FIRST MAMMOGRAM AFTER LUMPECTOMY = What will it be like?

I had been told while trying to get the appointment that I had to have a diagnostic mammogram, not a screening mammogram. And with ultrasound if necessary.  I pushed the "if necessary" out of mind. The only difference mentioned on the phone between mammos was that results of the diagnostic type would be read the same day, with results ready for my doctor's appointment 2 days later.

My secret fear was that my scar would be mistaken for some new DCIS.  Okay, I also feared that judging from some mystery pains I'd been having, the mammo would be too painful.

When I arrived at the hospital, along with a couple of usual papers, I also filled out a medical history with questions of breast history, other cancer, family history of diseases.  This seemed like a good idea. One question was: dates of past breast surgery.  I put in the date for a long-past surgical biopsy ordered when the doctor couldn't tell if there was a lump.  Then added the date of my lumpectomy. I think there might have been a question about needle biopsy, which I'd had before lumpectomy..

They called me rather quickly after I got into a robe.  The mammography tech told me that a diagnostic mammo meant more films than usual, and two magnification films.  Several of them really hurt, but she only had to repeat one. She was very kind and reassuring, seemed capable.   She said she would show them to the radiologist.  I was sent back to the waiting room.  Didn't really hit me right then that I didn't know why the radiologist didn't send me home.

Very, very long wait.  Lunch hour passing. Finally someone left and I got a chair that was small enough for me.  Ate four tiny cheese crackers which of course had soy in them.

Still nothing. Nobody came for me . . .

 More about this in the next post.