Awareness, Dubai Style

October is breast cancer awareness month.  I am of the age that my general practitioner recommends an annual mammogram.  And like a good little soldier, I do it.  I got the referral and set up an appointment to get the thing done.

This is not the most comfortable procedure, but it's over fast.  Last time I went, I lived in Tulsa.  I got the test and went home with a smile.  A few days later, I got a call that the radiologist "saw something" and I needed a retest.  I called and made an appointment.  The soonest they could get me in was two weeks.  I sweated the entire time.  You do.  You fret.  What will I do if it's cancer?  You play out the scenarios in your mind.  If you have a good imagination, you can work yourself up.  I know I did.

Two weeks later, I went in.  I had a couple more films taken.  Then fretted for the better part of a week before I got a letter that said, "no worries.  false alarm."  I felt like I dodged a bullet.

This year, DH went with me to hold my hand.  I expected the same kind of deal.  It was scar tissue that set them off last time and that stuff doesn't go away.  So, these guys would see the same thing, right?  Then I'd go through the whole fret again.  I'd worry, but hope that it was nothing.

Dubai is a high tech city.  The diagnostic center is all digital.  So instead of going in and then leaving, waiting days and days for a report, it was immediate.  The tech did the scans.  She sent them to the radiologist and he looked at them right then.  He saw something, as I knew he would and ordered a close up of the area.  The tech came back into the room and then took a couple more close ups.  I sat there for no more than fifteen minutes while the radiologist reviewed the pictures.  He said it was all okay and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Before I got my receipt for payment from the front desk, the tech had burned my images to a CD and presented me with the disk as I left the office.  That's right.  No waiting for days to hear good or bad news.  No waiting for more weeks to get a retest.  No fretting and nail biting.  It was that easy.

I'm a big fan of digital now.  I think all mammograms should be this easy.  It's October.  If you haven't already scheduled your test, do it now.  I'm going to suggest finding someplace that has digital, it's a lot easier on your frame of mind.

--Sandee Wagner