Lets All Visit Harry Bear

First things first - yes, I trust my life to a man named Harry Bear.  That is his real name.  And he kicks oncology ass.  I see him every six months and hes on the front line of making sure I stay cancer free.  I decided to take you all on a visit with me last week.

At 9am I roll in to this place to get testing started:

I see all my other doctors Downtown, but I'm happy Dr. Bear is out at Stony Point because the nurses there are super good at putting in IVs and I'm a super hard stick.  So it works out.

First up is a mammogram.  Thats a pretty easy process once you get over the fact that you cant wear deoderant or lotion until the test is over - and have hit the rodeo often enough to remember to bring some with you for after.  See, don't I look so smiley in the changing room?

I am allergic to most pain killers in rotation, so in addition to the normal hospital armband, I get to wear a snazzy extra one with every single allergy I have listed for the nurses and doctors to see:

The mammogram doesnt usually take very long - maybe 30 minutes?  So then I head over to radiology for an MRI.  No matter how often you go, you still have to fill out LOTS of paperwork every.single.time.

 Ill be honest.  This is not my favorite test.  See:

First you have to change into one of those awful hospital gown things.  And then you usually have to wait for a pretty long time.  And its cold.  This is why my hat always comes along.

Then you get an IV.  I do not like IVs.  My chemo was administered through an IV and I still never got used to it.  Now, after so many IVs (I get them for all of my CT Scans too), its nearly impossible to start one in any place that doesnt hurt like a m0*her*#!&er.  Confession - I always cry.

Then, ladies and gentlemen, after you hang out again in the cold with an IV in your arm, you get to finally get the MRI done.  Recall we are dealing with a breast MRI here.  In the interest of narrowly avoiding TMI territory, I will simply tell you that it involves lying on your stomach for 25 minutes in a crazy loud machine without moving and feeling very much like you finally understand how cows feel on the daily. 

Im not much of a complainer, but this is not my idea of a good time.      

After thats done, Im free to get dressed and be on my way.  It usually about 5 hours all said and done.

A week later I come back to hang out with this guy:

We discuss whether my thoughts on surgery have changed - a discussion that has become such old hat that when he asked me this week what I was planning to do I said "go for a run."  He laughed and said "no, about your breasts!"  Duh.  Then he gives me my test results, does a physical exam, and I'm on my way.

This week was another good visit - 6 more months cancer free! 

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I'm hovering around $360 away from reaching the 25% mark on the way to $25,151!  So close!  Push me over that milestone before Thanksgiving by clicking here - and pass my blog onto your friends and family and encourage them to pitch in!  Together we can get to $25,151 - and find a cure for cancer!