Wow, I don't always catch it...but Oprah is on right now...Christina Applegate is talking about her experience with being genetically positive for the breast cancer gene, as well as her double mastectomy.
Here's a link to the Q&A after the show with Christina's oncologist.
Check out Oprah.com for more links...but the bottom line...get your mamogram starting at age 35...Crap...wish my doctor told me I could have done that...i thought I had to wait till i was 40. Find out if there is a family history...that didn't do me much good as I am adopted...but if anyone in the family has it...don't blink...call and get a baseline! If you have dense breasts...yup, have those...then you probably need an MRI as a mamogram might not be sufficient to identify the cancer.
My cancer has been a blessing and a gift from God...but I don't want anyone else to have this gift...it's a hard gift to accept some days when you are a mom to 3 small kids trying to do it all.
Blessings to you all!
I think the 35 vs 40 thing is more of an insurance call rather than doctor. And get this, even after my diagnosis, my sister still had to argue with the insurance company to get a baseline mammogram. You would think it would be cheaper to pay for a mammogram than treating cancer, wouldn't you? Good Oprah show though. I only caught the last half, darn it.
ReplyDeleteI saw the program, Jodi, and thought of you. It was very informative. Many women don't get a mammogram because of insurance issues, etc. However, there are organizations that provide free mammograms for those women. In Vermont it is http://healthvermont.gov/prevent/ladies_first.aspx
ReplyDeleteI'm sending positive thoughts your way!