In Search of Unconditional Love, or simplicity of:

"When was the last time, you ever saw the sunrise?" Make each day count then, and see one soon.

I see so many writings on people In Search of Unconditional Love, and you can all be right, yet all be wrong given the relationship and perspective of each relationship.  I do believe many people get hung up on the simplicity of this when they feel guilt over a negative thought popping into their heads, I'll use the example of the love a parent feels for a child they reared for light years, it's a remarkable relationship in which you first show them the world around them, beauties and dangers, the next stage of the world they have some free times away from you while exploring their world in more detail yet when they see great beauties or great dangers they usually come back home with tales to converse on. Eventually they will see their world as more expanded than your own, and see more freedoms in their life than you have in yours all true at this arrived in point of time, as you've anchored yourself to a home to support their growth and life.  There is great love in this relationship, it's as unconditional a love as you could obtain.
Now, as you both live out your decided rolls you'll come upon a stumbling block whereby the youngster needs to correct or stop doing what one could hope is a temporary experiment, or sometimes simply expand their mind to include understanding the law of physics, and that each action will cause a re-action of it's own much like pebbles cast into a pond. It is a hard learning curve they must explore their way through, and as they do this their parent might not always agreed with their stubborn approach, or some choices they make.
This does not mean you don't love them unconditional, it only means you're hoping and praying they find their path with the least amount of harm crossing it.  Unconditional to me means that the love stays there and endures whatever time can throw at it.  It doesn't mean you can't view different aspects as they play out, and not have hopes for where it might be bettered or smoothed.
Throughout the years I've seen so much with families and my friends families play out, and if there was a character or two who had a disagreement, people would take sides or get angered themselves, and much like the pebble it would keep spiraling outward causing more damage as it rippled.  Sometimes it would seem people just couldn't stop to remember the love for one another was still there.
I'll use my friend from Real Estate as an example, a sad story of her being a single mom by choice, her mom the nanny of her two year old son during her work days, but her mom drank to excess and one day my friend walked into find the gas jets ajar, her mom passed out, and the youngster napping through the house almost blowing up.
My friend made other arrangements and told her mom she couldn't see the youngster anymore until she straightened out her act.  The Mom hired an attorney and sued her own daughter for rights to see the child, this triggered anger in my then young friend and so they went at it for two years, and finally had a court imposed resolution to the problem of familial visits with always at least one more family member present to safeguard the growing youngster.
During this time the mom was hospitalized for what was thought to be pneumonia, her lungs kept filling up with liquid no matter what they did, further tests found lung cancer, advanced, although she came close she never was released from that hospital stay.
My friend went to see her, brought her flowers, all three of her brothers were there.  The mother thanked her for the flowers,listened when the daughter told her she loved her, responded with I know I love you too and then told her to get out, and not to visit her again( not heresay I was there). The mom died while in the hospital, and the brothers except one kept their sister held at bay over the mother's prior dispute for about 5 more years.
They are now close again, the siblings,but it took years to make all of the repairs to each inner relationship.  It seems time can heal many things if the people involved want to carry on past a time warp of troubles.  That usually with time you can see objectively enough to know it was a sequence, a chapter, learn from it and move on. And it took a heap of love to make that family heal, so what's not unconditional about loving.
My own conclusion which is so simple it's childlike, is that the only time love is NOT unconditional, is when it turns to hate. 

R & K meet the Focker's

Let's face it we keep trying to swim, or float. On a rare occasion we see ourselves clear to a time slot where we can be ourselves, and the kids come up with something that casts a difference spin on the day.
We have an invite to meet the Focker's.  As soon as one kid is gone I grill the other.
Do they have An Aunt Katie (Our porch preacher)?
Do they have an Uncle Rob? (Who always wants to show the kids something novel, a less walked path)
Do they have an Uncle George? (Our Brother In Law that dressed up as Santa for the kids and they bought it)
So far my son thinks they're pretty average and sane.
Then he starts recalling different things from other meetings and days.
He's got me smiling there may be hope she laughs, all families has a character somewhere you just need the right settings and some fine timing to bring it out.
Will it be the Focker's precisely, nah, I doubt it, but it should be fun....everywhere is fun if I'm with my spouse:)

No, we meet a nice family with a lot of diverse friends who make their home open to family, friends, their children's friends, family dogs, friends dogs & all were welcomed to share a day in their two graduating daughter's lives.

