Just need to vent!!

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dressmaker
dressmaker Member Posts: 63
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer
Just need to vent!!
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  • dressmaker
    dressmaker Member Posts: 63
    edited March 2008

    Hi,

    Well I'm definitely not a regular lately but just needed to vent somewhere and I knew all of you would understand completely.

    Yesterday I went in for a checkup with a mammogram. The tech I had was the most unfriendly I have ever met! I can deal with that, but not what she did to me!!!!!

    She rudely gave me instructions while whe was getting me positioned into the machine. No one has ever had problems before! I felt like she was asking me to be an acrobat, "bend you knees!", "push your butt back", "spread your feet apart" and I could go on and on. I was in tears before she even got the first view done. By the time I left I was a wreck and in excrutiating pain. I couldn't stop the tears and they are still flowing.

    When I got back into the dressing room I found my left breast with many....black and blue marks (it's much worse today). Then I raised my right arm to find that she tore the skin on the bottom of my left breast!!! Today it is terribly sore and oozing! Not only that, she had ink pen marks all over me???? Never, never had that done before!

    I just want to go back there and put her in that machine and compress it as far as it will go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Then I got to my oncologist appointment to learn that he had to leave for a family emergency. They said that has never happened with him before, though I totally understand.

    I did see his nurse practioner who was a wonderful lady. She immediately filed a complaint with the techs supervisor while I was in the room.

    I still feel I need to make sure this never happens to anyone ever again.!!!

    Vicky

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2008

    Hi Vicky,

    It is frustrating when we are treated as second class citizens, isn't it? 


    Especially when we are anything but "new" to the whole patient process.  I think a lot of us probably could run the machines, and do our own scans and blood draws by now.  Flush a few ports as well.....

    I'm glad that you were an advocate and saw to it that "justice" was served.  

    My dh never understands when I voice an issue so strongly that complaints get filed, but my big push is that I, as a patron/patient/member/whatever, trust IN GOOD FAITH that the other person taking care of me is going to be able to do so in a competant and polite manner.  When that is not the case, I don't feel that it is MY responsibility to see to it that I educate them on what good service is.  They should have committed to that when they took that job. 

    I hope it turns out well.  
    Love and prayers, Deb

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  • abbadoodles
    abbadoodles Member Posts: 2,618
    edited March 2008

    Oooh, Vicky, that's the pits.  You absolutely need to let it be known as this tech obviously needs more training.

    FWIW, I had a mammo many years ago where the top piece came down so hard and fast that I squealed in pain and ripped myself right out of there!  Been there, done that.

    I hope you are on the mend as we speak.

    BTW, did you know there is a new "I bitch......" thread here?  You may want to visit! Wink  Can't hurt and might make things feel better.

    Tina

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  • AnnNYC
    AnnNYC Member Posts: 4,484
    edited March 2008

    Dressmaker, that is horrible!  My mammos have always been painful enough, but bruising and torn skin?  I am so glad your onc's nurse reported the tech, and I hope this never happens to anyone else.

    You take care of yourself and I hope you're healing well -- and that the imaging results are completely normal, even though the procedure itself was totally ABNORMAL!  Pen/ink marks?  I've never had that either.  [Just the little taped-on targets with a metal(?) dot that will show up on mammo.]

    Did anyone give you anything to heal the torn skin?  Or recommendations, like Bacitracin?  Really outrageous.  I hope the oozing clears up soon -- if not, I hope you can speak to someone who knows how to keep an eye on this injury (breast surgeon? onc's nurse?).

    Take care, and please keep us posted,

    hugs,

    Ann

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  • anneshirley
    anneshirley Member Posts: 1,110
    edited March 2008

    Vicky, how awful!  So sorry.  I've never had to do any of the things you describe--just had my last one a few weeks ago.  Make sure you have someone look at the torn skin.  You don't want to get an infection. 

    Feel better! 

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  • Fitztwins
    Fitztwins Member Posts: 7,969
    edited March 2008

    mammogram abuse!!! file a complaint. Idiot!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2008

    Un-freaking-believable! There is NO excuse for abuse! This person needs to have a check-up from the neck-up - hope the supervisor really knows how terrible this is. I would definitely go somewhere else for my mammos from now on!!!!!!!

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  • cmb35
    cmb35 Member Posts: 1,106
    edited March 2008

    Vicky,

    First of all, I'm sorry that happened to you. There is never a reason to treat another human being that way, and in particular, there is always a reason to be particularly sensitive when doing a mamm for a breast cancer survivor.

    You need to follow up your verbal complaint with a written one. You're right, that should not have happened to you, but at least you can prevent it from happening to anyone else. And if the behavior was out of the ordinary for her, she owes you an apology. (If it wasn't, she deserves to be fired.)

