Surviving Breast Cancer, Embracing Life

The following is an Editorial Resource from YourTotalHealth.

After Cancer

They Still Don't Get It

I am not in a very good mood today. I am a one-year Stage IC survivor. I went for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 test today. I will find out in three weeks if I have the [breast cancer] gene. I am almost sorry I went. I am not sure I am ready to find out if I carry the gene. My three sisters have been asking me to have it done, so they can have [the test] if I have the gene.

If I have the gene, it will be recommended and advised that I have a bilateral mastectomy and a hysterectomy. That thought scares me to death. I told my sisters, and they said I am making too much of it. So, needless to say, I only have myself to talk to about my feelings.

I get so mad because when I am having a bad day, they tell me, "Why are you so uptight now? It’s been a year and they caught it early." I feel like they are saying, "Now get over it and move on." It’s not that easy. They don't know anything about having cancer.

Almost in tears now. Am I making too much of it?
—luvsocean1163

I know how you feel. I had a mastectomy in 1992 after I found a lump. I was only put on Tamoxifen. I did fine for almost 16 years, and then a mammogram showed another lump. I had another mastectomy in March of this year. I chose to do chemo and radiation to be a little surer that I wouldn't have a recurrence. Before they did the node removal, they asked me to do the BRCA test. I was so sure I was positive, since my sister and I have both had cancer as well as all my dad's sisters. But surprisingly the test came back negative. My daughter has been fighting ovarian cancer since 1996. The stress is unreal, but sometimes we get the best good news, and it helps. Good luck. I have found that positive thinking goes a long way.
—jannywren

You are entitled to have a bad day once in a while. It's normal. I need to ask you if you spoke to a genetic counselor before having this test. If not, I think it is important [for you] to know a few things. And if you decide that you truly do not want the results, you can cancel the test results. It's not too late.

I always tell people that before deciding to get the BRCA gene testing, you should know what you will do with the results, whether they are positive or negative. For me, if I was positive, I was going to have my ovaries removed as well as have the bilateral mastectomy. If you are not going to do anything differently with a positive result, there really is no reason for getting the test done. If the test comes out positive, it also doesn't mean that you have to have a hysterectomy or a bilateral. It simply says that you have a better chance of a recurrence or of having breast cancer or ovarian cancer. This can just make you aware of it and keep you on your toes with watching out for signs and with getting regular screening and testing.

Even if you are positive, your sisters may not be. And even if you are negative, your sisters could still carry the gene. If they want to know if the gene is in the family, the only way they can be sure whether they carry it or not is to get tested themselves. This doesn't involve you at all. Simply having a breast cancer survivor as a sister makes it one more person that could possibly be a link to a genetic cancer. But this doesn't mean that a radical decision has to be made if one or more of the family does carry the gene… This is a very personal decision, and you shouldn't feel like you have to do the test out of pressure from your family. Make the decision that is right for you.
—cl-maggie3333

I get it. I am a five-year survivor. My tumors were HER2-positive. I had a double mastectomy and two years of treatment. I would do it again in a heartbeat. You need to cry. I scheduled my pity parties, not with family, but with friends who truly cared about me. I have had eight chemo treatments, three weeks apart, and a year of Herceptin treatments. I waited four years to have reconstruction and actually feel great! It's not easy, but listen to your heart. Allow yourself to feel what you feel. It's okay to be scared, but trust your doctors. They can do so much now. I did what they advised and have survived five years. I wasn't sick after finishing chemo, but it took a while to feel safe again. I do now. I have been restored mentally, physically and spiritually, and that is a miracle. Rest and attitude are very important. It makes all the difference in the world. Breast cancer isn't a death sentence anymore.
—survivor52008

What's Next: Lifestyle Changes

• 6 Years Later
• Will My Cancer Come Back?
• Protect Yourself from Recurrence