My Grandmother (my Mom's mom) got diagnosed with Breast Cancer at age 30. My Aunt (my Mom's sister) got diagnosed at age 43 and my Mom got diagnosed last Sept. 2012 at age 49.
This was not a rushed decision and since my mom got diagnosed last year, it has been something that I have put a lot of thought into and discussed with my Doctors and family.
We went to genetic counseling for the BRCA 1&2 gene as well as the other few genes they have found and thankfully we were negative. Because of my strong family history and the fact that it is rare to get breast cancer before age 50 without there being a genetic gene involved Doctors still think we have some type of gene but the testing is still so new they haven't found it yet.
The decision I made is not for everyone. It is something I thought about long and hard and felt with my background it was the best timing and choice for me, 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer and those odds alone are not very good and with my Grandma, Aunt, and Mom all having it so young I felt like I made the right decision for me.
I got a Prophylactic Bilateral Nipple Sparing Double Mastectomy (which means I still have my nipples.) My mom went through the same surgery last year and I was with her through all of it, so I knew what I was getting into and what to expect, which I think knowledge is power and it def has helped prepare me.
I have decided to document my experience for anyone else that might be in the same situation or know someone that is having a Mastectomy and wants to see what to expect. I am in NO way a doctor or nurse or any kind of health care provider this is just things I have learned from my personal experience. Down below is the youtube video I made.
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