One Lump or Two.....

So Lumplings,


I head off to Medical Imaging land with only
a very vague concept of what constitutes a core biopsy. Now sometimes it would seem that ignorance is bliss. As it turns out, anything to do with this nasty little procedure, is one such time.

I am neither weak stomached nor do I have a low threshold for pain. But this was, my Breasted Brethren, quite frankly - just plain icky. I will not regail you again with the numbing beige-ness of the waiting room. I proceeded quickly into a large-ish room complete with a guerney and lots of blinking machines and computers on wheels and the ubiquitous Crash cart - what happens in these rooms I ask myself??

I am briefed by one RN. My name, date of birth and address feature again a few times in questioning - clearly a recurrent theme. Is it possible that a whole bunch of strange and odd people just outside the building who are seriously trying to sneak in and get a free biopsy on the public purse and the staff have to make sure that the only one getting that particular prize today is Ms Minogue from Thornbury ????? She asks me what I know about my cancer, its type, grade, state etc. I reply that I know nothing as yet. She advises that there are many types of breast cancer (who knew - it comes in all fashion colours and sizes it would seem) and that this process wont take too long.

Perhaps the most interesting and yet reassuring bit is that the nurse asks at least five times which breast the biopsies are to be performed on - this is one time that I dont resort to humour and say - "you choose"! She outlines the process and advises that the doctor will be in shortly to perform the procedure and she is whilst mid-sentence, another RN appears.  It would seem I am straddling the afternoon shift change-over time. So dear readers, please go back and re-read paragraphs three and four and that will approximate my experience in readiness for this yet to appear Doctor. (Love that Nurses Hand-Over Time!!)

Doctor arrives, he is a chatty fellow very pleasant. Comments on my tattoo - calls me Kylie, then calls me Kerrie. He rolls me onto my side with a foam block underneath my back to place me on a raised angle from the bed surface and then proceeds to puncture my poor left breast not once, not twice people but with each biopsy, reloads this little gun thingy inside the needle and takes FOUR - yes FOUR samples for each biopsy. As he was 'aerating' my breast I could feel a warm trickle of blood running around and down my back.  Finally the good doctor manages my correct Christian name as he instructs me to firmly hold a small cloth against where he has performed his needlework to stem the bleeding. He advises me to wait about five minutes, that the nurse will pop a little frozen saline cold pack into my bra and that I can then go. With that, he snaps of his latext gloves and heads out of the room. 

Below right is a jaunty little happy snap of his work. 

The after -effects on Day Two from the 2 biopsies. It got a whole lot blacker!!!

Hang in there folks

Kelly xx