BRCA: Hysterectomy - Yes? No?

Yesterday was a Yes or No day. So, I made a decision that finally gets us moving forward in this process. After meeting with my OB, I decided to have a full hysterectomy. Her office is getting the paperwork together and they will call me to schedule the surgery for sometime in April. 

Was the decision easy? No. But, like the picture says, "Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same." I'm excited to be moving forward, but I wasn't happy to hear about the 6-8 week healing process. I honestly thought that I could get the surgery on a Friday and be good to go by Monday, maybe Tuesday. Wrong. 6-8 weeks is a LONG time, folks. I'm used to going to boot camp three times a week, playing soccer once a week, and running. I don't "rest" well! However, I do believe that God will heal me in His time so I will just have to wait and see what His time frame is (and maybe say a few extra prayers that it's quick). Oh, there I go trying to control the situation again. Big surprise!

Here's what we know after yesterday's appointment:

• Surgery will be scheduled for sometime in April
• Healing time is 6-8 weeks (supposedly)
• No lifting over 15 lbs until I'm fully healed, which will be virtually impossible with a 2 year old!
• The surgery will be laparoscopic so I'll have two small scars on my abdomen. I don't mind scars - they build character. And by the time the hysterectomy and mastectomy's are all said and done, I'll have LOTS of character!
• Surgery will take 1 1/2 hours and I will have to stay overnight in the hospital.
• If the Breast Specialist agrees, I will have to take hormones after surgery for menopause. Ah, menopause at age 34. That sounds delightful!
• Menopause could last a few months to many, many years. I'm praying for a few months, for my husbands sake!
• Technically, I'm not suppose to take hormones because of the breast cancer risk so the doctor will have to decide what's best in my situation.
• After surgery, I will still have a risk of developing cancer, but the percentage will be much lower than 55%, which is what it is now. The risk will still be there because the ovaries rest on other organs and therefore they share the same cells. I will be tested once a year for cancer during my routine yearly exam.
• We have a pamphlet to read and a video of an actual surgery to watch. Even though I've had three kids, I'm pretty squeamish so we'll see how long I last during the video. Yuck.
• I'll meet with my OB one more time before the surgery to answer any other questions we come up with between now and then.
• When I asked my doctors opinion, she said she would have both surgeries in a heartbeat. She then shared with me that she is a breast cancer survivor and she had the double mastectomy. I never knew that.
• Oh! The biggest bonus to this appointment was that I got to keep my clothes on. No flashing and no pants dropping. This is huge! I've had 7 appointments since Dec and this is the first time I've stayed fully clothed. It was glorious!

As the appointment was ending, my doctor asked me a tough question. She said that she loves my attitude toward the situation, but she said, "How are you doing? Like, really, how are you doing with this news?" She was my OB for all three girls so we've known her for many years. But, before I answered she turned to my husband and asked him the same question. His response was that he thinks I'm handling it ok, but he doesn't want me to bottle anything up and fall apart at some time. 

My response was that I'm doing good. I was definitely overwhelmed at my first few appointments, but things are settling in now and we're taking it one day, one appointment, at a time. I knew from day one that I needed to go through both surgeries, but it's still hard to say that out loud. Yesterday was the first step in moving forward, which I'm ready to do. I want to get all of this behind me and I want to be fully healed. I'm not upset that I'm going through this (I'm actually blessed to have this knowledge), and I know that the alternative (developing cancer) would be much worse, but I still have many hurdles to jump to get to the finish line. I just pray that this blog will help someone else going through this journey now or in the future. I hope that my honesty about the journey will encourage others. I'm fully aware that my girls will be reading this one day, and that they may be facing these same statistics, so I move forward for them. I'm ready to pave the way for their future. 

If my girls get tested and they do have the BRCA gene, then I leave them with this bit of encouragement...

Ecclesiastes 6:10 - "...no one can contend with someone who is stronger."