Something New :)

About 3 years ago I went to an holistic health show in my area. Aside from some of the more 'unusual' (LOL) things there .. there was a booth set up to inform about the use of thermography as a diagnostic tool for a number of things. What I was most interested in was it's use IN PLACE OF mammography.

I am NOT too keen on repeatedly irradiating myself .. all in the name of my own good. O_o

So, after having found someone in the region who does it .. there are only 2 that I could find .. in the fashion most cited as the most effective .. suffering through a 6 month wait .. I finally had it done.

It was an amazing little process. Totally painless, as they don't even touch you with the infared camera and really quite the thing to see the images afterward. I asked him quite a few questions .. he was surprised at what I knew and the interest that I had .. and he was happy to explain .. in quite some detail .. what the process was capable of finding and how.

For a breast scan, you start out sitting in a fetching little gown .. arms akimbo .. getting cooled to room temperature by a little fan .. for around 10 minutes-ish. Then, they have you stand arms up .. back to the camera .. as they get data from imaging that area as well. Then to the front .. for several pics of each of the "ladies" from several different angles. :D

During the first session, I cracked him up by asking him "you're not going to splash these pics all over the internet now .. are you?" O_O He nearly dropped the camera he laughed so hard .. may as well make things fun .. standing there with "things" hanging out .. ;) I can't help myself sometimes .. you know?? :D

Now .. for the fun part .. he had me sit for 60 seconds with each hand in ice filled water .. O_O .. seems it causes a cooling of the area of interest, and actually shows changes that would indicate abnormal tissue changes and blood vessel activity in the breast. You can see the changes in temperature in the pics too !! Even though things didn't seem to feel any colder. O_o

He probably spent more time with me then he might normally have .. as we chatted a bit about it all .. but the entire thing wouldn't have taken a half an hour to complete. The report will be coming to me and to my naturopath. I would have loved to send one to my family doctor .. I don't know how receptive he might be .. although, he now has a son-in-law who is a naturopath and seems to have a new understanding of what it's all about .. so you never know. :)

From what I've read .. and now observed .. I am confident with the process. So much so, that I believe I will continue with it regularly and forego the mammograms .. the most recent of which I had done in April of this year. They are NOT the gold standard some would have you believe .. because they miss a lot .. false positives are NOT uncommon .. then add in the risks of repeatedly being exposed to radiation. Unfortunately it's been pretty nearly all we've been offered for all these years .. largely because it's CHEAP. Utrasound .. which is much more effective .. and non-risky .. is not offered (at least anywhere in MY region of Canada .. I ASKED !!) because of the higher costs to do it .. which I just don't get at all. IF it does a better job .. isn't the cost worth it in what it helps .. with things like early, accurate detection ??

The only issue with Thermograpy is the cost .. that little session cost me $200Cdn .. worth every penny to me, by the way .. but .. I can see that it would be a deterrant to others. I do think that in time .. as it proves itself to be an accurate tool .. it's viability will be recognized .. and .. I genuinely hope that it becomes covered under all insurances.

To me .. and this is just MY own feeling on it .. anything that helps any of us stay in charge of our health .. in the least damaging way possible .. has got to be a pretty good idea. :)