Christina Applegate...venting

dont get wrapped up in the media.  Stupid STAR magazine, is saying that christina is delaying chemo tx's to have a baby...

that's so false its ridiculous.  She's BRCA 1, and like any young BRCA 1 women, she wants to have a kid before having her oopherectomy....

the stupid press has no clue.

She's set to take the stage for SU2C on 9-5-08 at 8 pm on ABC, CBS and NBC.  I know she will be a great advocate....

I have admiration and respect for her spunk.  In so many ways she and her family have just begun the healing process.  In the face of adversity she is even taking steps to think of how she can help others with the brca gene get mri's. 

Thanks for posting the interview.

If she can make a difference with young women getting tested well before 40 she will save many lives. I still think the ACS has to stop saying that women don't need to get a baseline mammo until 40. I am so glad I got my baseline at 34. If I hadn't my cancer wouldn't have been found before I turned 40.

I really like that program she said she is starting wrt breast mris. I have a friend who was just told she had suspicious calcifications but her docs said she should watch and wait.... UGH! I have been trying to tell her to get a breast MRI to see what she is watching and waiting for . She looked at me like I was telling her to train for the next space shuttle mission.

I am also glad to see a young, pretty woman go public about her bilat. She must be getting implants based on what they said about her surgery. So now she must have expanders.

I hope her recon turns out great so she can show the world that those of us with recon are not freaks...but beautiful works in progress.

As far as her saying she is free and clear- oh boy- someone better tell her to stop that. She also said it can't get any darker for her than it has been right now.... Um, I hope so, Christina- but don't tempt fate. I know too many women who started with DCIS who are now metsters. 

We are never free and clear and done. Ever. That is the third rail with us survivors. It is what "civilians" just don't get. 

We all have the opportunity to keep our BC journey private. They do not. Although I hate when they say they are 100% cured or it is 100% gone, I feel for them to be pushed out into the public while going through a horrid thing.

I am sure she has had some hard times and will have more. A double mast. is hard in her line of business. She made an informed decision. 

Christina is putting on her Game face I am sure. Her 'people' probably coached her on that. Hollywood is horrible folks on women and body types and image.

Lets cut her a break.

just my opinion.

Janis

Just to add another two cents...

I was really surprised at the hostile and judgemental tone of some of the posts.  It is impossible to know any one person's full story from watching a brief interview or reading an article in a tabloid or even a more "objective" source.  I would hope that we could support those who are dealing with breast cancer--regardless of the stage, form, personal history, or celebrity status. 

I may "only" have DCIS (my surgery is scheduled for 9/12) but I've had two months of diagnostic tests, an ultrasound, a stereotactic biopsy, an MRI, and two MRI-guided core-needle biopsies.  I just found out yesterday that my last two biopsied areas were benign and I broke down and cried--the emotional release was so intense.  I'm lucky in that I "just" need a lumpectomy and maybe some radiation.  I know I am VERY fortunate, but the stress and fear and emotional turmoil that I've experienced over the last two months is not "minimal."  I did not know for sure until yesterday that I did not have something more serious and invasive than "just" DCIS and have been researching my options and planning for various scenarios.  

I understand that Christina Applegate was diagnosed months ago (if that media report is correct) and I can emphathize with what she must have gone through.  Everyone who posts on this board can understand that, I'm sure.  I know that anger and frustration are common emotions when dealing with a cancer diagnosis, but I hope we can refrain from directing that anger at others dealing with that diagnosis--regardless of the exact form it takes. 

I am not questioning Christina's judgment, nor am I passing judgment on her BC experience.  What upsets me is that she said she "knows" she will not die of BC. 

The chances of mets after a bilateral are no different than after a lumpectomy.  It's that simple.  Whoever you want to blame - her, her press people, or the media in general - they are perpetuating the notion that BC is curable, which we all know too well, is absolutely not true.

Hmmm makes me wonder if I have the right to consider what I have been through as a battle because even though I have done the "full course" (2 different neoadjuvant chemo regimens, lumpectomy, another chemo, rads and still on hormone therapy), I have never had any major side effects??? I was fine and energetic enough to work full time along with too many extra hours even when I was on chemo. I have never really suffered, can't really relate to most of what most of you have been through, I don't really think of "what-if's". Does that mean I shouldn't call what I did a battle? Actually that's why I always had to question myself if I was really qualified to offer my opinion or talk about my experiences.

