Angelina Jolie's story came out on May 14, 2013 of
her having double mastectomy. I can relate to Angelina Jolie. She is 37 years
old and I am 32 years old. Angelina lost her mom at the age of 56. I had lost
my dad at the age of 57 to colon cancer. She had lost her mom a few years ago.
I had lost my dad to cancer 2 years ago. I was thinking what if cancer happens
to me. I'm not claiming cancer at all. It's hard to think when you have a love
one who had passed away from cancer. All the doctor visits you went with your
love one. You had to watch all the chemo your love one went through. It is pain
in our hearts.
You would say to yourself, “NO!” I don't want
cancer to happen to me. I don't want to live in fear but it is hard to thinking
about it. I had some issues in my body recently. I will not go in detail of my
issue. This is a private matter for me. This issue wouldn't stop for about a
month. I was worried about this issue in my body. Here I am reading Web MD and
many online articles of what the cause of this issue in my body each night. One
article stated to consult with your doctor since this issue can cause cancer.
I was freaking out after reading the article online. I didn't want to tell my
mom or my sister. We went through enough crap with my dad. So, I had decided to
speak to my boyfriend about this issue in my body. My boyfriend said, “Go to
the doctor's office tomorrow.” I did. My doctor had taken a few tests to see
what the cause of this issue in my body is. She had looked at me and said, “I
don't see anything wrong.” One thing she said to me, “You are healthy young
person.” Her words brought life to me. The doctor told me if this issue does
not stop please go to another doctor’s office. My doctor handed me business
card. After I left her office, I was asking the Lord to heal. I was crying
inside and outside. I didn't want to do extra blood work. I was scared for the
outcome if I did extra blood work.
A
week later, everything was normal in body. I said Amen to myself!!!
Fear of not living. We can say I'm ready to go to
Heaven. This is what my dad said when he was normal. When he had cancer he
didn't want to die. He didn't want to leave his family that he loved soooo
much. My dad knew in his heart that he couldn't change the course of his life.
I'm oldest daughter to be involved with cancer awareness. This week, I have
decided to become involve in Be The Match at http://m.marrow.org/.
I am going to give myself to be a match for patients with leukemia or other
forms of cancer. I'm taking the step to help others.
Also, Angelina Jolie's story makes me wonder if I
need to do blood work to see if I will get cancer. I'm considering it. Maybe,
in my next doctor visit this coming August. I have to fight the rest of my life
of this ugly word call cancer mentality.
Iamisleen
Angelina Jolie's story came out on May 14, 2013 of
her having double mastectomy. I can relate to Angelina Jolie. She is 37 years
old and I am 32 years old. Angelina lost her mom at the age of 56. I had lost
my dad at the age of 57 to colon cancer. She had lost her mom a few years ago.
I had lost my dad to cancer 2 years ago. I was thinking what if cancer happens
to me. I'm not claiming cancer at all. It's hard to think when you have a love
one who had passed away from cancer. All the doctor visits you went with your
love one. You had to watch all the chemo your love one went through. It is pain
in our hearts.
You would say to yourself, “NO!” I don't want
cancer to happen to me. I don't want to live in fear but it is hard to thinking
about it. I had some issues in my body recently. I will not go in detail of my
issue. This is a private matter for me. This issue wouldn't stop for about a
month. I was worried about this issue in my body. Here I am reading Web MD and
many online articles of what the cause of this issue in my body each night. One
article stated to consult with your doctor since this issue can cause cancer.
I was freaking out after reading the article online. I didn't want to tell my
mom or my sister. We went through enough crap with my dad. So, I had decided to
speak to my boyfriend about this issue in my body. My boyfriend said, “Go to
the doctor's office tomorrow.” I did. My doctor had taken a few tests to see
what the cause of this issue in my body is. She had looked at me and said, “I
don't see anything wrong.” One thing she said to me, “You are healthy young
person.” Her words brought life to me. The doctor told me if this issue does
not stop please go to another doctor’s office. My doctor handed me business
card. After I left her office, I was asking the Lord to heal. I was crying
inside and outside. I didn't want to do extra blood work. I was scared for the
outcome if I did extra blood work.
A
week later, everything was normal in body. I said Amen to myself!!!
