Mammograms

[iamkeri1]

No you are not de-butched.You were superbrave and strong to tell us your story, and to encourage strength and courage in others. I am proud of you and think you are pretty much a hero.
Smooches,
Keri

Originally Posted by rustedrims

I feel naked and De-Butched after that post.
Think i need to build a house or
swap out a motor in my truck.
Maybe that will help get me back to normal.

[rustedrims]

A naked Hero.

Thank you.

Still feel kinda weird about posting that stuff.
Felt i needed to do it.There is still something else i need
to post in here to explain why i put myself out there.

Just sayin that i have been sleeping with my chainsaw since "THAT POST"

thanks for reading

s.

[Nadeest]

Originally Posted by rustedrims

A naked Hero.

Thank you.

Still feel kinda weird about posting that stuff.
Felt i needed to do it.There is still something else i need
to post in here to explain why i put myself out there.

Just sayin that i have been sleeping with my chainsaw since "THAT POST"

thanks for reading

s.

I can understand why you feel a bit weird about it, but you did it out of concern for your fellows. Thank you for that.

However, about sleeping with your chainsaw......... stop! It stains the sheets! :P

As a transwoman, I was never told, by any medical person, that I would need to start doing self breast exams. My mom never brought up the subject, either. Nor, during my life, that I recall, was I ever told that I needed to do self exams on my 'Original Equipment', either.

That, to me, is a sad lack. Some subjects, however uncomfortable that they are, need to be addressed, in order for people to remain healthy.

[iamkeri1]

Hubby was trans. During transition he had a primary doctor and a surgeon. The surgeon cut and pasted his body till it looked more like his brain intended it to look. His primary doctors, in 10 years at his clinic, never once did any kind of naked exam. He was happy that they never did. But why didn't they do their duty as doctors? who knows?

He was the first trans person they worked with. I mean wouldn't you want to look if you were the doctor just out of curiosity? They treated his diabetes and diagnosed his fibromyalgia - all without his even taking his shirt off. No amount of pushing on my part got him to ask for "privates" exams. The docs did not push at all.

We moved to Florida, had a couple of false starts with dostors, and then he found a female internist who in the very first appointment examined him internally and minus clothes. No problems in the remaining original parts. Score one for him; earlier exams avoided with no consequence. But in that very first exam minus clothes she noticed something about his legs that led her to believe he had PAD (peripheral artery disease) She scheduled tests. The big test, cardiac catheterization he delayed out of fear since we had a friend who had a stroke during the test. It was finally scheduled for the first week in January. He died in his sleep three days after Christmas. He was only 52.

It's my opinion that his earlier primary doctors were guilty of malpractice im their treatment of him. The PAD did not develop overnight. Had it been found earlier, he might still be alive.

Thank you to all of you for talking about these subjects that are more uncomfortable for some among us than it is for most women. (for lack of a better term)
Smooches,
Keri

[rustedrims]

Originally Posted by Nadeest

I can understand why you feel a bit weird about it, but you did it out of concern for your fellows. Thank you for that.

However, about sleeping with your chainsaw......... stop! It stains the sheets! :P

As a transwoman, I was never told, by any medical person, that I would need to start doing self breast exams. My mom never brought up the subject, either. Nor, during my life, that I recall, was I ever told that I needed to do self exams on my 'Original Equipment', either.

That, to me, is a sad lack. Some subjects, however uncomfortable that they are, need to be addressed, in order for people to remain healthy.

Feeling uncomfortable or not ya still gotta get things checked out.

The chainsaw sleeps on a tarp at the foot of my bed.I hope that thing doesnt have a bad dream or my toes are in a bunch of trouble.

[LipstickLola]

As a radiologic technologist, and former mammographer (technician is out-moded since most technologists now have college degrees) I would like to add a couple things that could make your visit a little smoother, not easy, but less scary!

