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Let Me Tell You About My Breast Friends

Posted on September 1, 2011 12:00 am by teawithfrodo

Hi, I’m Irene. I’m 32 and I’m planning on having a Bi-Lateral Mastectomy. No, I don’t have Cancer at least not yet. I’m what you call a “Previvor”. I have the BRCA 2 mutation that leaves me with an 84% chance of having Breast Cancer by the time I’m 70. Both my mother and her birth mother had Breast Cancer. Sadly her birth mother died at 36 after losing her fight. I don’t plan on succumbing to the same fate.

Why would anyone want to cut off their breasts if they don’t have to?

First off, I don’t want to do it. I do however feel that I need to do it. I know it seems extreme to many people but when I look at my percentage I can’t ignore it. Think of it this way: if you were told that when you went outside today you had an 84% chance of being hit by a bus would you want to go outside? Probably not.

I look at my son and I know I want to be there to watch him grow up. I don’t want take a chance with my life.

Aren’t you scared?

Yes, I’m pooping my pants about it. I was supposed to be having my surgery this fall but my husband was laid off and our current state insurance won’t cover it. Now I have to wait even longer to get it done. It’s bad enough having to go to the plastic surgeon with pictures of boobs (yes, I did go with pictures of what I want my new boobs to look like) and get measured and look at pictures of what I’ll look like post surgery. I wanted the main surgery to be over with and I am a little scared that it is not put off until my husband finds a new job.

I worry about how I’m going to look. Am I going to hate them? Is my husband going to hate them? Are people going to look at me and point at my fake boobs? How will my son react to them?

I’m high risk but I don’t want to have the surgery…

It isn’t for everyone. It’s a hard decision to come to and not one that I came to lightly. I’m lucky to have the support of my husband and family. I also have a great breast specialist who even before my genetic testing had me go for annual mammograms. If you know you’re at risk take action, that doesn’t always mean surgery. Go for regular exams and make sure to do self exams.

Thinking I was alone was the hardest part for me but I found out I’m not alone. There are so many people who have the same condition and have documented their choice. I remember it being so rough when my brother told me I was being a drama queen, and then he did a search and found women 10 years younger than me choosing the same surgery.

I’m not alone and the support I’ve found from both doctors and other “Previvors” has been amazing. I’ve chosen to be proactive and not let the disease defeat me.

For more information on the BRCA 1 and 2 mutations check out:

Bright Pink

Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE)

Update January 5, 2013 from TheAngelForever:

Since Irene wrote this post, a lot has changed. She moved with her family, became the coordinator for the Memphis FORCE group, and scheduled her surgery. The date is this week when she will have a bilateral mastectomy and start reconstruction. She will have expanders that will be filled each week until she reaches the desired size to have implants. On her personal blog, Irene has written about coming to terms with her femininity before her surgery date. Once Irene is feeling better I will update again. Wishing her the best of luck as she moves forward with being a Previvor.

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The Crafting Hobbit is a mommy to an amazing little guy and wife to a loving (although sometimes frustrating) husband. Both of which have Asperger’s. She became an Earth friendly, crunchy, granola mommy and loves her return to the simpler things in life.

She knits, sews and dabbles in other crafts and love creating things. She tested positive for the BRCA 2 mutation and will be undergoing a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy.

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Twenty Month Hiatus

Posted on June 4, 2011 9:03 am by TheAngelForever

Dear JSL,

Yesterday, at about noon, I sat getting some work done and finishing my lunch. Suddenly, a call came on my phone. It was a familiar number, but I was not completely sure who it was. The minute I heard the voice my heart stopped. The call that I had feared since you went to nursery school had come. The secretary said that you had fainted while out on the playground. It was a cool day and I knew you had not fainted.

I do not remember much from the time I left the house and got to your school. I was shaking and it seemed to take forever to get to you. When I arrived, you were still on the playground. Emergency vehicles crowded the parking lot as I ran over to you. You were hardly moving, up on a stretcher. I put my hand out to you and you were freezing cold. Your body was oh so white with a bit of a blue tinge to it. By now, it had been confirmed – you had your fifth febrile seizure.

