Angelina’s decision. So much vitriol among the whole wheaty crowd. That surprised me. Face it it’s healthier to take them off than face surgeries, chemo and radiation!
Now, the decision to face what is huge surgery and voluntarily disfigurement is very personal. No matter how fabulous the reconstruction it will still be reconstruction. That is still a better option than risking cancer. The one thing I will add is that no matter what prophylactic recon is still a choice made that some of us don’t have. When you are thrown into a cancer diagnosis it is sink or swim time. You choose…immediately and pray you made the right one. And what you go through after is no walk in the park. Angelina made her choice. And she, hopefully, will not go through what those diagnosed have to go through. That is what I wish for her and all like her who make the brave choice to step forward and remove their breast and / or ovaries.
I once had a conversation with a woman who was frustrated and felt insulted when a friend told her she looked so good everyone would think she was lying about her diagnosis. She meant well but this woman took it wrong. She said to me, ” Angelique, you really understand and the rest of them just don’t get it.” I said to her, ” do you want them too? I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. That depth of understanding the suvivors have. Not even my worst enemy.” She agreed.
For me, if five years ago I had known that I would get breast cancer or I could have a prophylactic mastectomy and avoid multiple surgeries, (by that I mean more than two), chemo, immediate menopause and the rest. I would have said, “YES! Sign me right up.” I would have researched it….asked a lot of questions, but if you’ve read my blog you know that I would have been thrilled to find out I never had cancer when I woke up from my double mastectomy.
Here’s what I posted on Facebook after getting angry at all the people who thought it was their business.
87% chance of breast cancer. She made a personal decision and until you have a dr give you odds like that you have NO IDEA what you will do. I do not carry the gene but when my tumor was tested I had a high likelihood of reoccurrence if I did not do chemo. Not as high as Angelina’s chance of getting it but high enough. We survivors make a guess, based on many factors, as to our treatment and then pray we made the best one. Some things we know. Brca 1&2 gave us a lot more info to work with. Christina Applegate made the same choice and her pathology came back with cancer already present in her breast tissue. Angelina is an adult, in a long term relationship and has her family to think about. Support her decision as it was not made lightly. A double mastectomy is a huge long surgery with a long recovery.
Mine took about 11 hours. At least I was asleep and didn’t have to sit there waiting like my family…they are amazing.
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