Everyone is different and I don't think it's something we should compare. JMO.

.       

I agree with blue.  We are all different.  I even read a post awhile back on this site that one woman considered herself 100% cured.  Think how hard it must be to deal with this in the public light?  People constantly asking questions wanting to know every little thing.  Yes, she is a celebrity but that doesn't mean we own her or her feelings.  She is probably coping the best way she can.  Her mother has also battled breast cancer.  And a double mastectomy may have been a devastating decision for her as it is most women.  She is still a B/C sister.  She might even be lurking somewhere on these boards.  Even if she is not handling her situation the way some of us feel she should be handling it lets not be so hard on the woman.  And let's not forget the media twists things, maybe Christina is trying to put on a happy face but maybe its her way of getting through it.  Also, she is not responsible for the way people think.

If there's a guide out there on how to react to a BC diagnosis and how to discuss it in the media, I'd be interested to read it.  Otherwise, let's cut her her some slack. 

I admire her tremendously for coming out and talking about her decision to have a bilateral mastectomy and explaining that she was BRCA1 positive.  Having a bilateral is not an easy decision for anyone to make; imagine how difficult it would be for someone who makes their living in Hollywood, where appearance is everything and the paparazzi are always looking for that embarrassing shot.  And being known as the actress who had a bilateral mastectomy probably won't do much for her career.  So let's give her a break.  I'm sure that many of us have altered the way that we've talked about our cancer, our treatment and our prognosis, depending on the audience. Personally I don't mention the "no nipple, no sensation" issue to too many people.  It's a little personal, not something I want to share with just anyone.   So for a public audience, she is presenting a brave face, talking about the perky reconstructed breasts that are in her future and saying that her doctors said that she is cured.  That's a good message for the public - it wouldn't help her career much if casting agents and audiences were always wondering if she's about to have a recurrence or thinking "she's the one with no nipples".  The fact is that we'll never know how she actually feels deep inside but I'll bet she carries the same fears that we all do, despite what our doctors may say and despite what we may say publicly.

Sorry my typing is really bad.

I felt that whoever told her that she was cured because she had a double mastectomy was not giving her correct information.  She has a strong family history and as we all know  even though you have the breasts removed there is always the possibility that a stray cell can get away and none of us ever knows if we are cured.  I was really shocked at the whole story.  I was especially surprised that a young woman of her age range was not going to be given chemo.  Like others have said maybe we don't have the whole story?

Barb

She has probably been on this site just like the rest of us. I sure hope she did not read all the negative comments about her. How truly sad that would be.

She is one of us now no matter how she wants or has to deal with it because of her celebrity status. Send her hugs and prayers just like we do everyone else.

I have the utmost respect for this woman who went on national television, just weeks from her double mast, with her obviously flat chest not at all hidden, and looked beautiful and cheerful and positive.  I could never have done that.

How many of us knew then what we know now after sharing and learning on these boards?  I know I certainly did not know a sono from a mammo from an MRI or PET/CT.  Or stages or grades or DCIS from IDC from IBC.

And I am sure she is going through the stages of grief in losing her breasts, as we all do--denial, bargaining, etc. 

My prayers go out to her for a comfortable reconstruction and healing.

I know that surgery, rads and reconstruction are not fun, but I think that chemo was the real killer.  You feel bad, look bad and it's that way for months at a time.  Soooo, I always bristle when I hear people lamenting about how horrible radiation is or how terrible their surgery was and  I think "are you serious"?  Try chemo and being bald for 6 or 8 months.  Try having your mouth bleed everytime you brush your teeth.  Try having constipation so bad you bleed there too.  Try feeling so tired that you literally can't raise your head up.  Try feeling cut off from the world because your WBC count is low and they might make you sick.  Again, I am not discounting that surgery and rads are no cake walk, but come on, chemo is in a class by itself.

Don't mean to preach, Shannon