Wisdom, and the bottom line.

Age brings some wisdom with it.  Different events play out and somewhere along the road what you give and merit changes.
The time growing as a child, hours of observations spent in those years, hours of chaos.
The pains of being a teen, surrounded by eccentric peers, watching it all play out, choosing a path.
The fierceness of young love, and all the plans and dreams that come with it, your first lesson in Murphy's Law.
The adventures of finding out who you will be in your work lives, and all the emerging that comes with it.
Rearing a family, cake walks, trials, tribulations, midway through the roller coaster ride you look down to see if you're belt is still hooked in.
The fierce love turns into camaraderie, partners in crime to the good times and the calamity that reigns in a household.
Troubles brew as family members and conflicts bring chaos, and torn opinions aplenty.
Damages take their toll.  The abyss appears, plenty of darkness down there.
You take a hit, and start losing family, you meander through, and take another hit.  You are orphaned.
You take enough time and thought so you start to find yourselves, maybe, you've all changed so much.
You find what was important becomes a side thought, the main importance are the remaining breathers.
Another one goes down, and it leaves us all raw, love that floated an entire segment turns to into not enough. By now you are middle aged or old in the youngsters eyes, you laugh off what you can, shake your head, and tend to what you can...what you have left and you probably don't do a good job at it, faltering in your goals or targets.
Your days at work give time for getting your sea legs back under you, a good routine helps to pass the time, draw your interest back into the world that passes us by too quickly.
You might settle back down to everything just being "enough".
You might go through economic shifts as part of your travels, you might begin to know full value you are back where you started, this too can rock you, it's not just your dreams that float out the window, it effects you all.
And on occasion you will be held accountable by someone, accountable for their altered picture, some speaking their words, or maybe not, but all the same thinking you could have done it better, could have made better choices.
And some would live their lives with that word "accountable" sitting on their back like one of those old style trunks used for treasure and just about as heavy a burden, "How many I told you, you should have done...." have I heard?
Well princess.....it's been a long life, a longer road than you can imagine, there were plenty of chaotic little items to try and sort and make into the best thing possible, don't go letting something trigger you into not knowing what is important, seeing that look as the trigger hits, and me I hardly believe it myself sometimes, but it was what it was one step at a time for all of those volumes of years, was I selfish, no.  Do I look selfish, maybe but here put these shoes on, walk around awhile, see how long you can walk on water without going under?
So these days these eyes look out, still see the bottom line, and know it's all still worthwhile, at least for me it is.
But I am becoming tired.

Leaving a trail

"Don't go where the path leads; Go where there is no path and leave a trail" -Anonymous

Our adventures have taking us to every situation imaginable, don't get me wrong we have not been European Travelers, nor seen everything we might have seen in this country often called the U.S.A.

We've traveled mostly to family, sometimes to see friends, most of our family is where our friendships ended up oddly enough, many enjoyable characters along the way, and there are some that you'll never understand, as they don't "choose" to communicate except in an occasional action almost like a manic movement, this described some of our earlier friends, one in particular who only surfaced when he'd need a future favor. And so we opted for family.  The more roads we traveled the more clear it became.

I look back over all the days we've shared in laughter and warmth, love being the main motivation of actions, and I am happy we've had this warmth to our life, it made all of the stages of life more doable. It's what kept the cup filling up.

Now we come to a more quiet doorway, things slow down, if I peek inside I would see we are all growing more tired, we start to skip some very important steps, some don't see yet that this very important human warmth is what leads you through the darkness, it is capable of so much.  It's the shine in the sunlight.  Love.  A simple four letter word, under used, and over used, but quite a powerful healer, tool, and warmth maker.

FalseHood: " The Citi Never Sleeps"?

