One of the joys of getting older is getting onto new medical procedures. Yay. Since I hit the magical age of 40, I was sent to get my first mammogram.
I've read and heard a few accounts of mammograms, so I wasn't looking forward to it. From everything I heard, it involved refrigerated plates that would clamp down on a captive boob until the thickness was taken down to about half an inch. Gah.
When I was escorted into the room, I didn't notice that the room wasn't particularly cold, since I was too focused on looking at the device. It had cranks on the side. Like the ones on vice grips in a workshop. Uh....
I'm happy to report that after all that buildup, it really wasn't bad. It's true that each boob is placed and flattened, but nowhere near to the degree I had heard - it wasn't too uncomfortable. Then again, I was staying very still - I hate to think what would have happened if a sneeze had come on when everything was clamped in.
The films were developed immediately, so I got to see them on the light cell (whatever that thing on the wall is called). That was weird, too - it looked like unfocused pictures of galaxies. The reports are already back, all is clear, so all is good!
If you're due and haven't gone in yet, go ahead and make the appointment. It's just about the easiest procedure you can get.
* middle school humor! Enter this number in an old calculator and turn it upside down. Heh heh.
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