The emergency personal and teachers from school were amazing. They knew exactly what was going on. They were able to tell your history, and explain what had happened. Minutes before your febrile seizure, you were running, laughing, and playing with no sign of being ill. When I asked you who I was, you responded with a very weak “Mama” that made me feel better. We rode to the hospital in the ambulance and you seemed to be worse to me. I had to remind myself that the hour after a febrile seizure is always worse. Although I should be a pro at this, it never gets easy and I always forget.

To make a long story short, Nana met us in the ER, quickly followed by Papa and Daddy. They took your temperature about 30 minutes after they had called me. At that time it was 103.8! Your color was coming back and your skin went from cold to burning up. We got you some medicine and waited to see doctors. Three doctors came in over the time we were in the ER and they asked you what hurt and you never complained about anything. They listened to me about hidden ear infections. You were not a fan of them digging in your ears, but thank goodness they did. You had a raging double ear infection. Never did you complain. The doctors seemed to be concerned that it was your fifth febrile seizure and that twenty months had gone by since your last one. I had told them it was at least fifteen months, but the reality was your last one was right before Halloween 2009.

After a few hours, we were told we could go home. We were armed with instructions on what to do. I stopped at school to pick up my car and your things. One of the other teachers was still there that had seen everything, so I learned more about what happened before and during the event that rocked our little world. Then, I picked up your medicine and made a call to your teacher. She had called worried about you and asked me to give you a hug. By the evening, everyone had checked in on you and we thanked them all. They were truly amazing in a horrible situation and I will never be able to thank them enough.

Now, I just hope that you keep down your medicine and things get to be boring for a little while.

I think we could all use a little quiet and calm time after Friday. Feel better my little guy.

Love,

Mommy

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Video Games, X-Rays, and Dentists

Posted on April 30, 2011 9:40 am by TheAngelForever

Dear NHL,

Every six months, you look forward to going to the dentist. The office that we go to is an amazing place for children. When you walk in, you would never know it was a dentists office. The only item that gives it away are only books about teeth on the shelf. After that, it is a playroom and video game wonderland.

This past week, I picked you up after school and we went to the dentist a bit early so you would have a little more time to play video games. You and JSL loved it.

When it was time to head back to the room for your teeth to be cleaned, the woman noticed that you now have your permanent top front teeth. This meant that it was time to do some more extensive x-rays. You are not a big fan of x-rays and these new things definitely scared you. We talked you through the entire time. When we moved to the room with the panoramic x-ray machine, the contraption really worried you. Still, you listened to us and made it.

When the dentist walked into the room after your teeth were sparkling, she talked with me. She said everything looked good on the x-rays and paused. Then she said she noticed something. It seems that the silly Tooth Fairy made a mistake and took one of your permanent teeth. It is missing and happens to people from time to time. The Tooth Fairy must have thought it was so special and took it on one of her visits. I wonder if she knows we caught her and will get you something special soon. I guess we will have to wait and see.

Hang in there sweetie, there is nothing to worry about. Your dentist told us a great place to go and we will take care of that missing tooth.

Love,

Mommy

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The Sickies Strike Back

Posted on January 11, 2011 10:42 am by TheAngelForever

JSL started nursery school in September. I braced myself for illnesses to keep him home from school. When NHL started daycare, he was sick all the time. It appears that having a big brother has helped to exposed JSL a lot. Sure, he has had a cold here and there, but nothing too exciting.

Today, he is home from school for the first time. Sunday night he was coughing horribly. TechyDad and I were very worried and eventually did a nebulizer treatment that helped some. I decided to take JSL to get the cough checked since it had intensified over a 2-3 week span. It also allowed me to have his ears checked for any fluid concerns.

We went to the doctor and everything checked out. No fluid in his ears, glads were not swollen, and lungs perfectly clear. Since the cough has been hanging on antibiotic was given before starting more aggressive asthma therapy. We left, picked up the medicine at Target.

