Mammography sucks

Instead of going to Cardinal Santos Hospital again to wait for hours to have a breast ultrasound, my daughter suggested why not I go to St. Luke’s instead. She called the Breast Center and got me a 2 pm appointment. Great, no waiting, easy, fast.

I arrived in St. Luke’s at 2:05 pm and I only waited for less than 10 minutes. The receptionist said they also have a vacant slot for a mammography. Ako naman na excite, really? I am due na talaga for another round kasi it’s been almost two years na yata. So I said sige, I’ll have both ultrasound and mammo.

Una muna ultrasound. Medyo I was already feeling anxious and was extra sensitive. But this is something I have to do on a periodical basis.

Next, the hate na hate kong mammography. Again, this is something doctors say we have to undergo yearly.
I knew it’s going to hurt. but I didn’t expect it would come to a point I wanted to strangle the very insensitive technician’s neck.

She clearly has memorized her scripts. “Mam, hihilahin ko ang breast nyo ng konti”.
Omb——–“Wala kang mahihila dahil maliit lang ang breast ko”.

Girl——–“Paki lapit ng konti ang katawan nyo sa machine. Paki layo ng konti ang tyan”.

Omb———“Kasama ang tyan ko sa aking katawan”.
Omb———“Miss, masakit”.
Girl——–“Depende naman mam sa inyo, sabihin nyo lang kung kaya pa”.
Omb———“Masakit”.
Girl——–“Kaya pa mam, kaya pa?”

Anak ng putong pinagpatung patung, akala ko ba she said hanggang kaya ko lang. Eh sinabi ko ng nasasaktan na ako, pisa pa rin sya ng pisa.

Omb———“Miss, ang sakit, baka lalo akong magka sakit dahil dyan”.

Nung maliit ako lagi kong naririnig sa mama na iingatan daw na wag mabangga ang dede dahil baka magkabukol. Aba, eh masahol pa ito sa bangga. Parang merong nakadagan na pison.

Girl——–“Konti lang mam. Wag kayong kikilos, relax lang, ready..”
Girl——–“Okay pa mam? Kaya pa?”

(Anak ng PPPP, can you change your script? That’s not very comforting).

Girl——–“Sa left naman mam, hihilahin ko ang breast mo ng konti, paki move forward, kapit dito, huwag masyadong tense, relax lang ang hawak”.

Omb———“Aray, aray, aray, ang sakitttt”.
Girl——–“Konti lang mam, okay ka pa?”

My God, sumisigaw na ako ng aray, ibig sabihin ba nun ay Okay ako? Di ba signal yun na hindi po ako okay?

Girl——–“Mam kasi kailangan ipitin dahil ipapaulit nung doctor pag hindi gaanong naipit. At mas iwas radiation pag naka compress talaga”.

Iwas radiation nga pero mahihimatay ako sa sakit, baka lalong ma damage ang breast ko.

Girl——–“Mam, i press ko na, okay ka pa, okay pa?”

My God!

Omb———“Ahhhh, ang sakit, ahhhhhh, ahhhhhh, ahhhhh, ahhhhh, ahhhhhh, ahhhhhh, ahhhhhhh”.

My screams could be heard from the grand lobby of the hospital.
The technician didn’t stop, and totally ignored my screams. I almost fainted. I controlled my anger and tears. I didn’t know whether I would hit her face with my slippers and kick her knees or kneel down in front of her and weep. It was really painful and I so pitied myself for going through that humbling and painful experience.

I thought things were done better here in this hospital, but no, they were callous from patients’ cries.

Kaya pala they placed a sign in the reception area about how to treat their employees:

I am going back today to their Breast Center to get the results. Masyadong straight forward to call it breast center. They should call it a different name to be more discrete. Boobie, Bumpers, or Milking Cow Center.

I wonder where their Prek and Birdie centers are.
Duon kaya harsh din ang tests