I went to see the gynecologist on June 25, approximately two months after I found my lump. My appointment was at 3:30pm. I sat in the waiting room for about an hour before being called back. In other words, sadly, it was a typical doctor's office.
After being taken back and weighed and my blood pressure measured, I was taken to the doctor's office. I always feel this is a nice touch when going to any doctor, for the first time, who will be looking at and touching my genitalia. The medical assistant announced the doctor would come talk to me first and then he'd examine me.
I waited for an additional hour when finally, having read every magazine in his office (along with every plaque adorning his walls), the doctor sat down across from me. We spoke about my history and I was actually impressed that he not only apologized for me waiting so long, but that he was actually thorough in obtaining my history. He scored points on that one.
When he finished finding all there was to know about me, the five children I've birthed, the one I lost, (my two step-kids are seen as irrelevant in my health history, obviously) the number of times I've breastfed, the fact that I'm still nursing my one year old, the fibrocystic tumor history, etc, he walked me to an exam room. Other than staff and the doctor, I was literally the only person in the office (Shane was in the waiting room).
The doctor did a very thorough job of examining my breast and of talking to me about possibilities of cancer versus adenoma. He was extremely concerned about the dimpling, as well as that the mass was irregular in shape and very close to the chest wall. See, I told you it was cancer.
He wanted me to have a mammogram and a sonogram. He referred me to the clinic a few doors down from his that would perform this. He also stated that even though I was almost due for my period and that sometimes it was better to wait for mammograms, etc until after your cycle because of thickening that naturally occurs, he wanted me to have it before the week ended. He told me that he would call and talk to the radiologist where he was sending me and that he'd call me within a day or two with an appointment time.
If I hadn't already been sure it was cancer, this would have sparked my suspicion due to the rush-rush attitude he had. He called me less the next day (which was a Tuesday) and told me the appointment was set for the next morning at 8:30am. Its always a pleasure to start out your day with a good booby squishing.
Oh, and let me add....we had no idea how much this was going to cost. I planned to take at least $500 with me.
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