Pat me on the back people! (female content)

[Doran]

I actually did it. I went to the doctor this morning and had a pap test and breast exam. Don't laugh -- it's been six years since my last screening.

 

The test was done at a community family health facility. To keep the total appt. time down for everyone, they do full physicals and pap screenings in separate appointments. I didn't know that until this a.m. and thought I was going in for both. So, the bad news is, I'm only about 1/3 of the way through my goal of getting up to date with "well visit" stuff. I still have to go for a mammogram (ditto the...ahem!...time lapse above). I still need to have a full physical with blood work and all that (ick). And, I still have to get the results of today's test back.

 

But, I'm proud of myself for finally making today's appointment happen. You have no idea what a hurdle that was for me!

 

I do have a favor to ask of you all though. Hold me accountable to the mammogram, please. Like, next week or so, if I don't post about it, would one of you kindly PM me with a swift cyber kick in the pants? Seriously?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, I almost forgot. You can be proud of me for something else.

 

 

 

 

...that I resisted the urge to put "Pap me on the back" in my subject line. :lol:

[GSMP]

No pun intended eh?! That was a good one though...."Pap me on the back."

 

Way to go on getting your Annual stuff done......:D

 

Don't back out of the mammogram.....they are really not that bad....and I am a blessed women in that department.

 

I hope all the tests come back good.

[JennifersLost]

Yay, Doran!

 

I DO appreciate how hard that all can be. You are very brave and you are showing love for yourself which is very important, too!

[Mom2legomaniacs]

Good for you! I will hold you to that too. You are way too important to risk *not* being taken care of, okay! I want you to be around for a really long time. You need to take charge and be proactive. I really proud of you for doing this. I will be going in for my first mammogram later this year or early next. They want me to turn 40 first since insurance is funky that way.

 

YAH YIPPEE WOOHOO!!!

[Dayle in Guatemala]

Now you've convicted me. It's been ten years:leaving: since my last tests. I honestly didn't realize. Life is just going on and just now when I read this post, I had to think back and it's been that long.

 

So, I guess I'll be finding a doctor and making the appointment. Thanks, Doran for the reminder!

[Just a Jen in Mississippi]

Oh, I almost forgot. You can be proud of me for something else.

 

 

...that I resisted the urge to put "Pap me on the back" in my subject line. :lol:

 

:lol::lol:

Too funny!!

 

Congrats for taking this step!! And go get that mammogram!! I was just hearing the other day of this actress that found her cancer early (and is now cancer free) thanks to a routine mammogram!

I'll be going next year for the first time for my baseline mammogram! Fun, fun!

[beansprouts]

I actually did it. I went to the doctor this morning and had a pap test and breast exam. Don't laugh -- it's been six years since my last screening.

...that I resisted the urge to put "Pap me on the back" in my subject line. :lol:

 

Oh good for you, dear! I find the whole experience to be completely humiliating. I rarely do PAPs, and they'll probably have to drag me in kicking and screaming when it's "time" for the mammogram.

 

and BTW... EWWWWWWWWWW!!!!! (to "pap me on the back") You just couldn't let that one slide completely could you??

[Tammyla]

Oh, good for you. So, so many women are behind on this. You are an inspiration to take care of ourselves.:grouphug:

[Andie]

PaT, paT. Good for you!

 

I have to go this year for my first mammogram, too, because of family history. So you simply HAVE to go to yours so you can tell me it's no big deal.

 

Completely unrelated note: My mom and oldest girls just crossed the Bay Bridge. They're stopping to eat on Kent Island on their way to the beach. :)

[Sugarfoot]

Good for you!

[sleepy]

You did good, girl. :001_smile:

 

I'll be looking for your mammogram update next week. ;) I've got to get one before I turn 40 :tongue_smilie:

[Jennifer in MI]

Great job!!! I know how hard it is to go in after so many years.

 

I chose this year as the year I get caught up too. I went in for my eye exam first (20/20 baby!). Then, the dentist (no problemo!). Then, my family doc for a physical and bloodwork (all fine!). Now, I just need to go to the ob. That's the one that scares me the most, for some reason! I just hate it!!! But, mine's only been 2 years - since my dd was born.

[Jenny in Atl]

:hurray:

 

I need to go too. Yuck....

[Janna]

for patting you on the back when I struggle with the same thing but don't see a problem with it?

 

If I had not just had a baby and therefore have had every single part of me that makes me a woman poked and prodded and manipulated for the last 9 months, I would be entering into my 5th year of not having a pap. AND, breast cancer runs in my family (my *dad* of all people) and therefore I was told to have a mammogram 4 years ago but I still haven't. And honestly, I don't plan on it anytime soon. I more than likely won't schedule the pap next year either (they aren't needed yearly unless you have problems or are on bc methods). It's pretty big that I'm even going to have my 6-wk postpartum check up, to make them happy. :)

 

So, am I a hypocrite then to say "yay!" to you? I hope not because I am genuinely happy for you since *you're* so happy about it.

