ONTD

It's nice to have a post that's not about this fucking election. While it is very important, it's just one country's election and this isn't supposed to be a political site, is it? I have to say, having gone through the cancer process myself, I can understand Sharon wanting to avoid that. It's much more agreeable to go through a 13 hour operation than it is to go through months of chemo and radiation therapy. That's just the fucking lowest crap ever.

Doesn't a mastectomy only usually take 3 or 4 hours? Did she get a reconstruction at the same time?

I have asymetrical boobs, not pretty, can't wear certain style tops or dresses. I am always pressured by my doctor to get implants but I'm too anxious. I stopped blaming myself for developing this way a while ago and it made me feel better knowing it wasn't my fault. I'm just waiting for a man to love me for who i am not what i look like naked tbh.

/csb

I think he is only pressuring because its so severe in my case. After all the implant horror stories its not something I will ever do tbh

Good for her. I'll probably do the same later on in life. A lot of women actually do this. My mom died on the 27th of october from bc and it's such a horrible thing to watch.

Hey, super late reply. I have and tested positive for brca 1.

This is one of my biggest fears, my grandmother had breast cancer twice in the right breast and once in the left, one of my aunts had it once in one of her breasts and I've already had to undergo mammograms twice because if suspicious lumps that turned out to be fibroid masses.

Edited at 2012-11-06 08:15 pm (UTC)

For some reason they don't want to let me do the BRAC analysis and its super expensive if you can't do it through insurance :(

I would do it if I had some extra money on the side and time away from work in a heartbeat. One less thing to possibly worry about down the road.

I totally understand the process that's why I said possibly. I'm also coming from a position where I think my breasts could use a lift down the road. In other words, I wouldn't particular miss them if they had to go away. If there's a chance of getting new breasts with the help of reconstructive surgery while reducing the percentage of possibly developing breast cancer in the future then it's really a win/win. Speaking on behalf of my situation anyway.

Edited at 2012-11-06 08:37 pm (UTC)

i thought a radical mastectomy removed all breast tissue and surrounding lymph nodes?

remember that episode of nip/tuck where that woman went into the lobby and then cut off her breasts in front of everyone.

she said she carried the gene and every woman in her family died of breast cancer. but she wasn't diagnosed yet so Christian didn't want to do it.

So she casually waled into the waiting room. took out one of those electric blades infront of a full waiting room. plugged it in then proceeded to cut off one breast spraying everyone with blood.

Christian then had to perform the surgery.

Cancer is so scary and horrible, I hope she never has to deal with it again.

Also, tbh, some of the comments here are kind of strange. Breasts don't make a woman, and this procedure is fairly common.

MFTE!

especially when you see high school boys wearing that shit at school thinking that theyre soooo clever and that campaign donates very little to actual charity

omfg the "Save the boobies" campaign is the WORST. You are exactly right, the whole campaign is the sexualization of breast cancer. It's telling us to save the boobs attached to the woman, not the woman attached to the boobs.

Yeah, that campaign makes me really uncomfortable. I get that their heart is in the right place, but they really should be concentrating on the fact that breast cancer KILLS and less that "boobies are fun!"

TRUTH. I cringe every time I see a shirt or bracelet that says it.

tbh - i dont think her predisposition to cancer was the only reason she did this.

she had to have her implants removed - she wasnt going to get more put in (and require another surgery to get them removed later in her life) but she cant exactly leave them the way they would look without the implants in them, muscles shift, they will look deflated compared to before, etc.

also, now she has fewer breast cells to get cancer - but having a double mastectomy doesnt eliminate your chances of getting breast cancer - especially if shes got a genetic marker for it. so now if she does develop breast cancer, it will be in the tissue left behind and in her lymph nodes. so instead of doing a breast self exam, shes going to be doing lymph node exams checking for cancerous lumps....but lymph nodes can get swollen or lumps for a lot of other reasons.

im not saying she shouldnt have done it...but i dont think this is all about her cancer risk.

Oh man, poor thing. I hope everything turns out well for her.

but omg!! she's no longer a woman without breasts!! what must her husband think??? did she think of him at all???????????????







jkjk, good for her for putting preventative health first, and not tying her femininity to globs on her chest. Still, it's a very hard and scary decision. Love her! <3

fuck everyone who has that mentality imo. They can step right to the left and off a cliff as far as I'm concerned.

I'm curious to know what I'm predisposed too. I know diabetes and heart disease is really bad on both sides of my family.

And all the stories in here about getting cancer in your twenties. omg:(

My aunt died of breast cancer, so I'm always terrified that my mother will come home with a diagnosis. She's a doctor so she's always up to date with her mammograms, but I'm still fearful.

my old boss did this, too, and i remember thinking how drastic that seemed until she told me her family history. her mother, two sisters, and grandmother all had breast cancer and her mom and grandmother both died of it. her choice seemed a lot less extreme under those circumstances.

my boss said she would've done it sooner if she'd known how much better it made her feel. i suppose it gave her much better peace of mind. she had good reconstructive surgery done as well.

i'm adopted so i don't know my family history. i feel like saying take it all, take my uterus, take my ovaries, take my boobs, take it all. i don't need it.