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  • roseg
    roseg Member Posts: 3,133
    edited March 2008

    I'm so glad you got a complaint filed.

    That treatment is in-excusable!

    I'm sure she was having a bad day totally apart from you being there, but that doesn't mean that you need to suffer for it.  

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  • rockwell_girl
    rockwell_girl Member Posts: 1,710
    edited March 2008

    So sorry to hear you had to go through this.  So glad you spoke up and said something, hopefully nobody else will ever have the same thing happen to them.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2008

    Oh Vicki ... I'm sooo sorry that happened to you ...  it sounds like they need to find a new position for that tech ..  and quickly ...  noone else should ever have to be subjected to that ... why did she need to mark you with ink ??  I've never heard of that before ... why did she need to have you soo compressed that you got bruises and your skin tore .. that's unacceptable - imagine if that had been your first mammogram ...  you'd never want to go back again - as you'd think that's how its' supposed to be ... 

    I'm glad that the nurse filed a complaint  -can hope that it never happens to anyone else ...  

    How are you ??? I'm sooo happy to see a post from you (though wish it were for something else ...    

    I can still see the wedding dresses and quilts you made ....  you have sooooo much talent!

    Hugs,

    Doreen 

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  • TerryNY
    TerryNY Member Posts: 603
    edited March 2008

    Vicky, I'm sorry that happened, what a horrible experience when we're already stressed about mammos anyway.  :-/

    I'm glad the nurse took your complaint seriously and hopefully the tech will be instructed on patient care and proper procedure!

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  • Poppy
    Poppy Member Posts: 405
    edited March 2008

    Arrgh!! I can totally relate. I was at the hospital in the mammo machine thing so they could place the wire for my biopsy. The woman mashes me in there then gets some nursing assistant who didn't know her ass from a hole in the wall to wait in the room with me. I was already freaking out and she brings a stranger into the room to make small talk while I'm smashed in that thing! The woman was just as uncomfortable as I was and when she chose to break the silence, she said, "I'm glad I'm not in your position." WTF?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If my life hadn't been dependent upon getting that damn thing placed right I would've ended her life right then and there.

    I didn't complain, but I should've. ITA - down with MammoAbuse!

    LOL and Hugs

    Erica

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2008

    You should have elbowed her and said, Oh, excuse me!  I hope your eye won't be black tomorrow.  Make sure to put a steak on it. 

    That was just horrible what she did to you.  I hope she gets fired.  You should have pics taken so you would have proof of the abuse!

    I get my mammo in about a week.  I SWEAR, if someone remotely treats me like you I'll smack her.  I'm so angry for you!  Bless your heart.

    Gentle, gentle Hugs

    Shirley

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2008

    Shirley,

    Once again, you crack me up......in one sentence you are saying how you would smack someone, then you sign off with "gentle, gentle hugs...." 

    I just love you. 

    Erica-oh my.  Oh MY!!!!  What on earth. 

    Where is the professionalism!??!?!?!?!?  What are these people thinking?!?!?! 

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited March 2008

    Maybe the next tech class can practice on them???

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  • otter
    otter Member Posts: 6,099
    edited March 2008

    Vicky, 

    Most of my mammograms have been painful (lumpy, dense tissue all my life), but not brutal like yours was.  I have been wondering if, on rare occasion, someone gets hired for a job like that and they really, really, ought to be arrested and locked up.  I'm serious--I think maybe some people have personal problems (mental, psychiatric, whatever), and they truly are abusive to vulnerable patients when given the opportunity.  It happens in nursing homes; why not in mammography clinics?

    The only time I had trouble was with a tech I'd never met, at a facility I had never used (the local hospital rather than the usual OB/GYN facility).  That tech was not rude, but she was very brusque and could not, in 5 attempts, manage to position my left breast correctly.  For some reason, she would not touch my breast--she would push on my back (really hard, with a lot of pressure), and use the plates to shove and squeeze and slide my breast tissue around.  Of course I've never gone back there.

    OTOH, my best (though not least painful) mammogram was at the huge breast clinic where my BC is being treated.  The mammo was painful, mostly because the tech wanted to get as much armpit area in there as she could.  Even so, she kept saying, "Oh, I'm sorry this is hurting...I'm so sorry...oh, bless you, it will be over in just a second!" (etc.).  A little compassion makes a huge difference.

    I was told later that when that facility recruits new mammo and other imaging techs, they go through a very rigorous screeing process.  Any indication that they lack the compassion, as well as the skill and training, needed for the job, and they don't get hired.  Even once they're hired, if there is anything to suggest that they aren't as careful and gentle (and competent) as possible, and they get fired.  One of the techs told me that.

