Tag: Genetic testing

Me and Angelina Jolie

decisionsformyfamily1 Comment

In the news this morning I learned that Angelina Jolie and I seem to have a lot in common.  Her story is very similar to my own and to all of the women I have met along the way in my time writing this blog.  Chosing to have a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy, to remove a part of your body because it will one day quite probably declare war on the rest of your body.

The difference is her celebrity makes news.  I am glad that she wrote the article in the NY times.  It brings to light the struggle that so many woman have.  Having genetic testing and advanced medical abilities which have allowed so many of us to make a preventative decision to take control of our own medical destiny.  Maybe her sharing the story that so many of us have lived will cause a few more women to have a mammogram.  Maybe a few will open up to their doctors about their family history.  Maybe one day we can finally put breast cancer in the past.

Until then, Bravo to all who share their stories!

Tomorrow is another day

decisionsformyfamily2 Comments

A few days home and things are fully back to normal.  Thankfully Madison’s stomach is one of those things!  The scheduling of yet another pelvic ultrasound is another.  I still question whether it would be better to know for sure if I was BRCA positive.  I am not sure if it really matters at this point I guess.

After realizing that there was a history of prostate cancer in men on my father’s side, added to the breast cancer issues on my mothers,  I reached out to the genetic counselor to see if it made a difference in the insurances companies payment position.  I have heard back from the genetic counselor and it does not.  She sent me the full bullet pointed criteria laid out by the insurance company.

I can not worry about things I can not control.  This puts and end to the thoughts of testing for me.  I have already had a prophylactic mastectomy and the fact that I have scheduled my third pelvic ultrasound in roughly 5 months shows a close eye is being kept on me.  Pending the results of this round I will need to make some decisions.  Until then, well tomorrow is another day!