Ok, I'll Take Some Credit :)

My whole purpose for starting this blog was to get my story of being a “previvor” out there.  My goal was to share with people the importance of being proactive about breast health and taking your own life into your hands.  I prayed that sharing my journey from making the choice to having a double mastectomy to getting reconstructive surgery at 30 years old would help someone that is going through a similar situation have an easier time of making this life saving decision.  However, I never thought that my blog would inspire the great actress Angelina Jolie!  Brush my shoulders off, I love that my story encouraged her to get the BRCA test done and decide to have the mastectomy after finding out she was BRCA I positive.  You go girl…and don’t be shy about giving me a little credit with the decision you made!

I have always been upfront with my choice to have my breasts removed.  When the topic comes up in conversation (because mastectomies are the main topic of conversation at the water cooler) I proudly share my decision.  Most of the time I get the same responses, “Wow, you are so young.”  My thought to that, I always lose when I gamble so why play the odds now!  Or, “I don’t think I could do what you are doing, you are so brave!”  Bravery is an interesting trait to me.  At 16 I came close to losing my right foot in a car accident, at 20 I came close to losing my life to anorexia, at 26 I buried my mother, and I balanced all that either while being a full time student, having a full time career, or both.  I have done nothing more or less than I believe anyone else would do when faced with trials in their life.  You pick yourself up by the bootstraps and move forward.  I truly believe I am no braver than any one person on this earth because we all have times when we are faced with a difficult hurdle and somehow we all get through it.  Call it bravery, I call it faith!

It has been so humbling at the out pouring of responses I have received from friends, co-workers, family, and people I hardly know coming up to me and saying, “I thought about you, did you hear about Angelina Jolie?”  I love it!  I love it because it shows me my journey with this blog and my decision to have my breasts removed before I am diagnosed with cancer is being heard.  It shows me how loved and supported I am!  What an incredible feeling!

As I go through the emotions I am sharing them with you.  This week has been very difficult for me as far as mourning the idea of losing my breasts.  But, I have gladly accepted that feeling (is that an oxymoron…I gladly accept mourning…LOL) because it is only natural.  Seeing the outpour of love from my friends and family with the news of Angelina Jolie has refueled my soul to continue to share with you my life!

I love you all!