October 6, 2008

• breast cancer awareness: you want to see my WHAT?!

  in honor of breast cancer awareness month, i wanted to share this with you. it’s shocking how most young people don’t get their yearly exams/physicals — especially since cancer and other illnesses CAN and DO affect people at any age. please heed this advice: get examined. it’s not as bad as you think, and it could save your life!

  i can count on less than one hand how many people have seen my nether-regions, and dr. jodie is one of them.

  (now
  that i think about it, the realistic number is probably much higher,
  given the number of people that changed my diapers back in the day.
  we’re not going to get THAT technical.)

  today**, i went in for my yearly “women’s wellness” exam.

  
  (the waiting room)

  i have been obsessing over this visit all week.

  “i need to shave my legs!”

  (i may not be trying to impress the woman, but who wants to see a forest on my gams?)

  “what should i wear?!”

  this was a particular concern for me. i knew i definitely needed something with short sleeves (for the blood pressure cuff and bloodwork; one year i wore a sweater. BIG mistake) … something lightweight (after all, i WAS getting weighed today) … and of course, nothing too intricate to take off or put on.

  i settled on a simple cotton dress.

  this morning, though, i only thought about one thing: food.

  fasting
  is not a particularly fun thing to do, but it’s necessary to get a
  decent bloodwork sample. it was doubly painful for me since i had
  finally put myself on a fairly regimented eating schedule. (by the end
  of it all, i was RUNNING for my yogurt and banana!)

  what do they test for?

  the
  doctor is monitoring my glucose (i’m hypoglycemic, a condition that
  could turn into diabetes if i’m not careful), but they also test
  cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides. needless to say, it’s important that they’re accurate.

  i was weighed, had my
  temperature and blood pressure taken. all normal.

  one thing i always seem to forget: doctors are pee-happy.
  they will almost always ask you for a sample. it just never fails. be
  sure to arrive with a full bladder … otherwise, you’ll have to hang
  around until you can produce the “goods.”

  being naked on a
  table (save for the half-gown to maintain some shred of dignity) and
  having your feet in little pink stirrups is surreal. i mean, what do
  you say
  in situations like this, with your hoo-hoo hanging out? i tried to play
  it cool, but i couldn’t bring myself to look at her. i trust dr. jodie
  implicitly, but it’s still just WEIRD.

  i had the “full-service”
  done. pap, breast exam, pelvic exam and skin check (apparently, i have
  great skin — an awesome complement given at a weird time). it’s good to
  get it all out of the way at once.

  
  (the tools)

  i
  won’t go into specifics on procedures — i may be brave enough to write
  about the visit, but i’m definitely not in the mood to blush with every
  keystroke.

  now for the facts: a pap test (aka: pap smear …
  although that just sounds messy and gross) checks for changes in the
  cells of your cervix. the cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb)
  that opens into the vagina. the test can tell if you have an infection,
  abnormal (unhealthy) cervical cells, or cervical cancer.

  it is
  important for all women to have pap tests, along with pelvic exams, as
  part of their routine health care. you need a pap test if you are:
  

  • 21 years or older
  • under 21 years old and have been sexually active for three years or more

  
  the breast exam is another vital part of the annual exam. lol, it can be considered uncomfortable on soooo many different levels, but is one of the most important things to have done. this is not a time to be a prude, believe me! the doctor will cup your breast and “moosh” it around. they are checking for any unusual lumps or changes that could signal cancer. *whew* another year, cancer free!

  (as a reminder, be sure to take the initiative: perform breast self-exams — BSE — each month! women who do monthly BSEs have a much better
  chance of finding breast cancer early, while it’s still very treatable.)

  lastly,
  they took two viles of blood. i was relieved they found the vein on the
  first try — something we’ve had a hard time with in the past.

  
  (the aftermath)

  i
  was there thirty minutes, from start to finish. despite my quirks and
  apprehensions about it all, the yearly exam is one of the best things i can do for my health.

  if you haven’t gone lately (or at all), GO!

  …
  and this goes for guys, too! go in for your yearly exams. doctors can
  really help catch maladies early, so take advantage of that.
  
  spread the word — recommend to your friends. hopefully this will inspire them to get checked out and save them from cancer!

  **repost, with added information

  • 9:51 am
  • 98 Comments