I admire your courage. I feel gratitude on the day each year I have my mammogram. No history of breast cancer in my family, either. There was a time, early in the technology, health insurance did not cover the test.
Thank you for this, Marianne. I share your gratitude for having health insurance to cover the cost of the test, too. I've thought many times of women who don't have the benefit of insurance or access to healthcare. Another reason the mentality to boycott affected me so deeply.
“Roughly five minutes of discomfort that saved my fucking life.” Powerful. And…. Exactly!! Almost unfathomable, to think of skipping or boycotting mammos due to the discomfort and the patriarchy, especially when considering what the consequences could be. (And yet I say this as I’m procrastinating on that first colonoscopy… ).
I still can’t believe you had to go through all of that alone during Covid. Interesting that it was not so much the memories of going through that that caused the panic attack feeling, but that Tweet. Also interesting to think PTSD could be something we experience just once.
)Sorry, upon re-read I realize my comment leaves out the fact that the Tweet did trigger a flood of terrible memories.)
Sharing about your experience helps de stigmatize PTSD. An incident like this shows how triggering seemingly small things can be. And how social media can be such a trigger!
If women find the mammo so uncomfortable, they need to say something to the techs who perform the procedure. There's a vast difference in how much pressure one tech applies compared to another. Sisters! Have a convo ahead of time with the tech and get that mammo. It could save your life. Also, Kali, I've had a panic attack that came out of seemingly nowhere. It was died to trauma, but it still took me completely by surprise. Thankfully, I had a compassionate ER nurse who helped me understand what was happening and a suggestion to talk through it with a mental health professional.
I admire your courage. I feel gratitude on the day each year I have my mammogram. No history of breast cancer in my family, either. There was a time, early in the technology, health insurance did not cover the test.
Thank you for this, Marianne. I share your gratitude for having health insurance to cover the cost of the test, too. I've thought many times of women who don't have the benefit of insurance or access to healthcare. Another reason the mentality to boycott affected me so deeply.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us! Thanks for being here.
“Roughly five minutes of discomfort that saved my fucking life.” Powerful. And…. Exactly!! Almost unfathomable, to think of skipping or boycotting mammos due to the discomfort and the patriarchy, especially when considering what the consequences could be. (And yet I say this as I’m procrastinating on that first colonoscopy… ).
I still can’t believe you had to go through all of that alone during Covid. Interesting that it was not so much the memories of going through that that caused the panic attack feeling, but that Tweet. Also interesting to think PTSD could be something we experience just once.
)Sorry, upon re-read I realize my comment leaves out the fact that the Tweet did trigger a flood of terrible memories.)
Sharing about your experience helps de stigmatize PTSD. An incident like this shows how triggering seemingly small things can be. And how social media can be such a trigger!
I totally understood what you meant! (And get your colonoscopy!)
Thank you, Boo xoxo
Thank you for sharing this very important story, Kali. I learned a lot.
I did, too.
If women find the mammo so uncomfortable, they need to say something to the techs who perform the procedure. There's a vast difference in how much pressure one tech applies compared to another. Sisters! Have a convo ahead of time with the tech and get that mammo. It could save your life. Also, Kali, I've had a panic attack that came out of seemingly nowhere. It was died to trauma, but it still took me completely by surprise. Thankfully, I had a compassionate ER nurse who helped me understand what was happening and a suggestion to talk through it with a mental health professional.
Thank you for this, Joan. Same, really took me by surprise when it happened!