Angelina Jolie's prophylactic surgery

exbrnxgrl

Sad to see such a jaded and bitter view of the situation. No idolization, but admiration for a woman who faced the same decision that many women on this board have. Trying to come up with a pecking order for suffering is patently absurd.

Caryn

1openheart

caryn...well said.  There is enough mental anguish, fear, pain and suffering to go around when dealing with this disease.

sas-schatzi

Caryn were you referring to my post as being jaded? Where in my words am I jaded? Or was it just in the timing of posting?

exbrnxgrl

No reference to you at all

rozem

mastectomy is never ever a "boob job"  - boob jobs add an implant to existing tissue, it does not cut, stretch, comprimise your pec muscles like adding an implant after mastectomy.  No feeling, distortion when doing anything - people with boob jobs dont have these issues, it is absolutely not the same.   Yes, visually because she kept her nipples and probably has a small IMF scar,  she will look pretty normal but it certainly is not the same as augmentation. 

LAstar

Here, of all places, I would expect some empathy rather than the evaluation, rankings, and rush to judgment that I have seen in other places on-line.  Walk a mile in her Prada's with 6 breast drains and 6 children before judging.

Beesie

LAStar, 

Can I walk in her Louboutins instead?  I've always loved the red soles.

Seriously though, I am very happy to not have to walk in her shoes, both from the standpoint of being BRCA1 positive and from the standpoint of having to deal publicly with something so personal.  She may be privileged but that doesn't mean that any of this has been easy for her.   

JoanQuilts

If AJ had said that the operation had been terribly debilitating, someone would have complained that she was discouraging BRCA-pos women from considering PBMX...

vmudrow

LOVED THE ARTICLE.  When I had my PBMX (negative fro BRCA) many people thought I was crazy.  But it has been the best decision for me, I was tired of living with the constant worry, and didn't want to take Tamoxifen - and my risk of getting bc was 40%.  Each person has to do what is right for them!

LAstar

Beesie, 5" Louboutins it is!  

sas-schatzi

Just got done reviewing most of the Pink Lotus site. AJ and Pink Lotus have been preparing the site likely from day 1. It's very well done. AJ HAS started her advocacy and it didn't start two days ago

SelenaWolf

I agree... if her advocacy for the United Nations, and children and women in war-torn areas is anything to go by, we may have just acquired an articulate and passionate voice.

"... good girls never made history ..."

sas-schatzi

Ditto Selena, sassy

Lily55

Lets hope we do have an advocate

mebmarj

It must have been a very thoughtful process from decision to the op-Ed piece earlier this week. So often the media takes a celebrity story and runs with it, spinning it, cutting out details here and there, scaring people and throwing little factoids around that can have devastating effects on the person and our society in general.

By getting in front of the release of information, AJ not only took control of her situation again but also the public perception of it. It wasnt leaked or twisted, it was just the facts as they occurred to her.

Some people may not agree with her rationale, her surgery, her words used in the piece, the fact that she can afford whatever care she needs or wants, had recon and didn't reveal the horrors of what can possibly happen because they didn't happen to her, whatever. You can't please everyone all the time. Its impossible. There will always be criticisms, opinions, and discussion of celebrity health news.

The fact that she could get in front of a diagnosis and possibly avoid one, that probably pisses off a lot of people who didn't or couldn't, and didn't have risk factors other than having boobs.

Life isn't fair. Cancer sucks. Pink ribbons suck too because they have been bastardized and now give so many people the wrong impression.

It's good she has been able to ignite a fire in people who are passionate and start some discussion for others who need to be more informed. You have to admit, the piece has people talking, asking questions and encourages us to be better self-health advocates.

tflemo

 When Angelena Jole can have mastectomy without getting reconstructive work ... then bring me the news ,  there are women who can't get reconstructive work done because their insurance won't pay for it .

sas-schatzi

TFlemo--???what about the law, how do they get around it. An insurance company not following the law isn't AJ's fault. TF, not trying to be contentious, but my insurance company paid for my recon b/c it was a legal requirement, don't get the why not of what your saying.

beacon800

I see the above post is the first ever by tflemo. Also that tflemo has no status under their treatment regime listed. Tflemo may not realize that by law insurance companies must pay for reconstruction subsequent to medically required mastectomy or that being brca+ does qualify as a medically necessary mastectomy.



