I guess it’s not a good thing when your mammogram doesn’t hurt. I’m not really sure but it’s my gut instinct right now. Why would I think that? Well, it’s because of a letter and a phone call from my doctor.

First the letter arrives. Of course I didn’t get the mail until after 5 PM so I had to wait to speak to my doctor about it. But when I saw the yellow highlighter on the page I immediately knew something was wrong. The note said that there was something “suspicious” on my test and that I needed to get in touch with my doctor. It went on to say that this didn’t mean that I had a tumor but that my doctor would decide if further testing was needed.

I called the next day at 8 AM and was told that I’d get a return call right away. I was then told that one of my breasts was “dense” and that I needed an ultrasound and a spot compression mammogram. I was told not to worry. It was a change from last year and it does happen with age.

I’m amazed that I’m this calm about it. I go for my tests on Wednesday, March 25th. I’ll keep you posted.

Today was my annual mammogram. I absolutely hate having this test done. I can handle pain, since I live with it on a constant basis. IV’s, no big deal anymore. Pain injections into my joints, hah! But since I’ve had my thymectomy, which is just like open heart surgery, well my chest was cracked and opened and I have a huge zipper scar, going through a mammogram has been torture.

I was told that because it takes a long time for the scar and the muscles to fully heal, the positioning and pulling of a mammogram can be very painful. The first one after the surgery was the worst. I was actually crying, not from my boobs being squashed, but from the chest wall muscles being pushed and pulled. Each year after it was just a little bit better.

Today was the first year it didn’t hurt. When I told the technician, she said that I’d probably have to go through it again. She figured she didn’t “compress” me enough. But after waiting a few minutes, I was told the films were fine. I was done for another year!

I keep seeing TV commercials about Mesothelioma and law firms that take cases of people who have this disease, but I didn’t know much if anything about the disease itself.

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer. The Mesothelium is the sac of certain organs of the body, including the lungs, the stomach and the heart. Most forms of Meothelioma is cancer of the lining of the lung. That is because this cancer is usually caused by breathing in asbestos.

Asbestos was found in insulation, cement, roofing shingles, textiles and flooring products. People who worked with these materials were not the only people exposed to asbestos. Their family members may have been too because the asbestos fibers would cling to clothing.

This disease is not easy to diagnose and may not have symptoms or symptoms that are the same as pneumonia and a persistent cough. When diagnosed, the prognosis is not very good. One in five people live five years after diagnosis. There are treatments available though and research on new treatments are continuing.

People who are diagnosed or their families may be interested in finding a mesothelioma law firm that can pursue a a case against the company that caused this cancer. Finding a firm that is experienced in these types of cases is important. A mesothelioma lawyer that you feel comfortable with and have confidence in can make this difficult time in your life a bit easier.

After being in a bad flare since the beginning of January, I have to admit that I am feeling depressed. As time is flying by, I still feel stuck. I try to stay upbeat, pray, do all I can to keep my mind busy, but I still feel down. I am feeling a lot better, but not back to how I felt before.

When I saw my Psychiatrist, he recommended that I start counseling again. My meds can’t be changed or increased and he believes that this depression is reactive to my health issues. When I talk to him, it’s nice to not have to explain any of my medical conditions to him. He is a neurologist as well as a Psychiatrist so he understands what Myasthenia Gravis is, what symptoms I have and how it affects my life. He keeps up to date on medical issues and knows the medications that I take and what they are for.

Although I speak to him for a good twenty minutes, it is only every 3 months. So now I’ll be adding counseling visits to my plethora of doctor visits. I do think that this is a good thing for me though.