Ultrasound

Friday, July 20: Nobody warned me about the ultrasound. I had one about 10 years ago. It was simple, I laid down on a table and the technician passed a control over my belly. Nothing to it.

Not this time. This was what they call a "transvaginal" ultrasound. It's done on the inside. Off with the clothes, back up on the table, feet up, and this thing slid inside me. It didn't hurt, but it was NOT comfortable. "You can watch the screen" said the friendly technician, and I did watch the gray, shadowy pictures. And all the flashing numbers. And all the times she used the computer to mark a section. Were those bad patches? I was too scared to ask. And I could feel a cramp building up. Oh, please, get this thing out of me before I wind up rolling up in agony!

Karen had told me that they would get her the results the following week, and she would call me. That's not what happened. The technician said, "you can get dressed now, and I'll be right back." I waited, and after a while she came back and announced, "Dr. wants to see you."

Shit. It's a bad sign when the doc wants to see you immediately after a test. And I didn't even catch the Doc's name, I know it isn't Karen because this is her day off. Whatever is wrong, it's too important for them to wait. I am so screwed.

A nurse comes in, and takes me to another room, where she checks my blood pressure. It's been high every time they've taken it so far and I'm sure it must be sky high now. She reviews my medical history - again. Then I'm taken to another room - how many rooms do they have in this clinic???

Finally the Doctor walks in. And of course, he's a man. Damn- I don't WANT a man doctor!!!! Haven't I told them enough???

But he's a kind man, with warm eyes. And as he talks, I find myself relaxing, and trusting him. "Most of my patients call me Dr. B, because my last name is so hard to pronounce. I called Karen, and asked if it would be OK if I talked with you." He gets me calm, and then explains what they found. And he keeps emphasizing that it is normal - for a woman my age.

"The lining of the uterus has thickened. It happens to a lot of women. There is an indication that a polyp has formed in the lining. We will need to take it out to stop your pain. It's a very simple procedure, same day surgery. I do it several times every week, so I have a lot of experience with this. What we will do is schedule you for an endometrial biopsy next week to check the tissues, and then we'll set up the surgery."

Biopsy? Surgery?? OK, I'm keeping calm on the outside, but inside I'm shaking. Hey, the pain has stopped, maybe we don't have to go through with this!

I tell him about the insurance dilemma, that I have Blue Cross but his hospital is not an approved provider. He nods, and tells me that the hospital has worked out an agreement with their BC patients. They will "forgive" the percentage that Blue Cross will penalize us for using an out of network provider. Before I leave, I have the phone number for the hospital office that handles this, so I can "set my mind at rest."

I make the appointment for the biopsy, and I flee town. It's time to spend a peaceful weekend on the boat.