Walking up to the Breast screening centre in Hanley, I started feeling more nervous of getting in there. Inside there were 2 other women waiting. I went straight to counter and handed my questionnaire over, (posted out to me with the appointment) as I had met the nurse before it made things feel easier. (Most women who go haven’t met their nurse before, I was lucky I met her through my work, but people could ask beforehand.)

I was in reception for a minute before getting called through. Inside the small changing room there was a single chair on which I sat down. The nurse who was in the next room, checked my details, asked questions about the history of breast cancer in family, and asked me to lock the door I’d come through and take my top and bra off, then she shut the door to the machine room.

Then I took off my top and bra and waited feeling very uncomfy and holding my clothes against my chest. Then there was a knock from the internal door, and the nurse put her head around the door and asked me go into the machine room. In there she helped me relax, talking me through things and got me standing in front of the machine: She talked me through where to stand as she placed my left boob in the machine. She talked me through everything looking to the right, and where to put my arms, as she pressed the clamp button there was slight press on my boob and repeated on the right side.

Thinking “that was harmless” she then asked me stand to the left again and she rotated the machines scanning part and put a bigger plastic plate on it, again she put my left boob in the machine talking me though how to stand getting my hair out of the way, this time pressing the clamp button it squashed my boob sidewards. This time it was more painful but it was only like blood pressure arm wrap going tight again repeated on my right side. Then that was it, all over! She asked if everything was okay, if there was anything else I wanted to ask and she showed me the x-rays on screen as she explained it will take a couple of weeks for them get read and results posted to me. I then went back into the original side room to get dressed.

Over all I would say it was a pain free experience which took 20 minutes at the most out of 3 years of my life until I next get called to go.

5 star treatment all the way.