 

By the way, I've missed you. I feel like I haven't "seen" you in so long. I am hardly on the boards these days and when I am, it's for a quick peek or a quick post or response. Today is the longest I've been on the computer and therefore these boards in a month. So it's completely my fault. But know that I think of you (and others on here) often.

 

Good job, Doran! :grouphug:

[Doran]

I'd hoped that I might find others here who had been equally negligent. That way, I don't have to feel quite so guilty (how twisted is that?). AND...now I get to be the one to encourage similar action in some of you.

 

You know how medical staff often try to appear nonjudgemental? Well, you should have SEEN the eyebrows on the attending nurse when I told her it had been six years! I didn't let it offend me because, on many levels, I feel I deserved her disapproval. Not that I'm ever planning to convert and become a big ol' doctor fan (sorry Grace), but like Jennifer and others said, I owe it to myself to do this. Right? So, Dayle, Cindy....get to it, girls! :D

 

And, Andie -- if YOU are ever as close to me as Kent Island, you had better be making some phone calls in advance to arrange a meeting. Shucks, I might have gone to meet your Mom and girls if I'd known -- and if I hadn't been in a rather compromising position at the time...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

..buying popsicles at the grocers as a treat for my good deed. :lol:

 

 

 

 

Thanks all!

[Quiver0f10]

Great job!!! I put it off for 3 years and thought that was bad :D

[JudoMom]

Way to take care of you, Doran!

[Doran]

for patting you on the back when I struggle with the same thing but don't see a problem with it?

 

If I had not just had a baby and therefore have had every single part of me that makes me a woman poked and prodded and manipulated for the last 9 months, I would be entering into my 5th year of not having a pap. AND, breast cancer runs in my family (my *dad* of all people) and therefore I was told to have a mammogram 4 years ago but I still haven't. And honestly, I don't plan on it anytime soon. I more than likely won't schedule the pap next year either (they aren't needed yearly unless you have problems or are on bc methods). It's pretty big that I'm even going to have my 6-wk postpartum check up, to make them happy. :)

 

So, am I a hypocrite then to say "yay!" to you? I hope not because I am genuinely happy for you since *you're* so happy about it.

 

By the way, I've missed you. I feel like I haven't "seen" you in so long. I am hardly on the boards these days and when I am, it's for a quick peek or a quick post or response. Today is the longest I've been on the computer and therefore these boards in a month. So it's completely my fault. But know that I think of you (and others on here) often.

 

Good job, Doran! :grouphug:

 

 

I'm so happy to "see" you. I know life has got to be wicked busy for you right now, but I've definitely missed your presence here.

 

Here're the things about my lack of attendance to these matters that has me feeling like I did the right thing today:

 

1. I'll be 46 this summer. Prior to now, I've imagined (rightly or not) that I was too young for much of anything to go really haywire. I realize that people are struck with unexpected illnesses at all ages and certainly at ages younger than me, but I could [ir]rationalize it that way, kwim? After 40 (which, btw, if you're really hot there with the math skills, is when I last had any of this stuff done), it started to niggle at me. I just got to the point that I couldn't ignore it any longer. It wasn't like I didn't think about it. I did, like, every time I heard someone mention breast cancer, or cervical cancer, or anything else. And, I figured hidden within all the thinking, I was also doing some secret stressing. And, stress is bad for my health. So, in a rilly peculiar way, today's appt. and any I have in the near future, are intended to relieve some stress, in a longterm way.

 

2. I don't make promises to do this every year. We'll see. But, I'm in agreement with you that for many, an annual exam is probably unnecessary. But, there is a Loud Voice in my head/heart that says six years is too long to wait. I'm working towards honoring that.

 

So, no you are not a complete hypocrite, just someone who understands what it feels like to not follow convention in this regard.

 

Hugs to you and those adorable children!

[Doran]

I went in for my eye exam first (20/20 baby!). Then, the dentist (no problemo!).

 

My eye appointment was last week. Time elapsed since last visit....

 

Hmmm...I'm thinking it had to be at least 15 years. I'm not 20/20 anymore, and I knew it going in. More like 20/bifocal! :lol:

 

Dentist will happen sometime in July, I hope.

 

One step at a time, right?

[Diana in OR]

Good for you. Actually, the last time I went in, a couple weeks before my

40th bday, my dr. said at "my age" I can now start coming in every other year instead of every year.

 

Don't sweat the mammo. I've had lots of them and it's not bad at all. I'll take that over the scraping and poking/prodding in the other areas any day.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

Oh, you ARE amazing! Yay, Doran!

[Brigitte]

Oh, I almost forgot. You can be proud of me for something else.

 

 

 

 

...that I resisted the urge to put "Pap me on the back" in my subject line. :lol:

 

:rofl:

I tried to rep you for that, but I have to spread the love.