Fear of not living. We can say I'm ready to go to
Heaven. This is what my dad said when he was normal. When he had cancer he
didn't want to die. He didn't want to leave his family that he loved soooo
much. My dad knew in his heart that he couldn't change the course of his life.
I'm oldest daughter to be involved with cancer awareness. This week, I have
decided to become involve in Be The Match at http://m.marrow.org/.
I am going to give myself to be a match for patients with leukemia or other
forms of cancer. I'm taking the step to help others.
Also, Angelina Jolie's story makes me wonder if I need to do blood work to see if I will get cancer. I'm considering it. Maybe, in my next doctor visit this coming August. I have to fight the rest of my life of this ugly word call cancer mentality.
Iamisleen
Angelina Jolie's Story
We
often speak of “Mommy’s mommy,” and I find myself trying to
explain the illness that took her away from us. They have asked if
the same could happen to me. I have always told them not to worry,
but the truth is I carry a “faulty” gene, BRCA1, which sharply
increases my risk of developing breast
cancer
and ovarian
cancer.
My
doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and
a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different
in the case of each woman.
Only
a fraction of breast cancers result from an inherited gene mutation.
Those with a defect in BRCA1 have a 65
percent
risk of getting it, on average.
Once
I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to
minimize the risk as much I could. I made a decision to have a
preventive
double mastectomy.
I started with the breasts, as my risk of breast cancer is higher
than my risk of ovarian cancer, and the surgery is more complex.
On
April 27, I finished the three months of medical procedures that the
mastectomies involved. During that time I have been able to keep this
private and to carry on with my work.
But
I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit
from my experience. Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into
people’s hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness. But today
it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are
highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take
action.
My
own process began on Feb. 2 with a procedure known as a “nipple
delay,” which rules out disease in the breast ducts behind the
nipple and draws extra blood flow to the area. This causes some pain
and a lot of bruising, but it increases the chance of saving the
nipple.
Two
weeks later I had the major surgery, where the breast tissue is
removed and temporary fillers are put in place. The operation can
take eight hours. You wake up with drain tubes and expanders in your
breasts. It does feel like a scene out of a science-fiction film. But
days after surgery you can be back to a normal life.
Nine
weeks later, the final surgery is completed with the reconstruction
of the breasts with an implant. There have been many advances in this
procedure in the last few years, and the results can be beautiful.
I
wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a
mastectomy was not easy. But it is one I am very happy that I made.
My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent
to under 5 percent. I can tell my children that they don’t need to
fear they will lose me to breast cancer.
It
is reassuring that they see nothing that makes them uncomfortable.
They can see my small scars and that’s it. Everything else is just
Mommy, the same as she always was. And they know that I love them and
will do anything to be with them as long as I can. On a personal
note, I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made
a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.
I
am fortunate to have a partner, Brad Pitt, who is so loving and
supportive. So to anyone who has a wife or girlfriend going through
this, know that you are a very important part of the transition. Brad
was at the Pink
Lotus Breast Center,
where I was treated, for every minute of the surgeries. We managed to
find moments to laugh together. We knew this was the right thing to
do for our family and that it would bring us closer. And it has.
For
any woman reading this, I hope it helps you to know you have options.
I want to encourage every woman, especially if you have a family
history of breast or ovarian cancer, to seek out the information and
medical experts who can help you through this aspect of your life,
and to make your own informed choices.
I
acknowledge that there are many wonderful holistic doctors working on
alternatives to surgery. My own regimen will be posted in due course
on the Web site of the Pink Lotus Breast Center. I hope that this
will be helpful to other women.
Breast
cancer
alone kills some 458,000 people each year, according to the World
Health Organization, mainly in low- and middle-income countries. It
has got to be a priority to ensure that more women can access gene
testing and lifesaving preventive treatment, whatever their means and
background, wherever they live. The cost of testing for BRCA1 and
BRCA2, at more than $3,000 in the United States, remains an obstacle
for many women.
I
choose not to keep my story private because there are many women who
do not know that they might be living under the shadow of cancer. It
is my hope that they, too, will be able to get gene tested, and that
if they have a high risk they, too, will know that they have strong
options.
Life
comes with many challenges. The ones that should not scare us are the
ones we can take on and take control of.
