Lessons Learned

So, I've been having some breast pain for a few weeks now. Nothing severe and it would just happen on occasion. I freak out about everything so I did a little research on breast pain. Everything I read told me that breast cancer rarely causes pain. Most breast pain is from hormones or whatever, so I tried not to worry too much about it. Then on Wednesday it got worse. Wednesday night it started bothering me without even touching it. There is breast cancer on both sides of my family – my mom's sister and my dad's sister – so I thought I better get it checked out. One aunt was only 30 when she was diagnosed. I got an appointment the next morning and was told that I have a mass. I never even felt anything. I always thought that since I had a small chest, it would be easy to tell if I ever had a lump or anything. I was wrong. I have an ultrasound scheduled for Monday morning, and I have an appointment with a breast surgeon on April 10^th. It worries me that an appointment was made with the breast surgeon without even getting the ultrasound results. The word “mass” scares me more than the word “lump” would. To make my appointment even worse, my doctor had a male medical student with her. She even had him touch my chest. How embarrassing. And what kind of guy gets into the profession of looking at boobs and crotches all day? A pervert, that's who. That's why I never go to a guy ob/gyn.

I also have an appointment on Monday with a G.I. Specialist for my stomach pain. I've had the pain since I was a teenager – probably soon after I started taking my arthritis meds. I know they are hard on your stomach. I remember my mom taking me to a doctor and he mentioned doing a scope. I refused and never seen a doctor about it since. I know, I'm a wuss. It's gotten a lot worse lately. When I get the stomach pain, it feels like it goes all the way through my stomach to my spine.

Dakota had his checkup with Dr. Watson this week. He is 4'11 ¾ (practically 5 foot tall), and he weighs 112 pounds! The kid is only 9! I didn't even weigh that much when I graduated high school. He wears size 16 jeans, but he has one pair that are too tight on him. I can't believe how much he is growing. Anyway, I talked to Dr. Watson about the bullying that is happening at school. I told her that the boy told the principal that everything he says are just jokes and the principal said that Dakota is just taking things the wrong way. Of course, pushing him against the fence or calling him a loser isn't a joke. But even if this boy was telling jokes, it's all in how Dakota perceives it. Dr. Watson is going to send a letter to the school saying that kids with Autism have trouble picking up on jokes because they take things so literally. If Dakota perceives it as bullying, then it is bullying. Maybe something from an outsider will make the school crack down on this kid. I'm so glad this school year is coming to an end. I'm going to request that this kid not be in Dakota's class next year, not that it will stop things from happening during recess.