I took my "Girls" for a mammogram today. It was long overdue. I'm still residing in The Land Of The Uninsured.
The women in my family have been blessed to be almost completely spared by breast cancer. I've lost two cousins, one in her 50's and her sister when she was in her 70's. My aunt is a survivor.
My doctors have not been happy that I skipped my mammogram 3 years in a row. I'm not low enough in income to qualify for a free or even a low cost mammogram, but I have just the right combo of pre-existing conditions to put health insurance out of my financial reach.
This year I promised my doctors that I would get it done before my next appointment. They gave me brochures from a few imaging centers and last week I started calling. I told each person I spoke to that I had no health insurance and I was willing to pay for the mammogram before the appointment.
And then I started having heart palpitations when I was quoted prices starting at $285 and going all the way up to $600. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the last center I called would only charge me $114 if I paid prior to the appointment.
So off I went, with my lotion-free, deodorant- free body and had my mammogram done. It was a typical mammogram routine experience for me... Right Squish-Left Squish.... more Left Squish...ONE MORE Left Squish..needs to be compared to your Last Squish.
If you're a Poverty Party Girl and need to get a mammogram for your "Girls", there are resources available for women who are low income or "working-poor" with no insurance.
If you check the CDC website, you can click on your state to find out where you can get a low cost or free mammogram. Or you can do what I did. Get a list of accredited imaging centers and make some phone calls.
