Breast MRI

I got a call this morning from Monica seeing if I could come in to hospital for my MRI by noon. It was 9:45 and I said I could leave now. She said that was great and that Kelly would be squeezing me in so she could get me in as soon as I got there. So I hopped I to the car and drive over for my MRI.

As I drove I got a call from the surgical coordinator Theresa from Dr. Camal's office. She gave me the news I was waiting for. I have a surgery date! February 6th! She asked if that was too soon. And I said "I wanted this out of my body yesterday! So that works."

Dr. Griffith said I would feel better when there was a date and she was right. Finally feeling like this is moving forward.

I got to the hospital and managed to find the one last spot for parking. I went straight to radiology for my MRI. The women Kim who checked me in recognized me from the day before and said "you're back!" I said I'm hoping this is the last one for awhile.

They took me back pretty quickly. I met with Kelly and Kristen and they set me all up on the breast MRI machine. With another IV for a different contrast. Positioned in this machine I was sort of kneeling over face down, with my breasts hanging freely through an open area at my chest, my head facing down. They gave me ear plugs and put my inside this long tube. I'm not claustrophobic but if I was looking upright, I don't know how comfortable it would have been. Facing down wasn't too bad.

The scan goes for 25 mins and the machine is very noisy. Even with the ear plugs it was pretty loud. I tried to zone out and focus on the music that was playing. At one point Black Crowes was playing and I went into a slight meditation.

After the 25 mins was up I got dressed and headed home. As I passed the radiation dept check in - the woman Kim at the front said good bye and I said hoping not to be back!

That night the radiologist Dr. Won called me with the results from my MRI- she said they saw nothing new on the left side and no other new lymph nodes were affected. She saw something small on the right side but since I was getting the bilateral mastectomy I didn't need them to be biopsied. She said I made a good choice for many reasons. It's easier for a plastic surgeon to make the breasts symmetrical. There is less chance of it coming back. I won't have to worry about another surgery. I won't have to have another mammogram again.

I thanked her for recommending me to this amazing team and for being so wonderful. Everyone that she had me contact has been incredibly supportive and warm. She said they can't change the outcome but they can be their so we aren't alone through this hard time. She was just wonderful and I was glad to be able to talk to her again.

If you need a mammogram and you are in Monmouth county- I highly recommend The Womens Center at Riverview! They are amazing! Go get checked!! If I can get this so can you.