My First Biopsy: The Full Story of What Happened

There are words which seem far-removed from one’s own life — until they’re not. “Divorce” was one such word… and this month, “Biopsy” became another.

What happened? Here is the story of my biopsy experience from start to finish, for those curious about what my version entailed. I’m sharing this here because going into the procedure, I had little idea of what to expect — and want to demystify the process for others.

Why a Biopsy?

Every year since turning 40, I’ve gone in for an annual mammogram. This round, the medical team discovered some calcifications on one side of my chest, and thus had me come back the following week for follow-up imaging.

The cluster of five calcifications visible on the second round of images was questionable enough that the doctor then gave me the following choice: Biopsy them this month, or wait six months to see if they changed — then likely biopsy them then.

The doctor strongly urged the sooner biopsy, and I concurred. Preventative health is front and center to me (as is evident from my numerous workout reviews), and I knew I would fixate and worry if it wasn’t investigated sooner. We scheduled the procedure for two weeks later.

What Happened During the Procedure?

The day of my biopsy appointment, a dear friend kindly drove, and accompanied me in. (More on this in the subsequent tips section, along with several other important insights.)

Upon arrival, I was instructed to put on a hospital gown, keeping on the lower half of my clothes. Right on time, the staff guided me into a room, in which I was seated on a cushioned and hygienically-covered rolling chair, then was introduced to the team that would be with me for the next 45 minutes.

I was incredibly moved to meet the kind and smart medical team of three women: a doctor, a technician, and a nurse. They were beautifully diverse in background, ethnicity, and age, and worked seamlessly together… on the first week of Women’s History Month, no less!

I was guided to slip off the right side of the gown, then was rolled to the imaging machine which compressed the right side of my chest tightly so the technician and doctor could locate the calcifications. The nurse then came to my other side and offered a bright green stress ball to squeeze as the doctor began numbing the lower part of my chest. I squeezed the heck out of that ball!

My right chest got numb within a few minutes, then the doctor inserted a needle, taking an image to make sure she was in the right place. Next, I heard a “WHOOSH” sound as tissue samples were vacuumed out for collection.

As all of this was happening, the nurse had gently placed her hand on my shoulder, and began speaking in a soothing voice, providing calm. I never imagined that such a heart-warming service would be provided, and — wow — was it ever appreciated!

The doctor and technician then zipped to the next room to examine the tissue sample and ensure that the calcifications were indeed snagged. During the wait, I began crying with gratitude for the nurse’s kindness at being there for me during the whole process. She thanked me and smiled.

Five minutes later, the two women returned to the room and confirmed success, meaning I could be bandaged and cleaned up. For the next fifteen minutes, I was wiped off (apparently there was blood dripping down the side of the gown, but I didn’t look), and pressure was applied to the area to help it close up.

The team told me that I could expect results from the biopsy in 2-4 business days. I tearfully thanked the three women for being so amazing. What a gift to be expertly and tenderly taken care of!

Biopsy Tips

Before I go on to explain what happened in the time after the appointment (and about the results), I need to back up and give some overall tips and lessons about the biopsy, because it’s all connected.

1. If possible, bring someone to the appointment.

Though I had originally wanted to do the biopsy alone, as it’s seen as a relatively small procedure, I am very thankful that my support network guided me to bring someone. Why? Well…

2. Expect possible emotional and physical discomfort before, during, and after.

I was not prepared for how emotionally intense the biopsy (including the days before it) were for me. I also did not expect how the physical discomfort would affect my body. It was definitely much appreciated to have someone else there to hug, talk to, and help drive home.

3. Take advantage of the emotional turmoil for perspective-taking and action.

Staring face to face with the possibilities a biopsy opens can change everything — so take advantage of that jolt in perspective. In the week leading up to the appointment, I took action on a number of major life elements that I had been hiding from or scared to do.

After all, as the RENT Broadway musical song I kept obsessively listening to this month says: “There’s only now. There’s only here. Give in to love, or live in fear. No other path. No other way. No day but today.”

4. Consider time off work thoughtfully.

Originally, I had planned to go into my teaching job the day after the biopsy — but at 8am I called in sick. Why? It turns out that a big needle stuck through your chest takes longer than half a day to recover from! I would suggest building in as much rest as possible in the 24-48 hours after the procedure — and on that note…

5. Set up childcare well!

Um, I do NOT recommend solo parenting in the evening and morning directly after a biopsy. Like a fool, I set up support for myself DURING the appointment, but nothing for help with kiddo pickup, dinner, toothbrushing, bed, then wakeup, dressing, and bus walk in the many hours AFTER.

Such a mistake! By the time I realized my error in not preemptively altering our joint custody schedule for that day, it was too late to call in childcare reinforcements from friends or family, and I just had to power through, painfully — ice pack strapped to my chest.

6. Keep up with annual check-ups.

Today (less than 24 hours of suspense after the appointment) I got my biopsy results: The calcifications are benign! I’m so thankful — and also know that while that’s not the case for many others, identifying and treating something like this in its early stages can make all the difference.

Thank you to everyone who supported this whole process this month — and continues to help during the emotional and physical healing in the days to come. May we all feel the kindness that was shown during this experience!