Important lady stuff

OK... time to get a little personal - but for a good cause!

I turned the big 4-0 this year - that means it's time to start my annual mammograms! Different agencies and experts have different age recommendations, but my doctor and I feel there's no reason to put it off. So I went in yesterday for my annual gyno exam and my very first mammogram.

I was slightly nervous, only because it's a new experience and because a lot of people talk about how painful it is - especially for women who don't have giant boobs :) But the lady (I think it was Suzanne?) was super nice and guided me through the whole thing.

I have to say, it was SERIOUSLY NO BIG DEAL. It's not exactly comfortable to have your boobs squished, but I had no pain at all - and no real discomfort. My clinic uses 3D imaging, and the machine took three pictures (at different angles) on each side. Surprisingly, the whole thing took just a couple minutes, and I was back in the little room changing back in to my sweater.

At the end, Suzanne congratulated me on having a baseline reading :)

I share because I want to help stop the stigma and encourage my like-aged lady friends to go in and get scanned! 

If you need a clinic, I'd recommend Women's Healthcare Associates. I go to the Tualatin location at Meridian Park Hospital. The view in the waiting room is a bonus:

If anyone has questions, I'd be happy to share more details of my experience. Just ask :)