Yes, yes  on 6/9 I deposited $190. in cash into the CITI Never Sleeps ATM..."it timed out" with a famous phrase of "I'm sorry I haven't heard from you in awhile" (exactly as it would do online...but I wasn't online), and ate the cash, I tried dipping the card one more time and for that hard labor it didn't recognize the previous transaction of $190.00, but instead took my meager $1.00 test theory, therefore I still have the next time stamp after the $190.00 and also the ATM ID # which would prove invaluable or so you would think: I immediately went into the bank to notify them of the machine error,(new machines-bought with bail out money much like Chase, have to stay competitive), they promise they would launch an investigation and call me the following week on tuesday, on wednesday I went to the bank again, they said they were just starting the investigation and would call me in a couple of days, they didn't call, I went back on friday and made them call the home office to see what progress had been made....ooops the home office had down the wrong ATM machine number and the wrong info on the deposit as they thought it was a check and had not grasped it was real cash and for more fun they had down the wrong branch number, now they would escalate the investigation and get back to me in about two days,  I have also emailed with them (possibly INDIA as each time I get another lazy person who cannot consult the notes made on this account to see exactly who the hell is doing the investigation,  and apparently: "The CITI never sleeps" is having a very hard time counting the cash receipts from one ATM MAchine for a Speciffic day = " A falsehood: " The Citi Does Sleep". Is the bank trying to rob people? Yes, you guessed it, I still have not heard back from a full service bank.

Merits versus the Good Boys Club

"When was the last time, you ever saw the sunrise?" Today, it's an orange glow type, filled with warmth of color, thank whom ever the creator was for color, thanks to Ma & Dad for eyes to see it with, and a mind filled with appreciation of all the ups that more than balance the downs.

When I was hired at my prior company it was simply to do one function return authorizations, it turned into so many multiple functions within six months, if I hadn't lived through it previously I would have escaped, but sometime a person thrives on a chaotic work environment, and chaos could have been their logo.
They had attempted and failed at getting one customer up and running via EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) it was 1998, and they'd been at this for 6 months with  one of my friends who had actually landed me my interview there, hired for the RGA's and some inside sales, they thrust this new problem at me and said they'd decided I should try a whack at it, so I sat down to read and be shown where they'd gotten to so far.
What a journey, first I got Ace Hardware up and running, then the Do It Best Stores, piloting this EDI = receiving orders electronically, sending advance shipping notices, and shipping acknowledgements when the product had left our facilities, and invoicing them on this system simply to appease the customer, we had our own antique invoicing system in place internally that tied into all of our other accounting aspects and books, so always running dual systems a company decision that created twice as much work and manpower needed always doing everything twice, the sales side handle the EDI, the Accounting side handle the internal world that would get all of their profit and loss reports compiled eventually.
I also became more responsible for making sure customers with a priority of rank in dollar amount shipped sooner and complete, whereby others went as partial shipments and to juggle the chaos that might come out of product availability.
I became involved in shipping more due to Home Depot Stores and massive quantities of bills of lading that needed to be written with each new batch of EDI orders received, these bills of lading needed to be manually written as no computer program purchased by the company to date could comply with it, so eventually I ate, slept, and whatever....my company.
Massive Excel reports were needed on all of these shipments I did them from home at 4am in the morning, and emailed them back to any parties wanting to review them.
The machines came in from Italy in large vessel quantities, as did our pumps which were used on generators built by different companies, I took over the reports for Italy as well, and controlled conference calls there weekly to establish what was shipping, what wasn't due to parts missing or lack of production capacities, and so the job just grew and grew, to the point of running out back bills of lading in hand, and helping with the paperwork as pallet by pallet of materials were loaded.
After 5 years they brought in a new CEO, and he brought in one of his ex-laid off co-workers surprise style to become my new manager, he brought in another man to analyze all segments of the company...a problem solver also from his old laid off company, "a good boys club" is how Sunshine would peg it.
I was laid off 2 months later " the company had chosen to go in a different direction". Previous to that I had reported to ONLY The President of the corporation.

