The Cheerleaders

February 15, 2010
Never one to keep this sort of thing to myself, I told all my close friends that I had to have a breast biopsy. Good friends have trodden this path before me so I figured that harnessing their energy to help me along was the best way to face the challenge.

It is a sad state of affairs that every woman I know has friends who've had breast cancer. I hope that by the time my daughters are my age someone will have figured out how to turn cancer cells to a permanent OFF position. In the meantime, this Adventurer has set off on the path to healing, with a veritable army of friends, cheerleaders and well-wishers to carry her along and keep her spirits up!!

My lovely friend S, who's recently been down this same path and is now fit as the proverbial fiddle, came with me and was a huge comfort. I must say that biopsies have come a long way in the last fifteen years. Now you get to lie on a soft bed with a warm blanket instead of face down on a hard plank with your boob hanging through a hole. They use an ultrasound and Arlene, my nurse, was very sweet, explaining that they were going to position me comfortably and then numb my breast and I would hear loud noises but no pain. Sounded pretty easy. "You might be uncomfortable because you have to keep your arm up above your head without moving". Now that was one thing that didn't worry me. I'm a rower. If there's one part of me that can stand stress it's my shoulders. Anyone who's carried a boat to a regatta knows all about arms above your head. Arlene stood behind me stroking my hair and admiring on my curls.

"Little pinch". Ouch. "Does this hurt?" No. "Close your eyes." OK. (Sound of a drill followed by a nail gun. In my breast!). Times seven. Good grief! I felt that last one.