30 Days!

It's ALMOST TIME! Just thirty days until my reconstruction surgery. I was hesitant and nervous for a long time, but now I'm finally getting excited!

Those of you who follow me on Facebook might remember the story of Kansas running in the room, screaming about how Patten had broken her (cheap, Dollar Tree) Barbie Doll. She had pushed in the thin plastic of the doll's boobs, and Barbie suddenly had "innies" on her chest instead of "outies!" 

Kimberly made a bad joke and said, "Hey Susan! It looks just like YOU!" 

While it was harsh, and totally too soon, it was ABSOLUTELY TRUE! This is pretty much what I look like without a shirt!

BUT HEY EVERYBODY!!!! IN THIRTY DAYS I WILL HAVE BOOBS AGAIN!!!!

Uhhhhh.... thanks for that bit of TMI, right? When I first made the decision to be tested for the BRCA mutations that signify an elevated risk of breast cancer, I knew that I had to share my story out loud. 

Most people's knowledge of BRCA is through the story Angelina Jolie told quite publicly. And by telling her story, Angelina raised a ton of awareness about hereditary cancers. 

But I chose to tell my story because I'm NOT a movie star. I'm a mom, a teacher... just an every day girl going through the exact same thing. I decided to share because I wanted others to know that you don't have to be rich and famous to have some control of your body and your health.

According to the Komen foundation, in 2016 there will be an estimated 246,660 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women, and over 40,000 breast cancer related deaths. 

The average woman has about a 13% chance of getting breast cancer in her lifetime. Women with the BRCA gene mutation have up to an 87% chance of getting breast cancer! A simple blood test or mouth swab can empower women with powerful knowledge of these elevated health risks.

Men can also have BRCA mutations. Their risk of breast cancer increases from .1 percent to as much as 8 percent. 

When I found out that I carried a BRCA mutation, I chose to have a bilateral mastectomy. This choice reduced my risk of getting breast cancer from 87% to less than 1%.

Prophylactic surgery may not be the right choice for everyone. A BRCA positive diagnosis can still be empowering because it allows for insurances to cover more frequent mammograms and additional cancer screenings. Early diagnosis is key to surviving breast cancer. 

Both brightpink.org and facingourrisk.org have been tremendous resources for me as I've gone through this journey. Please check them out if you'd like to know more about hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. Also, please don't hesitate to message me if you have questions or would like to learn more about my own journey.