And so I see other companies play their good boys club, the favor some and it is usually someone who doesn't try to do a good job, it is usually a yes man that gets favored over a hard working ethical man, which has always amazed me, it can be the rehiring of old buddies, the guys that always said "yes" to protect their own butts, but it usually won't be the straight shooter, the ethical one who always does a good job, who always anticipate and corrects the situations, for some reason those truly qualified and caring people will be replaced by the "Good Boys Club".

Batteries

The big picture?  A positive and a negative.
You mean like a battery? You need both in a battery?
In People? Do you need both in people?
Sometimes it can keep it balanced.  Do you need it all the time in people?
Well, one can be outgoing, and one not.
One can be affectionate and one not.
One can more talkative and one not.
One can be more organized and one not.
One can be more realistic and one not.
One can be more abstract and one more focused.
Yep, but does it work?
It can work most of the time, just like batteries.
Like batteries? Well yep, until one of them starts running down
and needs to be re-charged.
Well what do you do when that happens?
Then one of them has to go onto the charger until they're stronger again, and then
they're ready for another round.

Some Valuable Lessons for me yesterday

Going home to Chicago is almost always a good move for me, I am in a city I've loved long, sometimes traveling through old neighborhoods I saw with my family as I grew up in that city, it's a place that's got part of my soul echoing like a ghost of yesteryear, sometimes she feeds me a dose of exactly what I need. Yesterday I spent time with Grandpa which always opens my mind and gets the addled brain expanded, then I had a few hours to either read which I thought I'd be doing or: flipping channels in a waiting that held only me at that point gained me some further growth.

I spent the next several hours yesterday watching the stories a man has worked years to put together, on occasion in this busy somethings can  penetrate in our hearts or souls, you use your terms and I'll use mine, but this unknown to me man made a dent that I'll probably be able to carry some of his words and thoughts conveyed into my future levels of being on planet earth (she's smiling and you know it).

The mans name is Dr. Wayne Dyer, they were doing a special called "Wishes Fullfilled" , and he had a guest on named Anita Moyria (think the spellings good), She'd written a book after having been 89 lbs and almost dead from cancer, already at the final coma state, family gathered around her, she had an unusal dream and got well, the book is called "Dying to be Me".

Both of these people had wonderful stories, and both of them choose to live their lives on a better plateau than most of us can achieve daily, but I am going to give it a very good try as I believe in many of their thoughts presented.

Some holistic light on Calcifications

Apple Cider Vinegar is said to be able to assist in breaking down Calcifications

And it is said that if you ever go for a needle biopsy, which many people end up doing at one time or another, you should prep your body by taking oil of Oregano/Oregamax, and the site that they're doing the pricking of should be treated with Grapefruit see extract so that you have antibiotic going into the blood stream as those tines pluck away at their candidate.

Other than that tell everyone you encounter that stops to ask you how you are: "I AM WELL"

Micro versus Macro & Calicifications

 Sidenote: 6/13/2012 So I lucked out, and will need to be monitored 6 months by 6 months to watch for changes or corruptions of the shaping.  I did while in there ask about calcifications having thought it might truly be calcium sent to a wrong part of the body, and she answered no it's not calcium at all, it's a damage or change they see in the tissue, nothing to do with calcium = why the hell would a medical profession describe something using a word that IT IS NOT***?

Originally posted 6/3/2012: And so maybe you hadn't gotten in for a timely test, maybe your income had dropped, maybe you felt going would throw more money out of the window at time when it was scarce, whatever, you finally go and do it, and what do you get for being mannerly and agreeable?
You get a phone call at work (a phone number you told them to call last) telling you that you need to come back and have another run at it, "They didn't like your pretty pictures", "We can fit you into today", your brain is out somewhere in a void you seldom fall into, to some it might be called speechless, or mild shock, you schedule it out a week so you can think and research, and think some more.
It could be something, it could be nothing, maternally it's 50/50, sounds like it all depends upon internal shapings,
any fragrance could have thrown it off, we didn't know that we only knew certain things could, no correlations made of sent versus Aluminum Chloride.
Now all of this is not new to me, I went through an adventure a few years back with my sister in life, and before that with my own Mom, all with different outcomes for the ladies, but at times I can be forgetful so many details in the old noggin that some seep out & back up into the atmosphere from whence they came.
Medical science tells us that we get the check up, the results suspicious pulls you back into their loop, we do what they say and go for surgerical biopsies (insane...not this girl), core biopsies (much saner), and pend the results.

