$413.00 Lesson Learned

So I mentioned a 413.00 lesson that I learned last week. I am sorry I just didn't have time to share about it then. Last week was a very busy week and emotionally draining. In and of themselves -each of the things I had to do were not that bad - but when you put them altogether in the week along with the fear of hearing the "C" word again- and it made for a stressful week.

I don't think that those that have never been diagnosed with Cancer can really understand. And I think that it takes more than just being diagnosed with cancer. I think that it's once you have been diagnosed with cancer and have to go through treatment that you really realize how very powerful cancer is and how scary it is. Once this happens to you - there seems to be a dark cloud hovering over you. The further you get out from treatment- and the more you trust God the smaller the cloud become and the less it bothers you. But~ when something happens like you find a lump where it shouldn't be and then your Dr finds another one - that is when the cloud that had shrunk seems to grow and cause more stress and emotional distress. With this emotional stress along with all the other things going on during the week- it really became a very stressful week for me.

I received my phone call from the place that would be doing my mammogram telling me I had an appointment for 10:30am and 11:00am. That scared me a bit - I had not realized it would be taking me that long. Then I got a phone call that told me that since this was a diagnostic mammogram - that it would cost me $177. for the mammogram and $413.00 if they had to do the ultrasound also.

Well sure enough I had to do both. The mammogram was more intensive than a regular mammogram. They do the regular pictures and then they use a smaller paddle and press firmer to see better- this put more pressure and was more sore than just a regular mammogram. But still not as painful as what some people explain mammograms to be. Then I sat in the room for a while at least 15 minutes or more while they looked at the pictures they had taken. Then I was told that yes I would be having an ultrasound and taken back to a waiting room to wait for the next crew to get me. The Ultrasound took a lot of time. Then they left me to go talk to the radiologist. I knew that he would be coming in to look for himself and also talk to me. As I laid on the table and waited for quite some time - that is when the emotions tried to really over take me. I was alone in the room and laying there left only to look at the ceiling. I began to do the only thing that I could - try to recite any and all Bible verses that I have ever memorized. It was calming to my soul and I soon gained my composure. Then the radiologist came in and wanted to look around. This seemed to take quite a while as well. Apparently, come to find out, they were having a hard time finding the knot that my Dr had found. And in the end - I was given the all clear! What beautiful words!! I was told I did not have to come back for a year! Hallelujah!

So where is the lesson? Because I had felt a lump and mentioned it - then it became a diagnostic mammogram which is not free with your well woman - like usual. Nope. Because it is diagnostic you have to pay for it. SO - I wish I had have not said anything and seen if they found anything to be wrong. I know it is better to be safe than sorry, but mammograms are suppose to find problems.

But I had to put a disclaimer here - if you find a lump in your breast - especially one that does not move or meets the description of what symptom's you would have if you had breast cancer- by all means follow through with telling your Dr and having the special test run. Oh and if you do not have insurance or if like my friend your insurance will not pay for the diagnostic mammogram - don't despair - talk to the imagining place - they may have a grant to help cover the cost. This exact thing happened with a friend of mine. So she will not have to pay anything -which I am happy for her - but it frustrates me that I had to pay SO much for mine and then there is a fund that will pay all of hers. Anyway I would hate to discourage anyone from taking the best care of themselves health wise. I just wish that I had have followed through with my regular well woman appointment and trusted that if there was a problem that God would have it found. That would have cost me nothing at all. Well I have been having to learn trust - and this whole experience has been working with me on this same thing. I wish I wasn't having such a hard time with this whole trust issue. I seem to get it and believe it and then bam - I am feeling that fear creep in - sometime flood in. The good thing is that it seems to happen less and less so there is some improvement ...maybe. And when I do feel the fear I remind myself that I need to return my focus to Jesus! And I pray and ask Him to give me faith, trust, courage and what ever that occasion needs. He is faithful!