the bane of having boobs

Today is the day, that all women of a certain age have to endure, when I allow some total stranger to play with my boobs. Then squash them in a nasty big X-ray machine. Yep, it's mammogram day for me.

I have been remiss and it has been 3 years since I last attended. I am supposed to be going annually because of the (benign) tumours I had removed a few years ago but, let's face it, any excuse with do to avoid that day. Mammograms are definitely not fun.

In the past (other than post surgery), I have always attended the mobile unit that visits our area. Last year, when my reminder came, the van had already left the area. Excellent excuse to not go. I had even used that excuse the year before.

This time I gave myself a good talking-to. Self, I said, don't be a bloody wuss. It's a tiny owie for the greater good. Get your arse to the van.

The van (as per usual) was not in our area so I was given an appointment at the Rockingham clinic. I wrote it on the calendar and, almost immediately, started contemplating not going. So I sabotaged my own weakness. I rang a mate who lives in the area, told her I would be up that way, and why, and make a date for a post squishing lunch. Now I was tied in.

Now, I understand the necessity and the effectiveness of regular breast checks. I am all in favour. I understand why so much pressure is needed to get good shots and I understand why that causes (momentary) pain.

But there is one thing about the whole procedure that I fail to understand.

Why, when you arrive, and they stick you in a cubicle and instruct you to strip from the waist up, do they give you a gown to put on? It is an all female clinic. You strip off, put on the gown, walk ten feet to the machine, take off the gown, have your boobs (wo)manhandled into the vice machine, put the gown back on, walk ten feet to the cubicle, take off the gown and toss it in the dirty linen skip. The gown is to hide your boobs (from the people who are going to see and touch your boobs) during a ten foot walk? Um, why?

OK, time for a shower and some clean clothes (but no deodorant - don't you just HATE that bit of the proceedings?) before heading off to Rockingham to waste laundry. I shall read buddies and make comments when I get back.