[kathsua]

Clara Kilbourn is a journalist and breast cancer survivor who occasionally writes about her experiences with cancer treatment. Remember this is breast cancer awareness month.

[Roos_Girl]

I hear wonderful things about thermal imaging. Of course a regular doctor won’t hear of it. Supposedly can detect spots much smaller than a mammogram and of course, none of the radiation.

[quintr]

Congratulations, Clara, on your recovering. I, too, have just finished my first year and a new mammogram shows me cancer free. My surgeon says that he had never seen a cancer so small and so early. Very little tissue loss. I attribute it all to a mammogram. The doctor says it would never have been detected with a regular doctor-visit examination.

I take two extra strength tylenol about an hour before my mammogram. It doesn’t take all the discomfort away but it helps a bit. Hint: Can you hold your breath for five seconds? That’s about how long you’re squeezed. (At one time)

And you’re absolutely right. It beats breast cancer every time.

Hang in there!

— Jane Reinheimer

[progunner]

Ironic,,, my hubby just took me for mine and yes it hurts some (especially my size,, 48DD) but with all that's going on with my body it's worth a little pain. I have chronic pancreitis which literally dwindled my weight to 119 pounds (I'm 5'11”) and I just wish to stay healthy as I can for the both of us. It's my wish that our daughters (and all women) do the same and get mammograms also,,, it's worth the cost and effort. My sister lost one because she didn't and she had a very hard time dealing with it. I wish to thank my loving hubby (of 36 yrs) for encouraging me to write this to all the women on Free Republic,,, trust me,,, it's worth it.

[Rockingham]

The value and wisdom of frequent breast cancer screening remains in dispute because of the risk of false positives and the expense and burden of procedures to remove what prove to be benign tumors. Moreover, it seems that even some malignant tumors are extinguished by natural processes.