All is Well

My brochure said if I didn't hear back in seven to ten days I was to call my primary caregiver, so I did. I was told the results of my tests were good but I would have to have a yearly mammogram instead of every two years.

One of my sisters said I might want to look into thermograms instead of mammograms to reduce my exposure to radiation. Both procedures have their own substantial list of pros and cons so I find it all pretty confusing.

Do you have any knowledge about thermograms? I would appreciate any and all input.

Next up is Kazi's test on Feb 11. Hoping for good results for her as well.

We are finally having some wild and wooly winter weather - extreme cold thanks to the polar vortex and intense bands of snow due to an Alberta Clipper. Weather always comes from somewhere else! I don't really mind - the hard-working furnace is going to affect my heating bill but so far we haven't had a heat bill MORE THAN $57.00 so we're overdue And we've had maybe 8" of snow in total this year so I can't complain. I have a warm purring kitty on my lap and  at least two dozen books to read - I don't think the snow will last THAT long though :) I've also made a breakthrough in my genealogy research so that will keep me busy while the snow flies this afternoon.

I bought some groceries yesterday knowing the snow was coming and have no need to leave the house. Usually when I'm all prepared like this the storm will pass to the north or south of us...time will tell....
Last time I was at Kilally it was -7c which was crispy but beautiful!

Who is that little guy - the Pillsbury Doughboy? 

This tree may have toppled over since I was last there!

Geese huddling for warmth on a tiny wee island.

A perfect day!

Thongs....oops...THINGS... going on around here...

 Although my favourite season is spring there is still beauty to be found in the colder seasons.

Especially if the sun is shining as it was last Friday - I don't think I've seen the sun since then - 

COME BACK!!

I wasn't through with you yet!

Hungry baby birds?

A reindeer?

Had my mammogram followup meeting on Monday and learned I have a tiny mass

in each breast. Chance of it being cancerous

 is 1-2%. I can handle that. 

Looking at things logically (which is what I try do) my mother and one of my older sisters both had a number of benign cysts removed so I feel it's safe to assume I'll be the same.

  

It's hard to tell but things were really mucky in

Kilally Meadows on Friday and I need to whack all the dried mud

off of my boots after this post.

  

The next two are my favourites - the camera focussed 

on the twigs and not on the sparkly river.

 Pretty cool!

 There's the river!

The nearby pond had a thin crust of ice - 

  

- I love the way it looks! 

Something alien about it...

closer...

Another creature in the woods.

So I will wait somewhat patiently for my next set of x-rays and

ultra sound which happen in mid-January. 

I had my splinted finger x-rayed on Monday - better safe

than sorry. No news yet,

Too bad there's nothing exciting going on in the next six weeks 

to take my mind off of thongs! 

🎄🎅🎉

Typing while wearing this splint is a challenge - I have so many typos. 

My Pocket Health

For those of you who live in Canada the website for accessing x-rays etc is
www.mypockethealth.com. Yes, this is a new service and I just found out about it when I went for my mammogram. The technician gave me a piece of paper with the info on it but I didn't sign up til I found out that the mammogram was abnormal. Then I thought I want to see what an abnormal result looks like and signed up on the website.

You need to create a login - user name and password and pay a ONE TIME $5.00 fee. Within about two minutes I was looking at my x-rays and reading the results and recommendations. I have a doctor's appointment on Nov. 26 and they have set up an app't for more tests and an ultrasound at a nearby hospital in mid-January.

I am concentrating on this bit of info:
"Most women will not need further testing beyond a special mammogram or ultrasound to find out their breast change is benign or a harmless variation of normal breast tissue."

I don't find I am dwelling on this "abnormal result" in fact, whenever it does come to mind it makes me think of "Young Frankenstein"!

Yuck yuck yuck!!

Fun Stuff...

....not really.

I got one of those follow up phone calls to schedule a doctor's app't after having a mammogram recently. After years of normal mammograms it was a bit of a shock though I know I shouldn't worry as it's likely nothing but still I worry.... after all, I AM my mother's daughter!

Recently I signed up for "My Pocket Health" which provides me with unlimited access to my medical imaging records online and goes back years and years. After a one time $5.00 fee I can actually look at and print any x-ray, MRI, ultrasound and mammogram (plus accompanying remarks, diagnosis and recommendations) I've ever had! What a great service! So I went online and had a look at my last mammogram. There are two issues: abnormal breast density (which is common) and focal asymmetry (which is also common).  With abnormally high density, which shows up on the scan as white, it can prevent masses from being seen as they also show up white. White on white - who thought that was a good idea?

And the focal asymmetry could mean there is a mass but it can't be seen in a regular x-ray so I'll likely have to have an ultrasound or MRI after consulting with my doctor. What this all boils down to is there could be small lumps lurking around waiting to pounce that can't be seen. 

Do I feel better knowing? YES! I'm one of those people who'd rather know than NOT know. I feel quite sure that after more imaging I'll be told there's nothing to worry about. I might have to have more frequent mammograms and I can live (literally) with that. Right now I don't feel any foreign masses invading my body - gotta stay positive!