I read with interest a recent article on screening mammograms by Mr. H. Gilbert Welch. I am always interested when men write about breast cancer-and especially if they are questioning a yearly breast exam.

I can give you the perspective from a woman’s point of view, as a woman who had a double mastectomy four years ago and as the daughter of a mother who had breast cancer.

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I began having mammograms at age 40 at the behest of my gynecologist in Birmingham, Ala., which was the guideline at that time. I did have a suspicious mammogram on one of my yearly checkups, but it turned out to be nothing on a follow-up test.

I continued with a yearly mammogram after moving to Conway in 2007.

In 2009 at age 69, I had my regular mammogram at Conway Regional Hospital, and once again I had a suspicious mammogram. This time, the calcifications in the left breast made a pattern instead of being irregularly scattered. Thanks to Christie Phelan, a dedicated radiologist who knew what to look for, and a wonderful breast surgeon, Dr. Jerri Fant, my cancer was determined to be Stage Zero.

My cancer could have been treated with a lumpectomy, but I chose to have the most radical surgery.

I am by nature a worrier, and I decided to reduce my chances of a recurrence even more by having a double mastectomy. I was fortunate to have Laurie Loyd, a Baptist Health navigator, who was there to support me both pre- and post-surgery. She answered all my questions thoroughly. Being a computer geek, I had already done much research myself, so I was very well-prepared for the procedure when the day arrived.

The day of the procedure, I began my surgical preparation with the insertion of a dye to highlight lymph nodes to see if the cancer had spread there. Dr. Weiss entered the room, ready to begin the procedure. I have no idea where these words came from (and I hadn’t had any drugs at that time), but I said to him: “I guess this is the end of my career as a topless dancer.”

Quick as a flash, he answered: “Now I will have to turn in my tickets for tonight’s performance.” We both had a good laugh that helped make the whole procedure easier.

My surgery began about 1:30 p.m. I spent rather a restless night, but at 5 a.m. on Saturday, I was headed down the hospital hall looking for coffee. My doctor came by at 8 a.m. to check me and gave me the go-ahead to go home, and I was having a second cup of coffee at home at 10 a.m.

Another factor in my successful recovery is that I have a very supportive husband, Tom. We have been married 43 years, and he has always been there for me. He has a great sense of humor, and we have managed to laugh together every day.

I’m sure that for many women this kind of surgery is traumatic, but I have looked on it as a blip in an otherwise busy, productive life.

Would I change anything in this whole scenario? Probably not.Having the mammograms each year for 29 years gave me a sense of well-being. I am certainly glad that the technology enabled the radiologist to find the pattern in that mammogram before I even had a lump.

Early detection is the way to go. Even with the false alarm that I had years before, and even though a mammogram isn’t the most pleasant of tests, I would still recommend a yearly checkup.

I guess you may have a question about my mother’s cancer, too.

My sister and I always said she was pioneer stock, and she really was. She grew up on a small farm west of Harrison, and she actually did walk three miles one way to catch her ride to Harrison High School.

She was not a woman who believed in going to the doctor. One time she cut her hand severely as she was canning when a jar broke, but she had me bandage it and then went right on with the canning.

She never had yearly exams, but finally, her family doctor encouraged her to have a mammogram. Her cancer was found on her first mammogram at age 79. She, too, had a double mastectomy; she died at age 91 after having Alzheimer’s for 10 years.

So, you see, I have given you two different approaches to screenings. I was religious about having yearly checkups, but my mother (no matter how much my sister and I encouraged) didn’t feel the need to go.

Mother and I both got cancer in our later years, both had the same surgical procedure, and due to early detection didn’t have to have chemotherapy or radiation.

I still vote for yearly screening! I appreciate the sense of security that a yearly checkup provides.

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Patsy Desaulniers is a writer living in Conway.

Editorial, Pages 19 on 01/17/2014