So here are some of the questions and first article:

Q	What Causes Breast Calcifications? I am having a needle biopsy for the third time in five years for breast calcifications. I am puzzled as to why I keep getting these when I have very healthy eating habits, do not smoke, exercise daily, and have no family history of breast problems. What can I do to avoid the breast calcifications? This is very frustrating.
A	Answer (Published 10/15/2009)
I can give you some general information about breast calcifications, but I don't have enough information to comment on your individual case. I can reassure you, however, that nothing you are doing - your eating and exercise habits or your family history - has anything to do with the problem. Nor is there any evidence that dietary calcium or post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy plays a role in breast calcifications. The calcifications are tiny deposits of calcium within breast tissue that are visible on mammograms. They're a very common finding, tend to become more common as women get older, and are described as two basic types. Macrocalcifications, which look like large white dots on a mammogram, are probably due to aging of the breast arteries, old injuries, or inflammation. Since they're associated with noncancerous conditions, they don't require additional testing such as a biopsy. The other type, microcalcifications, show up as tiny white dots. Most of these are also benign, but their size, shape, and pattern may indicate tumor growth, and require further testing (a follow-up mammogram or a biopsy) to rule out cancer. Even when microcalcifications are deemed "suspicious," most turn out to be benign. Here are some of the many causes of benign breast calcifications: Calcium within the fluid of a benign cyst (this is called "milk of calcium"). Calcifications associated with a dilated milk duct. An old injury to the breast. Inflammation due to infection. Skin calcifications caused by dermatitis (a rash) or metallic residues from powder, deodorants or ointments. Prior radiation therapy for breast cancer. Calcification of the arteries. Calcifications in a noncancerous growth called a fibroadenoma. I'm afraid there is nothing you can do to prevent future calcifications, however, if a biopsy is recommended again, you might seek a second opinion. Another Article:   Photo Credit breast cancer ribbon image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com Breast calcifications, small calcium deposits within the breast tissue, occur commonly in women, especially after menopause. Calcifications, seen as white spots on a mammogram, are classified as macrocalcifications or microcalcifications. The larger of the two, macrocalcifications, rarely indicate cancer. Microcalcifications, while usually benign, or non-cancerous, may need further testing to rule out cancer. Benign calcifications don’t become cancerous later; malignant calcifications start out as cancers. Calcifications have many causes. There is no link between taking extra calcium and calcification, California Pacific Medical Center states. Aging Macrocalcifications, which are always benign and do not require biopsy, often develop as women age, occurring in around 50 percent of women over age 50 and in 10 percent of women under age 50, the American Cancer Society states. Hoag 3-D Mammography A moment of clarity can change your life. Learn more. www.Hoag.org Sponsored Links Previous Injury or Inflammation Previous injury or infection in the breast can cause calcifications. Mastitis, an infection of the breast tissue, and radiation therapy to the breast for cancer can cause calcifications. Cysts and Lumps Lumps and cysts in the breast can contain calcifications. Cysts, round or oval fluid-filled soft sacs that commonly occur in women in their 30s and 40s, and fibroadenoma, a benign solid tumor, may develop calcifications. Calcifications may also be found in dilated milk ducts below the nipple, called mammary duct ectasia. Blood Vessel Calcification Calcification that occurs in the blood vessels in the breast, called benign arterial calcifications, don’t become cancerous. Calcifications of this type occur more frequently in older women with diabetes and high lipid levels, Catherine Chinyama states in her 2004 book “Benign Breast Diseases: Radiology-Pathology-Risk Assessment.” Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/162022-what-are-the-causes-of-breast-calcifications/#ixzz1wSj6tJtz  And a third article: Role of the radiologist Radiologists who interpret mammograms encounter calcifications on a daily basis (see the images below). Most of the breast calcifications encountered by radiologists are benign. Radiologists must be able to identify typically benign breast calcifications that do not require biopsy to prevent unnecessary procedures and to reduce patient anxiety.