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Fierce in Seattle: That Time of Year
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a blogumn by Kelli Bielema
I’m not the best candidate to step on a political soap box, and especially when the topic is healthcare reform. I’ve worked in the industry and have seen people be turned away for the medical support they need. It’s super gross. I feel incredibly fortunate and privileged to have a current employer who grants me exceptional benefits. The thought of making an appointment for my annual exam isn’t even much of a big to-do. What is a big to-do is getting those test results.
My first year in Seattle I received a call from my doctor telling me the results of my recent pap test were negative. I had never received a call like that before and didn’t really know what it meant, but refused to panic. Abnormal cells were found. They used to call these “pre-cancerous.” You can imagine why they no longer say that.
Once in my doctor’s office she told me we would need to do a procedure which was a little poke here, a little scrape there and we call it a day, right? The Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure, or LEEP, is fairly disgusting, a bit uncomfortable, but really was not that big of a deal. Following this I was to have a pap every quarter, then every six months and now I am happy to say, annually. It’s annual time. I’m not necessarily freaked, but I can’t help but wonder what will happen this time. The only control I have over the situation is my attitude and worrying about any of this would not benefit me in any fashion.
I don’t think any of us remain naïve about cancer at a young age. While actress Christina Applegate has brought this reality to the public eye when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, I’d like you to check out this video from a former co-worker of mine, Christy. I hadn’t seen her in a few years, but we’ve reconnected on Facebook. While we are each likely to have known women over 40 to contract this disease, in your thirties or younger generally seems like a shocking surprise. Christy’s attitude is inspirational. Her story also reminds us that you can be young, adorable, and spunky and still get this shit. But as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Now if we can just get that cure… Until then, I’m going to ask my MD about getting a mammogram. So what if it’s a couple years earlier than the recommended age? I also wasn’t supposed to drink until I was 21…
See Christy’s video after the jump:
Wow, well I'm sold. Thank you for this, Kelli. I"m fixing to schedule a mammogram w/ my next physical.
Atta girl!
Wow, well I'm sold. Thank you for this, Kelli. I"m fixing to schedule a mammogram w/ my next physical.
Atta girl!
very cool. I had a mammo b/c I was having pain in my boobies and they thought there may have been abnormalities so I had to have an MRI. It was very scary but everything came back ok. We kind of decided it was due to an increase in caffeine as I had just started drinking "water joe". I don't drink coffee or soda so I think my body was just freaking a bit :) Anyhoo, now I drink green tea and my boobs don't hurt anymore but I'm still scared.
Yeah, I don't think a lot of people know about that effect w/caffeine. I've decreased mine some, but still… Anyway, glad everything is OK! Thanks for sharing your story!
very cool. I had a mammo b/c I was having pain in my boobies and they thought there may have been abnormalities so I had to have an MRI. It was very scary but everything came back ok. We kind of decided it was due to an increase in caffeine as I had just started drinking "water joe". I don't drink coffee or soda so I think my body was just freaking a bit :) Anyhoo, now I drink green tea and my boobs don't hurt anymore but I'm still scared.
Yeah, I don't think a lot of people know about that effect w/caffeine. I've decreased mine some, but still… Anyway, glad everything is OK! Thanks for sharing your story!
Ah yes…the annual. How about this? I 'm on this mini pill since I am still breastfeeding and after a year I figured I would have to go in for the dreaded annual (I'm on my back for about 2 minutes so I don't know why I'm complaining. Oh yeah, an I delivered my son au natural.)
I called to leave a message about filling one more month until I could get into the doctor, checked with my pharmacy to see if the doc called there, they say, "Your prescription is ready for pick up.", and I see the expiration date on the prescription and the doctor's office has renewed it for a full year. Bonus. Well at least until I stop nursing.
Then I'll have to schedule a mammogram…
Ah yes…the annual. How about this? I 'm on this mini pill since I am still breastfeeding and after a year I figured I would have to go in for the dreaded annual (I'm on my back for about 2 minutes so I don't know why I'm complaining. Oh yeah, an I delivered my son au natural.)
I called to leave a message about filling one more month until I could get into the doctor, checked with my pharmacy to see if the doc called there, they say, "Your prescription is ready for pick up.", and I see the expiration date on the prescription and the doctor's office has renewed it for a full year. Bonus. Well at least until I stop nursing.
Then I'll have to schedule a mammogram…
"I've had two mammograms before I was 30 years old… if you have a history or you find something you should get checked.. young women have dense breasts and that is all the more reason to get checked"
"I've had two mammograms before I was 30 years old… if you have a history or you find something you should get checked.. young women have dense breasts and that is all the more reason to get checked"
No insurance makes it not an option. Will anything ever be done about that situation?
No insurance makes it not an option. Will anything ever be done about that situation?