Zooming like hair-on-fire!!!

 Well, Tuesday, March 2, 2021, was one for the books!! I was scheduled for a stereotactic biopsy at 2:30 on my right breast. They want to make sure they know exactly what's going on in that newly discovered mass. I planned to work from 7:30–11:00 then make a leisurely drive to San Francisco (I am going to California Pacific Medical Center at their Breast Health Center).

Dr. Jeske's office called at 9:58 to ask if there was any way I could be there at 12:30. GULP! I said "if I jump into my shoes right this instant and GO!" So I did. Hence the title of this piece...

I made it with just enough time to pop into the hospital cafeteria and get a sandwich to stuff in my purse. Dr. Jeske (the oncologist) and Dr. Grissom (the breast surgeon) had talked and decided that they might as well get as much done as they could so they decided to add another biopsy to my afternoon. To refresh your memory: on Feb 2 they discovered two masses in my right breast and did a biopsy on the larger mass. Then they discovered the third large mass on Feb 18th with the MRI. The stereotactic biopsy was for that new large mass, but they decided to biopsy the small one as well. 

The small one could be seen with ultrasound. My 12:30 appointment was for an ultrasound-guided biopsy. That was done on the inside of my right breast, kind of high up:

First biopsy site of the day for that small mass.

One of the biopsy needles! Not sure
if was the sampling needle or the
marker placement device.

Lunch, reading, texting, relaxing.

Once they did that, I had a 35-minute break before my next appointment so I found a nice lounge to eat, read and text a couple of people. Then it was off to my 2:30 appointment. Oh boy--what would this bring?

Here's the table they use for a stereotactic biopsy (read that as: a mammogram-guided biopsy):

A helpful explanation :-)

I had to climb up there!!

   

Say what? Yep, I had to use a step stool to climb up on that table and put my right breast through a hole in the table. Then the equipment was cranked to get a very firm hold of my breast. It was not at all a comfortable experience. I had to be held like that for about 20 minutes as I got more numbing shots and they got six samples from this site.

  

Just put 'er in there!

What it looks like from underneath.

I got to check out images of what they were looking at!! Here is a picture from the mammogram-guided biopsy. The top images show the sampling needle and the bottom shows how they guide the marker in:

After this long afternoon, I met a friend for dinner down in the Financial District. We enjoyed a beautiful sunset and tasty burgers!!

Sunset from the Patriot House patio.

YES!! Check out those burgers and fries!