The Doc...

The new doctor was interesting to say the least. Just meeting for the first time I quickly ran through the types of medication that I take. Effexor for stress and anxiety from previous trauma, Nexium for reflux, and Asthma medication. I'm a cheery person by nature which is often taken as frivolity (are most people grumpy?). Our getting to know you session was one of little quips from the doc as he thought he could summarise me..."oh no Doc...not so fast...there's more to me than what you see", were my unconscious thoughts as I addressed each quip. i don't stay quiet anymore and cop comments of any sort on the chin. So when the poor man thought he had me kinda figured out in five minutes he was wrong. You've got to feel a little sorry for these men and women, they don't know what they are going to deal with each 15 minutes or so of every working day, so predictably and being no different from all human beings, they develop a style and a starting point and go from there. The visit became a little more formal when I said I had found a lump in my breast. After some questions and an exam, the Doc discussed options. He set about explaining Ultrasound and Mammogram and why he favoured Ultrasound. If a mammogram were undertaken, then ultrasound would no doubt follow anyway. Skipping the radiation side of the exams made sense, and unfortunately, as we have all no doubt heard, mammogram results may not always be true. There have been incidents of false negatives. I agreed with the facts at hand for the moment because the mammogram would also be done if deemed necessary anyway. It was apparent that this was going to be dealt with as quickly as possible though. The doctor sent me of with a referral and instructions that I was to get an appointment ASAP...and he meant ASAP. I went home to make the appointment. The idea of all this was a little shocking and I did my best to hold it all together and not cry at the Doctor's office. The short 2 minute drive home ended in tears though. My partner followed me into the house and held me while I cried the initial shock out. Then after relaying what had transpired, I picked up my mobile phone and made the call to the the number on the referral. My appointment was the very next day. The rest of that day, I tried to put it out of the forefront of my thoughts and just get on with what was at hand. Tucked away but not forgotten....