Angelina Jolie - Your Thoughts

[cheri_j]

I've been thinking of this since the announcement came out that Angelina had both breasts removed because she carried the breast cancer gene and had an 85% chance of getting breast cancer.

On one hand, I applaud her for being proactive and making such a tough decision.

On the other hand, did she jump the gun? I have the colon cancer gene, it runs in my family, I've had the bad polyps removed, but should I have my colon removed? No, I just go in for regular check ups. She has the financial resources to check to see if she has the gene and have her breasts removed, while the general population doesn't. Is this sending a positive message?

I have had a loved one die from breast cancer. I know how devastating it can be.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Ruthie]

I admire her honesty but am not sure I would do the same. For one thing I can't afford the best reconstructive surgeons. For another that is just one risk. Did I hear she is considering other surgeries?

 

[bodhi]

Tough subject but here goes. I have no idea of her personal medical history so i cant comment on that. The publicity however is another story. I think it is absolutely the wrong message to be sending and to have such a high profile person making it is very wrong. Getting cancer is not necessarily a death sentence. Having the gene does not mean you will get cancer. Having a radical mastectomy does not prevent you from getting cancer. Statistical percentages are always skewed depending on the presenter. The whole thing is very disturbing.

 

[lizflowers42]

She did what?! I had not heard this. Seems a little extreme.

 

[houseofwool]

It depends. I have an aunt who's sister died in her 30's leaving two young boys and a husband behind. her cancer was particularly awful - invasive and resistant to treatment. My aunt did not have her breasts removed.

I have a 2nd cousin who has undergone several rounds of breast cancer in her 30's, the latest showing up while she was pregnant. Her sister has the same genes and last I heard was considering a double mastectomy to avoid orphaning her young children.

I would definitely consider doing it. While it would be a hard adjustment, it could be done and living trumps vanity for me.

 

[VanessaP]

While the publicity is a little out of hand, her family has a history of it and she has such a chance of being diagnosed herself. We also don't know her own personal medical history. I applaud her for being proactive and making such a strong personal decision. I don't see why people are reacting so harshly against her. Looking at it as a cosmetic surgery, its not really any different than getting a face lift or a breast enlargement, IMO. Yet few would look down on her for those.

 

[AnitaB]

This is just my opinion, but even though she's beautiful, Angelina has always been on the strange side of the fence to me.

 

[la-rene]

It's my opinion that if I could easily prevent cancer by such a surgery, I would do it. I'm sorry to hear about your colon cancer history Cheri. In that case, I would check and check often. But, with things that I can live easily without, like my 38dd jugs and my ovaries (no more cystic ovaries! yay) I would do it, especially with a definite history and dangerous genes. I don't like being sick, nor worried. But, she is lucky. With the state of our health insurance, I'm sure that preventative surgery for cancer would be considered "cosmetic" and not covered. Like the woman who wanted an artificial upper palate so she could eat and talk after losing hers to mouth cancer. Cosmetic... wth ever.

 

[CaraCara]

I imagine it would be such a very personal and difficult decision to make, particularly if you know you have an elevated risk. When the 'what if' has a higher chance of being replaced by 'when will', that's enough motivation for me to take preventative action now. There really is no right or wrong decision.

 

[Cindiq4u]

I've been thinking of this since the announcement came out that Angelina had both breasts removed because she carried the breast cancer gene and had an 85% chance of getting breast cancer.

On one hand, I applaud her for being proactive and making such a tough decision.

On the other hand, did she jump the gun? I have the colon cancer gene, it runs in my family, I've had the bad polyps removed, but should I have my colon removed? No, I just go in for regular check ups. She has the financial resources to check to see if she has the gene and have her breasts removed, while the general population doesn't. Is this sending a positive message?

I have had a loved one die from breast cancer. I know how devastating it can be.

What are your thoughts?

