I saw this on Facebook. Very mixed feelings on this.

I am 6 years out (exactly today) from a bilateral mastectomy. I watched this video. I cried quite a bit-out of mourning, joy at survival, pride at her (and my) strength. I've never allowed myself that release before. It meant a lot to me. Of course stress and fear are implicated! But what a great way to confront it. Also, I like to dance.

I loved it. Good for her that her caregivers have a real connection with her before surgery. I just wanted to be knocked out!

Personally, I'm glad I saw this video.  Everybody's journey is personal and different.  If it helped her 'get through the night', then good for her!  Its probably not for everyone though. 

I'm so tired of the doom and gloom I've been through since diagnosis, a little dancing made me smile.  And as someone else asked on a different thread - I want to know what drugs she was given! 

I just hope should she find her way here to this community we accept her in a warm-hearted and caring way to give her the same support that we all get here.

If she read our threads would she feel welcomed and supported here as just another woman on the breast cancer journey without judgement????

Of course *we* know there's a lot more to a cancer dx and mastectomy than a dance party and a lot more to this woman's journey than this moment captured on film. As I said above, for *her* I'm happy that she got to do things the way she wanted.

The thing that bothers me, though, is that *this* is the way our society presents breast cancer, this is the viral message that hits the news shows. It isn't really representative, and, as you say, it's probably not even representative of most of how *she* feels about this!

I have no doubt that if she were to join this community she would find nothing but love and support. And I also have no doubt that her journey and herself as a person are a lot more complex than these few moments on film.

To *me* the message, not from *her* but from the hype about it, is more like, "see, she's happy and uplifting, even with cancer," with the underlying, message being, "come on, ladies with cancer, stop bringing us down about this cancer stuff--just be happy and dance."

It makes *me* uncomfortable. Which doesn't make those of us who feel this way hateful or unwelcoming, just makes us uncomfortable and saying so.

The video made me cry and I have watched it several times. We don't know if she is stage 4 or just starting out. I applaud this woman for how she chose to respond to her surgery and especially to embrace "joy".

When I came out of the recovery room after my double mastectomy I reached for my phone and updated my Facebook status to "rackless". My family were all amazed and relieved to see that I could hold on to my 'other life' where humour was a big part.

I also selfishly thought "Oh good. A surgeon chose BMX just like me" making my decision more valid to me (fluff stuff).

I think all responses are ok so I hope no one feels judged for having a negative response to the video.

xbrnxgrl! I joked with my surgeon and team right up till "the lights went out!" too.

It always saddens me, when someone does something out of the "ordinary" like this, how so many, suddenly believe that the intention is to somehow minimize their experience. I'll never "get" that.

I would have thought there was no right, or wrong way to express yourself before a surgery, of any kind, just your own way.

I hope Deb Cohen doesn't visit here. Even though the intent of this site is to support each other, I believe the overwhelming number of negative comments and judgement of her, would be very hard to take.

She was, after all, just trying to go into a life changing surgery, feeling joy and support, from her friends and colleagues.

I haven't read Deb's blog and I don't know her Dx, I just know that she's another woman going forward.

I read a wonderful line, spoken by Angelina Jolie's Surgeon, that I think probably speaks of Deb's intention. She said " To a large extent, I believe, recovery reflects expectation!"

Thank you, wyo, for your very insightful comments about the unique situation this ob/gyn is in, that she is about to be operated on by her colleagues. If you think about it, it is very difficult to operate on one's colleagues, especially in this very intense and personal way. They may be traumatized and saddened by her circumstances. They may also be concerned that they will harm her in some way, or not be successful in their procedure. She has done something to help diffuse the tension and help them focus, as well as help herself to deal with this event in her own way.

Exbrnxgirl, I also agree with your comments, that we each cope with these circumstances in a different way, and we can't or shouldn't judge others.

As to whether this trivializes the circumstances for the unknowing public, all I can say is that until people face this situation, themselves, no video, book, talk, etc. is likely to make a difference one way or the other, just like none of us who don't have metastatic disease can understand what those of you who do have it, can really be going through. We may try to understand, but we really can't fully. One of my close friends has survived IBC (one breast), triple negative (other breast), and a bone marrow transplant. Most people can't possibly grasp the magnitude of what she has gone through.

Wrenn _ I love that you could use humor and update FB with "rackless" afterwards. : ) Thank you for saying. So far humor has helped keep me from losing my ever lovin mind. I appreciate it when I can feel like that's a "normal" thing to do.

Thanks for the context, wyo. It makes more sense knowing she was a doctor at that hospital. I have to say seeing this video go viral got on my nerves. No knock to Deborah, I support her choice of coping mechanism, whatever it may be. What bothered me was the response. As if dancing in the face of life changing surgery showed special courage, and we should all be so "upbeat". After having it pop up on my facebook page and reading all the enthusiastic responses, I wrote, "Well, don't I feel lame for just lying there for my surgery...."

Ariom, I would hope there are no negative responses on Deb's blog (that'd be pretty mean!) I haven't seen anything critical of her. Was there another thread with criticisms of her? I can't imagine anyone not wishing her well. I certainly do.