So, a woman I work with, someone I'm friendly with but not particularly close to, told me yesterday that she was leaving the office early as she had to go for a doctor's appt. I asked her if she was OK and then she told me she had to go for a breast biopsy.
As I had a breast biopsy and subsequent surgery several years ago she did ask me a few questions about the biopsy. I really, really thought that she should have someone go with her but she insisted that she didn't need anyone to go. I told her that if she changed her mind I would be more than available and happy to go with her. When I had mine a good friend went with me. As she was understandably nervous about it and I know that you have to be completely still for the procedure I asked if she had a little something, like some Xanax, to take (that's what I did and it helped immensely, as I am claustrophobic and tend to panic if I feel that I'm being restrained and unable to get away or move). She kind of brushed it off and said she might take a half tab that her husband had. Her husband works nights and was at home and I found it odd that he wasn't going to go with her, but I did not bring that up as I guess it's really none of my business.
I did say that it is rather uncomfortable at first when they begin and they have to numb the area and it can really sting and burn but that passes as it gets numb.
I called her last night to tell her that I was thinking of her and hope she was doing OK. She did not call me back but really I did not expect her too as I knew she would be really tired and would want to just relax. Just wanted her to know that I was thinking of her.
This morning I saw her at the office and asked how it went. She told me she was back "from the torture chamber" and did say that she had a rather horrendous experience. I felt that she thought maybe I hadn't told her enough about how painful it could be, but honestly, I didn't think I should do that beforehand. Everyone has a different pain threshhold and didn't think that scaring her was a wise idea. I did not say it was a walk in the park, but I did not dwell on the painful aspect. I have had surgery where people would regale me with horror stories of their own experience or experiences of people they "know" and honestly I did not want to hear horror stories before going in. I even cancelled one surgery because a "friend" frightened me so much about it. I subsequently had ithe surgery (sinus) and it wasn't ANYWHERE CLOSE to being as awful as she had told me.
So, I just did not think that I wanted to scare my co-worker and certainly did not want to upset her to the point where she might cancel the biopsy. She already seemed nervous enough.
She won't know the results until Monday.
So now I wonder if she thinks I downplayed the discomfort aspect and is a bit angry about it.
*sigh*
I think I did the right thing.
What do you think?
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