Just a Part of Growing Up...

So, last week I had my annual "exam".  You know what I mean.  After it was over, my doctor, who has been my doctor since I was 18 years old, said, "Well, it's time for your first 'grab and smash'.  Oh, he's so hilarious.  I didn't even know what he was referring to, which prompted him to say, "You know.  A mammogram".  

My mouth fell open and all I could say was, "What?  I'm old enough to have to DO that?"

To which my doctor replied, "Yup.  35.  I can't believe it,  either".

Well, wow.  What an eye opener to the fact that I'm getting OLD!  My first instinct was to run out of there without scheduling the appointment and to put it off until  next year.  I mean, obviously, I'd never had one before, but I could just imagine all of the violating of my personal space that would go on.  

 I can't stand for my personal space to be violated, but having undetected breast cancer would be worse, so I made the appointment and went yesterday to have it done.  

I'd heard horror stories about mammograms.  Truly, horrific encounters of boobs being stretched and smashed and flattened out for days.  In reality, they aren't that terrible.  Of course, my personal space was violated, but the most awkward part of the whole day was running into a guy from church in the waiting room of The Breast Center.  Yes, it's actually called that.  The Breast Center.  I signed in and sat down and heard someone say, "Hey!  What's going on?".  It was a friend from church, making an oxygen tank delivery.  So awkward, he thought I was there for a problem, because HELLO, I couldn't be old enough for a routine mammogram.... ha!  So we had a conversation in the waiting room of The Breast Center and talked about life and church, and our families while I waited for my mammogram.  

Finally, I was called back to the waiting room. I didn't have anything else to do while I waited, so I took a selfie...

Truthfully, this selfie was for a friend of mine, since we've been sending each other "paper gown" selfies lately.  Don't judge the quirkiness of our friendship.  Just don't.  

Finally, it was time for the main event.  It was over in about 5 minutes.  No pain, and the violation of my personal space wasn't even that bad.  Just one of those things, a part of growing up.  I got dressed, and, since I was without any of my kids for a change, I went to the library and hung out there for an hour.  

All in all, it wasn't a bad day.