First, please know that the pressure, often referred to as "smashing", "squishing" and other descriptive words, is the most important part of a thorough mammogram. If the breast is positioned correctly (position IS everything, right?) the uncomfortableness can be tolerable and minimized. But to truly spread the breast tissue in order for all of it to be completely seen, which is still not entirely possible, good, firm, pressure is necessary. I used to ball up my fist and ask my patients what color nail polish I was wearing.....they couldn't tell me, I then "pressed" my fist until all my fingers were straightened out and then would tell them this is how our breast tissue is, until it's compressed, everything can't be seen. Then to lighten the mood,
or doing my best to try, because I could symapthize with the fear and uneasiness, I'd ask if I looked mean, lol.....this usually broke the ice and relaxed my patients, being relaxed can HIGHLY minimize the discomfort.

I hope everyone here will get their mammograms! I've lost count of how many friends and acquaintances are gone from my life due to breast cancer, I'd not want anyone to go through that battle just out of fear of this important exam.
Lola

[rustedrims]

Originally Posted by LipstickLola

As a radiologic technologist, and former mammographer (technician is out-moded since most technologists now have college degrees) I would like to add a couple things that could make your visit a little smoother, not easy, but less scary!

First, please know that the pressure, often referred to as "smashing", "squishing" and other descriptive words, is the most important part of a thorough mammogram. If the breast is positioned correctly (position IS everything, right?) the uncomfortableness can be tolerable and minimized. But to truly spread the breast tissue in order for all of it to be completely seen, which is still not entirely possible, good, firm, pressure is necessary. I used to ball up my fist and ask my patients what color nail polish I was wearing.....they couldn't tell me, I then "pressed" my fist until all my fingers were straightened out and then would tell them this is how our breast tissue is, until it's compressed, everything can't be seen. Then to lighten the mood,
or doing my best to try, because I could symapthize with the fear and uneasiness, I'd ask if I looked mean, lol.....this usually broke the ice and relaxed my patients, being relaxed can HIGHLY minimize the discomfort.

I hope everyone here will get their mammograms! I've lost count of how many friends and acquaintances are gone from my life due to breast cancer, I'd not want anyone to go through that battle just out of fear of this important exam.
Lola

Hey Lola.

Ok beings you are a former "SMASHER" i have a question for you.
You see me comming in there a 100% Butch Woman with out my hardass motorcycle skull t-shirt on.We both know what is comming and you already know i am uncomfortable.You being femme and you are going to be grabbing my butch junk.You know i dont want to be there and you arent my girl.What are you going to say or do to help me relax?

I was at the smasher last tuesday and made the lady there laugh a little.She said ok one more picture then you are done.I told her i was glad i didnt have 3 of those things.Still kinda hurts.If i can say i walked out of there "limping".
I try to make light of it.

[LipstickLola]

Originally Posted by rustedrims

Hey Lola.

Ok beings you are a former "SMASHER" i have a question for you.
You see me comming in there a 100% Butch Woman with out my hardass motorcycle skull t-shirt on.We both know what is comming and you already know i am uncomfortable.You being femme and you are going to be grabbing my butch junk.You know i dont want to be there and you arent my girl.What are you going to say or do to help me relax?

I was at the smasher last tuesday and made the lady there laugh a little.She said ok one more picture then you are done.I told her i was glad i didnt have 3 of those things.Still kinda hurts.If i can say i walked out of there "limping".
I try to make light of it.

Just now seeing this, sorry....

First? Don't call me the smasher, it hurts my feelings
Second? (seriously) I always did my best to "read" people whilst going through all of those pesky questions, they weren't pesky at all....gave me a chance to talk and put you at ease to the best of my abilities. I had a very specific job to perform within a professional scope of criteria set before me according to practice standards, I always said exactly what I was going to do, before I did it so there was no surprise, never a touch without explanation or warning. I flunked at speed, but made it up with patient satisfaction . Humor is our friend!
Lola