Susan B.
Yelp
A breast cancer survivor, I live in West Houston and transferred my annual mammogram from M.D.Anderson's downtown imaging center to the Kary location for convenience:
After checking in on time, I waited for half an hour before being called back to meet with a nurse practitioner who decided to bump up my mammogram to a "diagnostic mammogram" plus ultra-sound because she felt a pea-sized bump (which I was pretty sure was scar tissue). I understand: Best to be cautious. The new schedule meant I had to wait until 2:15 for the mammogram and come back two days later for the ultra-sound. Fortunately, a wonderful technician who had been doing mammograms for over 20 years made me feel as comfortable as possible with her excellent proficiency and friendliness. The doctor who came into report the results of the mammogram was also highly professional, friendly and reassuring. He could not find anything worrisome in the mammogram, but because of the nurse practitioner's concern, I had to return for an ultra-sound. I still remained anxious. Again, this procedure revealed absolutely nothing of concern. I left feeling mightily relieved...with the understanding that I would return in a year for the next annual mammogram.
This morning, there was a new message from M.D. Anderson, from someone named Anna (whom I never met and learned later after phone call this morning was the assistant of the nurse practitioner), stating that I should return in three months for a checkup!!!!! For those who have had cancer and most blessedly treated by the best and most respected staff in the world at M.D. Anderson, that type of notice is alarming! I spent an hour this morning crawling through phone trees to reach the right person...a qualified person who could look at my records and explain why the need for a three month checkup. When I finally reached the right person, Allison I believe at the Nellie B. Connally Breast Center, she looked at my charts and stated that there was nothing to be concerned about and I could wait for a year to return for a mammogram!
While most of the staff at the Katy M.D. Anderson Imaging Center treated me kindly and were exceptionally competent and professional, I can not recommend the nurse practitioner who first saw me, put me through a couple of very anxious days, and is now distressing me with an unwarranted and ominous message about an unexpected need for a three month checkup. Most M.D. Anderson staff have the compassion to understand how traumatic a cancer diagnosis and subsequent follow ups can be, but not this nurse. To all the rest, I thank you from the deepest part of my being for choosing to taking care of and treat individuals who find themselves dealing with a cancer diagnosis. You are awesome!