Amazing how people hate AJ for being rich. Also amazing how ill informed people often are on the subject of breast cancer and it's treatment.

sas-schatzi

Beacon, good catch, didn't even look at that. I agree, I don't get the negative,she has worked extremely hard. How she keeps it all together is amazing. Of course in saying that someone will find fault. She's a hands on Mom, works in show buziness, takes Envoy trips for UN. AND changes the world view of BC.

Lily55

Precisely HOW has she changed the world view of BC?  This is all still about the prevention / avoidance of BC stage, NOT the diagnosis, surgery or treatment stage, let alone living with elements.....

It is the law in Spain that you get reconstruction if you want it, but in practice it does not happen, they wriggle out of it as they do not want to spend public money on plastic surgeons....so if you cannot afford private health or private surgeons you are left high and dry. I often read posts of complaint on here about Obama Care or other health providers but the one thing you all have is you do get a choice, over almost everything , that is priceless.

leggo

Smart girl. Had I known then what I know now, I would have gotten rid of my breasts in a heartbeat knowing they were going to kill me. I would have begged or borrowed. However, having been diagnosed at 30, I hadn't had a chance to give it much thought at the time....you still feel invincible in your twenties. It's certainly not her responsibility to become a breast cancer advocate. She's just a woman who loves her family and her life and wants to hang on to it as long as possible.

exbrnxgrl

Yes, but she didn't get rid of her breasts arbitrarily. She has the BRCA gene. In reality, very, very few women have this so even if every woman who had the BRCA gene had a bmx, that would only be a tiny bit of prevention and we'd really not be significantly reducing overall bc cases. Hope more means of prevention are found soon.

Lily55

No I am not arguing in circles, it is all about the words issued by her or in her name.......mis-leading or incomplete info on so many levels and she has said nothing about BC treatment, other than in reference to her Mum, but nothing is very different these days to then.....

I have nothing against her personally, its not a vendetta, I just believe that anyone in the public eye has a huge responsibility to share information wisely and if they do not know then to get their staff to research it properly as their words have power and impact way beyond our own.........

Anonymous

Lily,

I do completely agree with this:

" I just believe that anyone in the public eye has a huge responsibility to share information wisely and if they do not know then to get their staff to research it properly as their words have power and impact way beyond our own........."

sas-schatzi

I believe her words were wonderful, she's created world wide discussion. That happened because she is known in the world. People outside the USA care about her. Expecting her to "tell it all" in one page. At that moment in time, she told her story.  She wasn't writing a book. Her words were carefully chosen. HER WORDS. Others may have chosen different words. Oh well..........

She shared with the world what many won't even talk about. The expectation that she take on all the preceived wrongs. Why? She's a newbie with allot on her plate.

Papillon1

Why does she even need to mention bc treatment? It's about BRAC mutation test and the fact that women who do not have bc but have a family history can take steps me to avoid cancer rather than just sit and wait for it to happen. I think there is a lot of jealousy and bitterness going on. Completely understandable if a preventative mastectomy was something that you could have dne years ago had you known but now you face a horrendous battle.



It has raised awareness of the test and mentions breast cancer a lot in the media so just hearing the word regulrly may remind women of the importance of going for their checkups so that's all good.

I think we can stop debating now can we?

Lily55

She is not a newbie she supported her mum for ten years........you and i will never agree on this SS

planetbananas

To debate or discuss is one thing......it can be healthy and lead to greater clarity and understanding. So many of us have been judged for our treatment and decisions so I am surprised to see harsh judgement (like saying she just had a boob job) on these boards. Women judge each other enough, it would be nice to have a kinder environment here. Some of the comments have really saddened me. We can disagree and question with respect and kindness and I hope to see some of that going forward.



As to the idea of having a greater responsibility because AJ is in the public eye, well she is still only human. Let her be a lightening rod for debate, not a projection of anger at your own disease.

sas-schatzi

I agree, Lily, so, I thinks it best to go. There's only so many ways to say the same thing. 

AJ if you ever read this--Go Girl, keep on changing the world, few have ever done what you have done. Enjoy the kids, they'll be grown in the blink of an eye.

Signing out, sassy

Anonymous

Just came here because I just read AJ's aunt just passed from BC yesterday. 

http://health.yahoo.net/news/s/nm/angelina-jolie-s-aunt-dies-of-breast-cancer

For those who made nasty comments and outsiders, like my hairdresser, who commented to her coworker that AJ 'lopped off her breasts/, they are simply ignorant.  I did not have to go through what many of you experienced but being on these boards for several years certainly gave me the knowledge and empathy for those who have to make these difficult choices.