Your Fate (post 9)

I already new something wasn't right from the text, but I had no idea what it was. It wasn't until I was in the room and the doctor came in with the paper that I realized how grim it really was. There it was right in front of me, in black and white: BRCA2 with this maniacal little + sign next to it. I had a flood of questions enter my mind. My doctor, my friend, is amazing. She walked me through the results and what it all meant.

GENETIC COUNSELING REALLY THAT'S ALL!!!!

MY CANCER CHANCES

In the packet on another page it gives you types if cancer and percentage of risk. If I had these chances of winning the lottery I would play everyday. The first type Breast 90%, then Ovarian 62%. It goes on and on!!!!

When you get a positive result they give you a printout with a bunch of medical jargon that meant nothing to me and then a page with pictures of stick people on it. It starts with parents and says your chances of getting BRCA2 if you have a positive parent. It includes siblings, offspring, and cousins. If you have family history, you can ask for testing, and then you have knowledge and choices.

I got tested ultimately because my colleague went to the doctor with back pain and came back with cancer in three places. Six weeks later he was gone.

I have two young boys and a devoted husband. I have sisters whom have had cancer and sisters who haven't. I needed to know. They needed to know.