[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6] Multiple skin calcifications (arrows). Benign breast calcification. Typically, benign calcifications that do not require biopsy are skin or dermal calcifications, vascular calcifications, lucent-centered calcifications, eggshell or rim calcifications, coarse or popcornlike calcifications, large rodlike calcifications, round and punctuate calcifications, milk of calcium calcifications, suture calcifications, and dystrophic calcifications.[7, 8] Distribution of breast calcifications Breast calcifications are described in terms of type and distribution and categorized according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) of the American College of Radiology (ACR).[9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14] Distribution modifiers (grouped or clustered, linear, segmental, regional, diffuse) are used to describe the arrangement of the calcifications. Historically, the terms grouped or clustered were used to describe suspicious calcification. Now, these terms are neutral and may be used to describe benign or malignant processes. Grouped or clustered should be used to describe calcifications that occupy a small volume (< 2 µL) of tissue.[15] Calcifications that are linearly distributed are arranged in a line and may have branch points. Segmentally distributed calcifications suggest deposition of calcification in a duct and its branches. This type of calcification may be secondary to benign or malignant processes. Regionally distributed calcifications are most likely due to benign processes. These calcifications are scattered in a large volume of the breast and do not necessarily conform to a ductal distribution. Diffusely distributed calcifications are scattered randomly throughout the breast. ACR BI-RADS lexicon for mammographic findings The ACR BI-RADS lexicon enables radiologists to use similar terminology to describe mammography findings. This lexicon facilitates data tracking and provides clear management and follow-up recommendations to referring physicians, allied healthcare providers, and patients. There are 7 ACR BI-RADS standardized categories[10, 11] : Category 0, or "need additional imaging evaluation," is used if additional imaging is needed (this category is almost always used in a screening situation and should be used only rarely after a full imaging workup; additional imaging evaluation includes the use of spot compression and magnification views, along with other tailored mammographic views and ultrasonography) Category 1, or "negative," is used if there are no findings to comment on; for example, the breasts are symmetrical, and no masses, architectural disturbances, or suspicious calcifications are present Category 2, or "benign finding(s)," is used if the radiologist wishes to describe a benign finding while still concluding that there is no mammographic evidence of malignancy Category 3, or "probably benign finding–initial short-interval follow-up suggested," is used when a noted finding has a very high probability of being benign; the finding is not expected to change over the follow-up interval, but the radiologist prefers to establish its stability over time Category 4, or "suspicious abnormality–biopsy should be considered," is used when a finding has a definite probability of being malignant Category 5, or "highly suggestive of malignancy–appropriate action should be taken," is used when a finding has a high probability of being cancerous Category 6, or "known biopsy-proven malignancy-appropriate action should be taken," is "reserved for lesions identified on imaging study with biopsy proof of malignancy prior to definitive therapy" Typically, benign calcifications will be placed in ACR BI-RADS categories 1 and 2. Sometimes, these calcifications are initially placed in ACR BI-RADS category 0 and, after additional imaging evaluation, are found to have benign features. Early in their development, calcifications (eg, vascular, dystrophic, or lucent centered calcifications) may be indeterminate; these are often followed at short intervals to establish or confirm their etiology (ie, BI-RADS category 3). Preferred examination High-quality mammography is the best diagnostic tool for the identification of breast calcifications. Accredited, dedicated mammographic equipment should be used to obtain high-quality images. Mammography technologists must be well trained and skilled in the proper positioning and compression of the breast.