Rhoda Earley gets an annual mammogram in the Aultman Breast Care Center. And every year, she expects a follow-up letter confirming her mammogram results are normal. But this year, that wasn’t quite the case. …
The mammogram showed a small mass on Rhoda’s right breast. A follow-up ultrasound confirmed the presence of a lump. “The doctor wanted to do a procedure right then and there to remove the mass,” Rhoda shared. “I wanted to schedule the procedure for another day, but Dr. Poulton encouraged me to stay and have it done.”
Rhoda took Dr. Poulton’s advice and stayed for the procedure. She underwent an aspiration in which Dr. Poulton removed the cyst fluid using a needle and ultrasound guidance. “I’m scared of needles, so I asked if I could hold Nurse Linda Devine’s hand,” Rhoda said. “I squeezed her hand so hard, and she kept reassuring me that everything would be OK.”
The cyst in Rhoda’s breast collapsed after the fluid was removed. “I was amazed at how much Dr. Poulton cared,” Rhoda recalled. “I’m glad I listened to him and had the procedure right away. Otherwise, I just would’ve gone home and worried about it.”
A follow-up mammogram confirmed the good news. “Dr. Poulton showed me the second mammogram, and the lump was gone,” she said. “I was so relieved that I didn’t need surgery or follow-up treatment. I just have to keep getting my mammograms each year.”
Rhoda is thankful for the high-quality care and close-to-home convenience Aultman provides. “I’ve been an Aultman patient my entire life,” she said. “And every Aultman experience has been a good one.” |