Today I went for my annual mammogram and it was a barrel of laughs

[MIButterfly]

First of all, I couldn't sleep last night (what else is new?); I don't think I managed to doze off until around 5:00 a.m. Then of course, some jackass called at 9:40 and falling back to sleep was impossible, so I was already in a sour mood. It isn't the machine that bothers me, it's the fact I have to twist myself like a pretzel for the technician to get the pictures she wants. I had to have my feet face the machine; twist my upper body; put my shoulder way back; put my chin way up in the air; rest my arm on the side of the machine; do the hokey-pokey and turn myself around, all while the technician kept telling me to "Relax!" I'm not a fricking contortionist. I basically complained the whole time, but the technician was so pleasant and so nice, she took it all with a grain of a salt. She even laughed and agreed with what I was saying a few times.

And that's that until next year.

Next up: Martini's three-month follow-up tomorrow to get a blood test and to check her blood pressure and then my annual physical is on Thursday. Let the good times roll.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I stopped having mammorams about 10 years ago and PAP smears over 20 years ago. At my age, I don't care if

something 'suspicious' shows up.

[MIButterfly]

2. I haven't had a pap smear in a long time

Is there a certain age where they stop making women get them anymore because I haven't had any doctor even mention one to me in years.

Maybe it's because the insurance companies don't want to pay for them anymore. I remember a few years ago, I was getting a mammogram every other year and I asked the technician why it wasn't yearly anymore and she straight out said it was because the insurance company didn't want to pay for them that often. I guess they've changed their minds about it since we're back to evey year again.

[Tess49]

3. My doctor stopped ordering pap smears when I turned 60.

[MIButterfly]

4. Maybe that's the cut-off age

Thanks, Tess49!

[Tess49]

6. Yes. That 's what he said.

[whathehell]

7. I know they say mammograms aren't needed

after age 40 but I'd not heard that about pap smears..I'm over 70 and still getting them.

[IcyPeas]

5. Where are these new machines?

They've been around for years but I don't think they have been approved or something.

I hate hate hate getting mammograms.