[16, 17, 18, 19, 20] Mammograms should always be interpreted on dedicated high-luminance mammographic view boxes or viewers, and a magnifying glass should be used routinely. Extraneous light and glare should be eliminated for optimal viewing conditions. Mammograms should be arranged in the same manner at each interpretation session to minimize left-right confusion. Routine mammograms should include craniocaudal (CC) and mediolateral oblique (MLO) views. That is, the 2 mammographic views usually obtained first for screening or diagnostic evaluations are the MLO view and the CC view. Magnification images of calcifications should be obtained in the CC and mediolateral (ML) or lateromedial (LM) views, also known as true lateral views. Tangential views are useful for verification of the intradermal location of calcifications. Comparing current mammograms with prior mammograms is essential to determine the stability of any calcifications detected. Finally, on the basis of the interpretation, the radiologist can make an informed decision about whether the calcifications identified are benign and do not require biopsy or whether the appearance of the calcifications warrants biopsy. Limitations of techniques Mammography is limited in evaluating benign calcifications when benign calcifications morphologically overlap with indeterminate or malignant calcifications. These calcifications may be observed for a short period (ACR BI-RADS category 3), or biopsy may be performed (ACR BI-RADS categories 4 and 5). Mammogram Skin or dermal calcifications Skin or dermal calcifications (see the image below) are usually identified as spherical, lucent-centered calcifications at the periphery of the breast, especially in the inferior, posterior, and medial aspects.[21, 22] Skin calcifications may develop from a degenerative metaplastic process. Usually, skin calcifications are readily distinguished as benign findings. However, in some cases, additional imaging is needed to differentiate skin calcifications from more worrisome calcifications. Multiple skin calcifications (arrows). When mammograms are compared, calcifications that maintain a fixed relationship to one another are suggestive of a dermal location. Magnification views may be used to demonstrate the lucent centers characteristic of skin calcifications. In some cases, a skin localization procedure may be needed to prove that the calcifications are in the skin. When performing a skin localization procedure, the radiologist should determine if the calcifications are more likely to be in the upper or the lower portion of the breast. Thereafter, the patient's breast is placed in the mammographic unit by using a fenestrated compression device. For calcifications presumed to be in the upper part of the breast, a CC approach is used with the fenestration device in the region of the calcifications. For calcifications thought to be in the inferior part of the breast, a caudocranial approach is used. A metal marker is then placed over the calcifications, and a tangential view is obtained to show the dermal calcifications in the skin. Vascular calcifications Vascular calcifications (shown below) are commonly identified on mammography, especially in older women. Vascular calcifications, which are usually secondary to medial atherosclerosis, often demonstrate a characteristic train tracklike configuration. In some cases, it may be difficult to distinguish vascular calcifications from ductal calcifications (including calcifications representing ductal carcinoma in situ). Arterial calcification in the breasts may be associated with diabetes and hyperparathyroidism. Scattered vascular calcifications with train track—like appearance (arrows). The presence of mammary vascular calcifications may allow for the detection of women with elevated cardiovascular disease risk profiles.[23, 24, 25, 26] Researchers in the Netherlands examined 12,239 women in a population-based breast cancer screening program. The study showed a significant correlation between vascular calcifications identified on mammography and myocardial infarction, transient ischemic attacks, and hypertension. Additional studies are needed to validate the potential role for screening mammography in the early detection of women at risk for cardiovascular disease. Lucent-centered calcifications Lucent-centered calcifications, as depicted below, which are round or oval, are almost always benign and they have thicker walls than those of rim or eggshell calcifications. Skin calcifications are often lucent-centered, and lucent-centered calcifications may form around benign debris in the ducts. Other entities that may appear as lucent-centered calcifications on mammography include silicone granulomas and fat necrosis. This patient was in a car accident and sustained a seatbelt injury. The lucent-centered calcifications seen are typical of fat necrosis. This patient underwent breast-conserving surgery. The lucent-centered calcifications (arrow) are typical of fat necrosis. Multiple silicone granulomas are lucent-centered calcifications. Fat necrosis results from several causes including trauma, surgery, and radiation therapy. Fat necrosis occurs most often in fatty pendulous breasts of middle-aged women. Lucent-centered calcifications