Thursday, June 30, 2011

Juneathon Disaster #Day 30

It all started so well, I had such high hopes for Juneathon, and well, the weather didn't help at all ...
many times that I ran, rain ruined play. I still ran, but I'll be honest I'm not so keen on getting soaked when running.

Oaks Park, where I run, enables me to run off-road through the woods, so it quickly turns very muddy when it rains, so I wasn't able to go in the woods as much as I would like and I'm not so keen on road running...

Well, that's a whole pile of rubbish excuses isn't it. It's really hard to exercise every single day, with not one day off. Then on 20th June I went for a mammogram, this was followed by an ultrasound. I waited a horrendous week for the results, although I knew I was dealing with 'calcifications' and nothing else, no mystery lump or tumour.. but it was still a horrendous week, and although I did exercise I just didn't feel like the loggy, bloggy bit. Forgive me please.

Anyway, this week I found out I have 'micro' calcifications in one particular area, rated as a '3' on the old BIRAD (Breast Imaging and Radiology etc, etc) scale. This is a 'Probably Benign' result - 98%.  I could wait a year and have another mammogram and see if there has been 'activity', or have a mini biopsy, or a larger biopsy where they take a 'representative' sample of tissue/cells which the lovely pathologist will analyse ...

I've opted for the larger biopsy, it's a week today.. apparently the sample will be the size of a spherical 10p coin (or approx the size of a quarter if you're reading this in the US). I was told the amount they take is proportionate, so you don't end up lopsided. BB has promised me I can get myself a pair of DDs if I have a problem afterwards. Yeh ? In his dreams, was my reply.

I'm still running, so am still on for my Kielder marathon in October, and you know what ? I'd really like to think about maybe doing that half Ironman that I've spent a lot of time thinking about, and no time at all making real plans for.

If you happen to know about calcifications I'd love to hear from you, or if you are getting a diagnosis of this nature, try not to worry. Remember these calcifications don't show up without a mammogram, you can't feel them and most of the time they are not troublesome.

However,  if you do have family history of breast cancer, as I do, and you have any suspicious lumps or bumps get to your GP and get an appointment for a mammogram. It's not the most comfortable procedure and they don't always show up everything, but it might just save your life.

3 comments:

  1. Good lord! That's certainly going to be distracting news. I do hope everything will be fine (although I'm sure that it will be). I don't have calcification (to my knowledge anyway) but I do have fibroadenomae, which are solid lumps. I too have a family history of breast cancer, and have also had all the proddings and pokings required (although not a biopsy) so I know how worrying this is. Thinking good thoughts for you xxx

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  2. I can't help with the calcifications bit, but fir what it's worth, of the three surgeries I've had (ankle, arm, breast) the latter was the least painful and the swiftest recovery. Hope everything goes well.

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  3. Thank you for your kind comments josiejo and abradypus. I had a bunion op and that was quite painful. I am hopeful that this will be quite small and consultant said a quick recovery. Cysts and lumpy breasts are suprisingly common. :o)

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