The Times Dispatch Blogs

I, like most people, hate to go to the doctor. I don’t go for routine checkups, but if I’m sick, I will go. During a recent visit, my doctor read me the riot act for not taking better care of myself and scheduled me for all the routine exams I’d been neglecting.

I was relieved that I had five more years to wait before I had to start routine mammograms. Relief was short-lived when a lump was found during my exam. I went today and had my first mammogram. It wasn’t as bad as I believed it would be. Yes, it was uncomfortable, but not painful.

Since I had a problem, there was a doctor on hand waiting to read my results so that I could have further testing if need be. I had to have an ultrasound done of the “suspicious area.”

The doctor talked to me and assured me that he doesn’t think I have cancer, but the area is solid and I should have a biopsy to be on the safe side.

I’m sure this scare will turn out to be nothing, but it did serve as a wake-up call. I will no longer neglect checkups or routine exams. I hope you don’t either.

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