may result from fat necrosis, and the thickness of the calcified wall around the lucent area is variable and probably related to the amount of desmoplastic reaction. Eggshell or rim calcifications Eggshell or rim calcifications, shown below, are thin and appear as calcium deposited on the surface of a sphere. The walls of eggshell or rim calcifications are thinner than the walls of lucent-centered calcifications. Eggshell or rim calcifications (arrows) have walls thinner than those of lucent-centered calcifications. The entire circumference of an eggshell calcification does not need to be completely calcified to represent a benign finding. Although fat necrosis can result in eggshell calcifications, calcification in the walls of cysts is the most common cause of eggshell or rim calcifications. Coarse or popcornlike calcifications Coarse or popcornlike calcifications, as shown below, are associated with the involution and hyaline degeneration of fibroadenomas. Fibroadenomas are the most common breast masses seen in women younger than 35 years of age. This mass with associated large, coarse calcifications (arrows) is a degenerating fibroadenoma. Calcifications associated with fibroadenomas have been termed popcorn calcifications because of their large size and dense, coarse appearance. Calcifications in fibroadenomas usually begin at the periphery and then involve the central portion of the fibroadenoma. Fibroadenomas may be completely replaced by calcification without a mass discernible by mammography. Large rodlike or secretory calcifications Large rodlike or secretory calcifications (see below) are oriented along the axes of the ductal system. These calcifications result from calcification of ductal secretions. Large rodlike or secretory calcifications are oriented along the axis of the breast ductal system. Large rodlike calcifications may have lucent centers if the ductal secretions undergo peripheral calcification. In general, these calcifications are coarser and larger (usually > 1 mm in diameter) than malignant calcifications. Large rodlike calcifications are commonly bilateral and diffuse. These calcifications are associated with secretory disease, plasma cell mastitis, and duct ectasia. Round and punctate calcifications Punctate calcifications, like in the image below, are spherical calcifications that have well-defined margins. Scattered round and punctate calcifications (arrows). Punctate calcifications usually measure less than 0.5 mm in diameter. Round calcifications are benign spherical calcifications that may vary in size. When less than 1 mm, round calcifications are frequently formed in the acini of the lobules. Milk of calcium Milk of calcium (see below) is a benign process that can be diagnosed readily during mammography, especially with magnification views in the CC and the true lateral (ML or LM) projections.[27] Left, On the craniocaudal (CC) magnification view, milk of calcium appears poorly defined and smudgy (arrows). Right, On the mediolateral (ML) or the lateromedial (LM) magnification view, milk of calcium is seen as sharply defined, crescent-shaped, semilunar, curvilinear (concave up), or linear arrangements (arrows). When milk of calcium is imaged with a vertical x-ray beam on the CC view, the calcifications appear poorly defined and smudgy. When imaged with a horizontal x-ray beam on the ML or the LM view, the calcifications are seen as sharply defined, crescent-shaped, semilunar, curvilinear (concave up), or linear arrangements. The characteristic appearance of the calcifications on the magnification views helps to establish the correct diagnosis of milk of calcium. Suture calcifications Suture material (see the image below) may become calcified, resulting in suture calcifications.[28, 29] Suture calcifications are usually seen at a known surgical site, and the calcifications may be linear or tubular. Knots may be demonstrated. Suture calcifications are likely due to delayed resorption of catgut sutures, which can provide a matrix on which calcium can precipitate. Knotted suture calcifications. Suture calcifications are more common in women who have undergone radiation therapy compared with those who have had benign breast biopsy. Radiation therapy results in delayed tissue healing, and it is likely that suture resorption is also delayed in the radiated breast, allowing for the precipitation of calcium in the catgut sutures. The earliest time at which calcified suture material may become evident on mammography is within 2 years of surgery. Dystrophic calcifications Dystrophic calcifications, as shown in the image below, may form secondary to trauma, surgery, or irradiation. This patient's breast was burned. The irregular, large calcifications are dystrophic. Most often irregular, dystrophic calcifications are usually larger than 0.5 mm, and they may have lucent centers.