Claire Blogs About Deciding to Remove Her Breasts.
Hi Peeps,
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It does not matter what day it is or what rubbish weather I am experiencing today, because my worries are small ones.
It certainly brings that fact home when you read about someone who is facing real life or death decisions through the vagaries of fate.
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Today I,wanted to tell you about a very determined lady from Newbury in Berkshire.
She is 37 years of age and she lives with her husband Dickon and her two children who are 2 and 4 years old.
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Last year she was talking to a family member and found out that several of the extended family were carrying the BRCA2 gene.
People who carry this, or the BRCA1 gene, are very likely to develop aggressive forms of both ovarian and breast cancer.
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Once Claire discovered the risk, she was referred to the Oxford University Genetics Department in order to find out whether she carried the gene herself, and whether cancers had already developed.
Unfortunately for her, the result was a positive for the gene.
After having the various tests such as ultrasound, mammogram and an MRI scan, she had a no doubt harrowing wait for the results.
Fortunately she had not developed any cancers
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Although a watching brief can then be kept, Claire decided to tackle the high risk head on, opting to go ahead with surgery to remove the breasts, ovaries and fallopian tubes.
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In early February the first operation took place to remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes, which caused menopause to begin.
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She is healing well from that and now plans to undergo a double mastectomy in May.
This will be followed by a reconstruction of the breasts by utilising fat from the belly area.
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When Claire began to deal with her problem she needed support and help, and some form of relief.
She decided within a few days that she would start a website diary describing what she was going through, something that she herself would have liked to be able to read when she found out about her problem and had to deal with the effects, the decisions and the overwhelming emotions.
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She called her site ‘Claire and the Genie’ because the whole thing had been as if her finding out about her family genetics had been like a Genie suddenly being released from a bottle.
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As it seems that thousands of people each year suddenly have to deal with the same situation that Claire found herself in, it can only be of great help for them to be able to follow Claire’s journey, through her very frank and open blogging.
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Apparently the site is now very popular and has many readers, who no doubt obtain comfort and courage from it.
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Claire herself has also obtained support and appreciation.
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Well, done that lady, and I wish her all the best in the future.
God Bless Her.
J,x.
Link to Claire’s website….www.claireandthegenie.com
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