I totally get your concern for what might be thought as "Jumping the Gun". I was in Angelinas shoes 08/2011.
First about my family history~ My Great Grandmother had breast cancer in her 70's =, yet passed away from other causes.
Then at 40 my mother got Breast Cancer, she had to have one breast removed and then 5 years after her, all clear note, she again had breast cancer in the other breast and it had spread. Less then 6 months later she passed away. I was 21, she was 45.
Fast forward 25 year later I'm 45 rockin my 36 D's "natural" about to celebrate my 25th anniversary with hubby and BOOM, my mamagram shows funky tissue. Days later and very scared I have a wide awake biopsy. Not fun...
I then receive the news there abnormal cells "day after anniversary". I'm sent to a Breast Surgon and told I have an 86% chance of getting cancer and that the biopsy showed Pre-cancerous cells and I need a lumectomy to boot.. YIKES!!!
Then a week after the surgery I'm called to the docs office. Both of my breasts are loaded with pre-cancerous cells. I was a ticking time bomb.
They give you options, 3 as a matter of fact, yet after seeing my mother pass and knowing 86% was not good AND if I had a Double Mastetomy my odds would be 3 to 5%, I decided I'd take those odds any day.
So I did what Angelina did. I didn't get to save my nipples "as she did" and believe me loosing your nipples is sad "really sad" Their more of a part of you than we think. September 12th I have surgery "3 days before my 46th bithday"
I receive reconstruction, yet I developed a bacteria from the hospital "now that stinks" well that bacteria attacks Foreign bodies, so out comes one of the temporary implants. The story get's much longer and darker, yet I lost both breasts "yes, I wear fake Memory foam breasts", I've been told maybe in 5 years I could have reconstruction, yet.........
Here's my take, I'm alive, I have a MUCH lower risk of Breast Cancer, I still rock a Tankini with little silicone breast incerts, I have a dent in my chest that for what I can't figure out my hubby thinks is sexy "gotta love him", I'll never have sagging breasts, yet I still miss my nipples, I miss cleavage, and if you didn't know what was under my top you'd think that I was confident in my skin, but I still have moments when I have to thank the Universe for giving me broad shoulders that make my new completely flat self look athletic LOL.
Would I do it Again? YES.
Breast Surgery in every form is a VERY personal thing. We are not our breasts or our bodies. We are Yummy, Sexy "even during Menopause" Women. I know I'm blessed to have a wonderful husband and so is Angelina.
She and Millions of women like both of us have had this happen, yet we dodged a bullet and very deadly one that as we've all seen Robin Roberts go through. Heck her life was at risk when she took treatments for her Breast Cancer that could caused the cancer she ended up getting recently. She accepted that risk and rolled with it. Because it was HER choice.
It's a good thing you brought up this thread. '
We as women don't like to think of it happening to us, yet we have to make a choice and those choices could cost or extend your life. It's just a personal journey. I believe that Younger Women and Girls should know about Breast cancer issues and risks. So many younger women are contracting now and it is a 1 in 8 chance of contracting for women. I believe many of us would be shocked if we were in a public space how many women might be covering a very personal secret under their garments, yet we move forward, fix ourselves up, get yummy, play in the water, and yes, even go naked because we are Alive.
We are the positive message of Choice and Outcome, because we never know what will happen next. Love and Peace :crazy:

 

[OHello]

I think she is very brave for doing that. There is nothing glamorous about a mastectomy. Even with reconstructive surgery her "new" breasts won't be like normal natural breasts.

Given her family history and the results of the gene testing I don't think her decision was jumping the gun at all. Why die young if you don't have to?

 

[MaitriBB]

I support her 100%. I'm all for "whatever decision a woman makes for herself and her family is the right one." Is it right for everyone? No. It's right for her and I support her right to make that decision.

For me, if I was going to go from an 87% chance of developing cancer to a less-than 5% chance, yes I'd do it too. I have small children and so it's not about me any more - it's about them needing their mother. That would be ME - I'm not saying someone else making a different decision would be wrong.

 

[CaliChan]

I don't think she jumped the gun I think she made the best choice she could make for herself. My family has a bad habit of getting cancer and if I tested positive I would have done the same thing. My ****s are not worth risking leaving my kids here without their mother. I think she did something that every one should do. And that's make an informed decision on what you want to do. Just because she's famous doesn't mean everyone should start doing it.