This morning Don and I braved the bonkers traffic and headed off to the Royal Hospital for Women for my follow-up appointment.

When we arrived we were advised “no boys” were allowed in the actual waiting room, but we could sit together in the reception area and wait for me to be called. So Don grabbed a coffee and we sat around and read our respective things for a while – maybe 20 minutes?

After being called in to the secret-ladies-only-room, I met with a counsellor who talked me through the process – the radiologist would review my original (2D) mammogram and identify what what required a further look in a new (3D) mammogram, she’d review that and then I’d have an ultrasound. If it was warranted, I’d have a biopsy in the afternoon. The counsellor reinforced that it was more common to be called back if it was the first mammogram, because there was no baseline for me. They’d keep me informed throughout the process and I wouldn’t leave today without a result (which – fabulous! because any more waiting would be ghastly.)

Then it was into the changeroom to exchange my shirt and bra for a hospital gown (tied at the front) and then lots of sitting about in the secret-ladies-only-room reading magazines and wishing I hadn’t left my kindle with Don. And also wishing I had ear-plugs because I really very much hate morning/breakfast television programmes.

I didn’t have to wait terribly long before being called by the radiographer. Only my right breast was up for squishing (this made me a little nervous because I’d been assuming I simply had two weird boobs and all would be fine). While walking into the room I saw my original scan up on a screen and spotted a quite large dark patch (this made me a little more nervous). The mammogram was over pretty quickly – very efficient and professional, and of course painful.

Back out to the waiting room where I had to wait a bit longer for the ultrasound (maybe 20-25 minutes). I’d exhausted the semi-decent magazines so stuck my head out the door and grabbed my glasses and kindle from Don. All the while being rather nervous about that large dark patch.

Then I was ushered in to the utlrasound room and lay quietly on the bed for maybe 2 minutes before the radiologist came in and introduced herself – and proceeded with ultrasound. This freaked me out a little because I was expecting a technician and a later review by the radiologist. She was scanning and capturing loads of images all over the top of the right breast (in the dark patch) for what seemed like ages, maybe 5 minutes – by this point I was pretty much convinced something was awry and that I’d move on to the biopsy stage.

But no! Apparently I have “very many” cysts but they are all fine! And I was good to go home.

I had no idea I was so cyst-ridden, I’ve never felt anything even resembling a lump. Why do I have these cysts? It’s hormonal (yeah, thanks once again hormones). At some point the cysts may cause me problems – problems as in pain/discomfort and I might need them drained (ewwwwww), but very unlikely to develop into anything to be concerned about.

I hadn’t realised how much this was weighing on me, but wow – the relief!

xxx

Best thing today: clean bill of health!