The Big Squeeze

It's that time of year again, time to schedule the annual mammogram.  I am a glutton for punishment, I schedule my annual physical and mammogram on the same day and if possible I also schedule my dental cleaning.  I dread each and every one of these doctors and procedures and try to schedule them on the same day so I only have one day of dread and misery instead of three. 

If the anticipation of the big squeeze mammogram isn't bad enough, I'll share my last two mammogram experiences.  In 2014 while having the mammogram, there was a fire alarm which sounded.  I didn't hear the alarm, just the pounding on the door and being told everyone had to evacuate the building.  The tech starts pushing me out the door in all my glory.  This was not the way I had planned to leave.  I had arrived at my visit fully clothed and I had every intention of leaving the same way!  "No time to get dressed" she said so I grabbed my yellow rain slicker and prayed the zipper was working.  Now, if a case of nerves of having a mammogram isn't bad enough add the evacuation of a building, throw in not being fully clothed and just for interest toss in the rain outside.  Not one of my better days or moments. 

Fast forward to mammogram 2015.  Sweet AppleJack having heard about my 2014 mammogram experience decided to drive me to the appointment to help take the edge off.  All was going well, the two of us sat in the waiting area quietly reading the Wall Street Journal and chatting with others in the waiting area.  My name was called and I went back for the big squeeze.  Whew!  No fire alarms, no evacuating the building, nothing eventful just very routine stuff. 

As I was leaving, I noticed there were no other patients, no other nurses, no techs, no office staff, no one in the waiting area and no AppleJack.  There was no one!  There was no one to ask and since I had left my cellphone with AppleJack no one to call.  As  I tried to wrap my head around my situation and figure out what I needed to do.  I decided to walk outside thinking there might have been another emergency and maybe another evacuation.  Sure enough there stood a parking lot full of people.  It wasn't a fire which caused the evacuation this time, it was a disgruntled patient who had become so outraged, he started making threats to the staff.  Security decided it was in the best interest of everyone to clear the area.

So. . . for those of you who have scheduled your annual mammogram, I understand your anxiety and hope your visit for the big squeeze is uneventful.