, patients, or doctors connect with me here.

I was On The Road Again.

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Onward! Social Distancing ā€“ Whatā€™s All the Fuss About?

 

Susan is a lifelong horsewoman, a Master Equine Gestaltist, an Equine Assisted PlayShop facilitator, a breast cancer survivor, a reluctant caregiver, a photographer, and a metal artist. She has a BA in Communications and works with doctors, caregivers, and patients through the Equine Gestalt Coaching MethodĀ®.