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October 18, 2013 is National Mammography Day. In this blog, guest writer Erica Voll recalls her first mammogram. Mammograms are available throughout most Penn Medicine locations. To schedule your mammogram at Penn Medicine, call 1-800-789-PENN (7366).




I got the prescription for my first mammogram in the summer of 2011. It was at my 6-week postpartum checkup, and I was told to wait until six months after I was done breastfeeding and go get a baseline mammogram.

Baseline mammogram? But I wasn't 40!

I kept that prescription slip in my wallet for a good year before I took it out again. Every day, thinking in the back of my head..."I really should schedule my first mammogram."

But I never did.

Last November, I was back at my physician, who asked if I had gotten my baseline mammogram.  

Nope.

She gave me another prescription, but it wasn't until this May... about seven months later... that I made the call to schedule my appointment.

Why was I putting it off? Because breast cancer is scary. And having a test that tells you if there is something wrong with your breasts is scary. I was scared.

I remember as a kid, I had shown some concern about getting cancer. I guess I was upset, because my mom was consoling me and she told me,"But Erica, don't worry. Cancer doesn't run in our family."

But I know differently now. I know that only a small percentage of breast cancer is actually hereditary. I know women, young women with no family history of breast cancer are being diagnosed with breast cancer.

It was time I took to put on my big girl pants and go get my mammogram.

What to Expect at Your First Mammogram

We all have these images of a giant machine squeezing our boobs so they resemble a flat pancake. It seems scary, you lay it all out there to be... well, flattened.

Ladies, it was so easy.

There was virtually no prep. I made sure not to put any lotions, powder or deodorant on that day, so I would be clean for the test.

I am not sure what it was like in the "olden days of film," but my mammography suite was all digital. Typically that means faster photos, faster reads and more accurate reads.

I came in, stood up to the machine and did what the technician told me to do. In total, there were about six positions (three on each side) and the mammography session literally lasted about seven minutes (if that).

Then it was done. It didn't hurt at all. No squeezing or pulling. I felt fine.

In fact, I was so worked up over it and it was over so fast, I asked if there was anything else we could do while I was there, because I was not getting all worked up over... that!!!??!!

I mean, I had more pain breastfeeding than I did with that mammogram.

Results of my First Mammogram

Have you ever had a test or medical procedure, and all the while you find yourself looking at the technician for clues like, "Is it normal?" knowing full well that another person needs to read it and you most likely will not get results in a few days?

Yeah, that.

The time between getting a health screening or test and getting the results is like, the longest time ever. If ever there were things you didn't want to end, like long showers and important events like birthday parties and weddings, I would highly suggest doing all of these in the time between the test and getting results. You know, so it feels like it lasts forever.

But after only a few days, I did get my results - normal.

It felt good, and I felt lucky knowing that at the time I was opening my "your boobs look fine" letter from the mail, there were many other women who were not getting a good test result. In fact, it's estimated that every 3 minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer.

So now I have my baseline. I don't have to go back until I'm 40.

If you haven't had your first mammogram, what are you waiting for?