Boobie Smashing Update

I am compelled to write this because I didn't get any straight answers on how mamograms go. I heard a lot of "Oh Erin, it's painful, but not so bad", "It's REALLY painful, take two motrin before you go" and "It's not so bad, just uncomfortable"

None of that is very helpful.

So here's exactly how it went.

I was at Salisbury Imaging center near St. Luke's Hospital here in Jacksonville. When I went in I had to sign in, then was called up to fill out a few short forms. They had already verified my insurance from the info I gave them on the phone when I made my appointment. So that was quick. Then they called me back. It was maybe 5 minutes after my appointment time. I consider that to be very timely.

The girl who took me back was very friendly. She took me to a little room with chairs and a few lockers. I took off my top and bra and put a real actual cloth hospital type top on. Open in the front. It was hard to get it to feel like I was covered. Apparently it's not designed for that. Then I filled out one more form, asking if I had had a mamogram before. I did have to sign something saying I'm not pregnant.

Into the room. The nice lady helped me get positioned, one boobie on the machine. Then the plate came down. First thing I notice, it's clear! I can SEE my squished boobie, how fun! Second thing, it DID NOT HURT. Its some machine that knows how hard to squish. What I mean is it's not that the girl just smashed as hard as she could, the machine held me in there but not hard at all. I super promise it didn't hurt a BIT. It was not uncomfortable or anything. It wasn't super a lot of fun, but not a big deal. So they do three views on each boobie. One from sorta straight on. Then I turn a bit so more of the armpit side gets in *you know you have breast tissue in your armpits right* and then one where I had to lean over it, it tilted on it's side and I held a special bar with the same arm as the boob that was being squished. That was squishing sorta sideways. Then get the other boob out *special shirt allows you to have one in and one out* and do it all again. Start to finish it was about three minutes.

Then back to the locker room to change. Now you know you can't wear lotion or deordorant right? Well they had wipes in there to clean it off if you did. So if you have to work all day then get squishsed at 3pm you can go ahead and wear your deordorant. Anyhow I used the wipe to freshen up and then also used the little packets of deodorant that were there. They had lotion too, but I am very particular about lotion so I waited till I got home to grease my girls up.

And that is the whole story. If your mamograms are hurting you should question it I think. Or maybe you have super sensitive boobies, some folks do. I have regular boobies. :)