The other day we had a lecture that touched on patient experience of illness. The lecturer mentioned a study that looked at the 10 worse things to say to someone who is ill...things such as "I feel so sorry for you" and "you look terrible".
Sean turned to me and laughed...just before this lecture I had been telling him how I don't really like it when people say how "brave and strong" I am for having this mastectomy. Interestingly this is always people who don't have a BRCA mutation themselves.
I have been trying to write this post for a long time...I don't want to upset anyone, I appreciate the support that these comments convey. But having a prophylactic mastectomy doesn't make me feel brave and strong.
I recently read two blogs, one by a British women who mirrored my sentiments exactly and one by an American lady who had a list of things she would like people to say to her...including you are "brave and strong". Now I don't want to make any assumptions, but the American lady also calls herself a Previvor, a term that makes me quite angry...but I will spare you that rant.
The truth is that I'm just getting on with it. This is the lot I was given and I'm just doing what I need to. I'm quite happy with my decision, sometimes scared but never angry or upset...so there is nothing to be brave and strong about.
I wan't to emphasise that this is only what I need to do...my mother is the strongest women I know and she is choosing screening instead of mastectomy because that is what she needs to do.
Everybody has something...we all have our trials and rough points in life and we all just do what we need to do to get over and get on with it.
Sean turned to me and laughed...just before this lecture I had been telling him how I don't really like it when people say how "brave and strong" I am for having this mastectomy. Interestingly this is always people who don't have a BRCA mutation themselves.
I have been trying to write this post for a long time...I don't want to upset anyone, I appreciate the support that these comments convey. But having a prophylactic mastectomy doesn't make me feel brave and strong.
I recently read two blogs, one by a British women who mirrored my sentiments exactly and one by an American lady who had a list of things she would like people to say to her...including you are "brave and strong". Now I don't want to make any assumptions, but the American lady also calls herself a Previvor, a term that makes me quite angry...but I will spare you that rant.
The truth is that I'm just getting on with it. This is the lot I was given and I'm just doing what I need to. I'm quite happy with my decision, sometimes scared but never angry or upset...so there is nothing to be brave and strong about.
I wan't to emphasise that this is only what I need to do...my mother is the strongest women I know and she is choosing screening instead of mastectomy because that is what she needs to do.
Everybody has something...we all have our trials and rough points in life and we all just do what we need to do to get over and get on with it.
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