    The only way to get incompetent, un-caring people to stop being that way is to report them to their supervisors, making sure your complaint is heard.  What you described isn't just carelessness--it's abusiveness.

    I'm so sorry this happened to you.  Really makes you want to go back there next time, doesn't it?

    otter 

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  • dressmaker
    dressmaker Member Posts: 63
    edited March 2008

    Thanks so much to all of you, I knew that anyone here would understand.

    The mammo I had was at the #4 cancer center in the U.S. To me their rating fell a whole bunch. I have decided to take pictures and send them on to her supervisor with a personal letter from me. I just think she should hear it directly from me. The nurse told me I would be getting a call from the tech's supervisor which I never got.

    I do know that this clinic does make their employees rotate where they work. So some days they could be doing films in orthopedics and other days doing mammograms. I've decided this gal doesn't like doing mammo's so she took it out on me, of course her first patient of the morning. When I saw her take in a very elderly women after me all I could do was shed a tear for her.

    I always know I will get all the support I need right here on these boards.

    Thank you all so very much.

    Vicky

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  • sahalie
    sahalie Member Posts: 2,147
    edited March 2008

    Vicky,

    Thank goodness you got the complaint in motion.

    Please take photos of your bruised breast and the cut area and show these photos to your oncologist the very next time you see him/her.

    Also have the photos for documentation.

    What a horrible experience and horrible tech. 

    I hope you heal quickly.

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  • sahalie
    sahalie Member Posts: 2,147
    edited March 2008

    Vicky,

    Somehow I missed your last post and am so glad you took the pictures.  Make sure you keep copies.

    That's perfect that you wrote her supervisor and sent the photos as the info will then be in the tech's file.

    We all need to take action when these unfortunate and needless acts of cruelty happen to us.  For all our sakes.

    Bless you for doing the follow up.

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  • celia088
    celia088 Member Posts: 2,570
    edited March 2008

    Hi Vicky,

    It is so nice to see you here again. I absolutely love all of the exquisite quilts that you made earlier for some of the bc sisters here.

    That mammo tech should be absolutely ashamed of herself for her treatment of you.  She does need to be reported to her supervisor.  It is bad enough when women who have never had bc have to have a mammo, but for bc survivors who are getting a mammo, the experience is frightening and very anxiety-producing. If the mammo tech is issuing orders in a bossy tone to "move your butt" and "spread your feet apart," you have no sense of support or comfort.  It makes me furious to hear this.  Even if this tech gets more education on this issue, i would always in the future make it clear that i refuse to have her as my mammo tech.  I agree that it should never happen to anyone else again with her.

    celia 

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited March 2008

    A written complaint is Way better than a verbal one.

    Please, when you send a pic and write the supervisior, copy:

    -your onc

    -hospital administrator

    -head of radiology

    -president of medical staff

    -board of directors

    -human resorces

    -anyone else you can think of.

    and put on the bottom of the letter, a list of all the people you copied the letter to.

    This bitch doesn't deserve to be treating a woman.  Just keep thinking about that little old lady who followed you.  No one wants what happened to you to happen again.

    -You may also want to suggest that mammos be done by the same personnel all the time and that they be specially trained to do them.

    I would.

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  • Naniam
    Naniam Member Posts: 1,766
    edited March 2008

    Vickie,

    Honestly, I could not believe what I was reading - I have had mammograms that hurt and I have terribly dense breast but this is just horrible.  I am so sorry this happened to you - no woman that goes for a mammogram, BC or not, should be treated this way.  Can you imagine someone who was going in for their first mammogram - I doubt she would get one soon again and she maybe the one person that needed that next mammogram. As women, we are always told they are not to be painful 

    I'm glad the nurse practitioner reported it and yes, do write a letter yourself with pictures.  Dottie was right, send copies.  When you send copies to others it doesn't tend to get "hidden in the department".  

    I sincerely hope your tear heals ok and that this never happens to anyone else.  

    Brenda 

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  • ravdeb
    ravdeb Member Posts: 3,116
    edited March 2008

    OMG. Follow Dottie's orders and get a complaint in asap so this won't happen again. I've been very lucky and have had very kind and well-trained people doing them.

    I think I'd stick both her boobs into that contraption at the same time!

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  • Blundin2005
    Blundin2005 Member Posts: 1,167
    edited March 2008

    Vicky,

    This was so sad to read...I'm so sorry for you and anyone who encountered this person.

    I agree fully with Dotti (Iodine)...put the complaint in writing to the list she offered.  

    abbracci bella donna,

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