When TechyDad got home from work JSL refused to eat dinner. He was curled up on the couch coughing horribly. We decided to do a nebulizer treatment to see if it would ease things up. A short time later he started coughing so hard he got sick and was vomiting. Then he complained that his head hurt.

RED ALERT! Why you ask? Well, JSL often shows no signs of a fever when his temperature is spiking. Febrile seizures are often our first clue. The last few times he was sick he complained that his head hurt. Sure enough, that was how we checked and saw he had a fever.

JSL’s temperature was going up, so we gave him Ibuprofen and he settled in to sleep on my bed.

All was good until 9:00. JSL woke up coughing terribly. You could see his chest caving in as he made horrible sounds. Steam, cold, and other tricks were used. The doctor was called and gave us things to try to avoid a trip to the ER. He told me what he thought it was given what the PA had seen/said and what he could hear over the phone.

It was a LONG night filled with more tossing of cookies, coughing, and worries. This morning TechyDad went to get some Fever All to help with the temperature control. Even better, the little guy is asking for crackers and drinking a good amount of Rite Aid Bubble Gum flavored electrolyte drink.

So pardon me, I’m off to take care of my sick little guy and hope we can avoid going to the hospital for whatever is kicking his poor little body.

Feel free to leave a message for JSL, he likes to hear from people Smile

Categories:
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Hardwood floors 1 – Wiggly Tooth 0

Posted on May 24, 2010 6:51 pm by TheAngelForever

Last night, if you followed me on Twitter, a panicked Tweet went out just at about 9:00. As other people were settling in to watch the last episode of Lost, I was calling my parents to quickly come to my house.

After our fun day in the sun at The Great Escape, the boys were exhausted. We ate dinner, TechyDad gave them baths and it was time for bed. NHL was in bed and JSL was still getting settled. After TechyDad brushed his teeth, he went to get his sippy cup with water. I was getting something on my side of the bed and the lights were out. JSL came running into the room and WHAM!

After the initial thud, I heard horror-movie screams coming from my three year old son. I ran to the other side of the bed yelling for TechyDad to come quick (he had just gotten into the shower). When I flicked on the light and got to the other side of the bed where JSL was, he was getting up. His hands covering his mouth and blood was all over the place.

I could quickly see that he had a gash in his bottom lip. TechyDad came in and helped me to take him into the bathroom to try to see what was going on. JSL was beyond upset and did NOT want anything to touch him. We obviously needed to check his teeth, face and head. I asked if he would put ice on the lip to make it feel better. Thank goodness, he agreed. I got a paper towel to put on it and we got the bleeding to stop.

Meanwhile, I had called my parents. With NHL in bed, I was not sure if we were off to the ER with the little guy. My father left Lost and rushed over to our house. He definitely helped to calm JSL down and we were able to see that the bleeding had stopped. Looking into his mouth was another story. I was in a panic imagining the worst about his teeth. JSL refused to go into our room and wanted to stay on the couch. At a little after 11:00, he finally agreed to come and rest/sleep with me.

This morning, TechyDad and I held JSL down and I was able to look in more. I could see bruises all around his two top front teeth and it did not look good. Luckily, we were able to get into the dentist this afternoon. Here is a photo of the little guy asleep in his stroller as we waited to see the dentist.

I love our dentists – can not say enough wonderful things about them. Dr. N reassured me that we did the right thing with ice and coming in today. As he slept, she moved his upper lip and touched his teeth. Immediately, I saw one move. My heart broke momentarily. She could tell and told me not to panic. When she got the little mirror to check under the teeth, JSL woke up and was not a pleased patient. She got a look inside and said it was bruising that I saw. She asked if I would be ok holding him for an x-ray and I agreed. It took the two of us holding him on me to get it, but it worked. It looks like there is no root damage or anything more to the tooth.

For now, we have to watch and keep it clean, cut his food (no biting into things) and go back in a few weeks for his regular check-up. Looks like his three year portraits will be waiting a little while. Oh and once again, I am requesting a little bubble for JSL because the kid has given me one too many scares in his three years.