While the World Has been focused on the Coronavirus I’ve been beating cancer
While the World Has Been Focused on the Coronavirus, I’ve Been Beating Cancer
The World around us changed dramatically between my birthday and my best friend’s birthday three days later. We spent the weekend together with our husbands, the four of us celebrating by staying in a resort and drinking, eating and laughing together. After we went home the restrictions started suddenly so that it would no longer be possible to socialise in that way. Our last weekend together from 20-22 March is the last time we could eat out at a restaurant or cafe, drink in a hotel or even spend time together. It seems like the distant past now.
Restrictions in our State have begun to be lifted but we still can’t eat out together or cross the border to visit my family who live just an hour south. Social isolation has added another layer to my own health battles that began to unfold this year.
BRCA2 Gene Mutation and Cancer Risk
I was diagnosed with the BRCA2 gene mutation in March. You may have heard about Angelina Jolie having BRCA1 and undergoing bilateral prophylactic mastectomies and a total abdominal hysterectomy a number of years ago. BRCA2 is similar – it increases my risk for breast and ovarian cancer dramatically. It’s a case of not if I develop these cancers, but when.
I knew there was a chance of inheriting this gene about 10 years ago when I nursed my cousin who told me she has the gene. I had genetic counseling back then but it was not very obvious that the gene was on my side of the family as there wasn’t a high number of family members with cancer, especially breast and ovarian cancer. The genetic counselor thought my cousin probably inherited it from her father (no blood relation to me). So I didn’t get tested and opted for more stringent screening instead.
I’m a huge advocate for screening – I’ve been having early mammograms and ultrasounds for the last 10 years and I get my skin checked six monthly. Because I starting taking my sons for skin checks from a very young age, my son’s melanoma was picked up when it was just a stage 1 cancer. A lot of people ignore things til they’re so advanced but that’s not me. I get every little bump checked out because I’ve seen too many invasive cancers as a nurse.
The last few years have produced more cases of cancer in our family – my son, brother and sister have all had melanoma and my father had prostate and pancreatic cancer. It was always in the back of my mind that I should probably get tested for BRCA2 so I went back to the genetic counselor, was tested and found to have it. I inherited it from dad – I had a 50% chance of having it and my sons then had a 50% chance of inheriting it from me. My first reaction was not for myself, but rather for my sons – “I’ve given them a death sentence”.
BRCA2 Affects Males Too
Telling them was difficult. It would have implications for when they want to start a family, and it might even be a deal-breaker for some women who wouldn’t want to have the risk of having children with a genetic disorder. They surprised me with their reaction, however. They said they’d rather know if they had the gene so that they could more more aware of screening and getting any changes in their bodies checked out early. They underwent genetic counseling and were tested and we were surprised and ecstatic to find they don’t have the genetic mutation after all (even my son who had a melanoma which is even more surprising).
Risk Reducing Surgery
My first response to finding out I have BRCA2 was to swiftly decide to have prophylactic risk-reducing surgeries. That involves removing the organs most at risk of developing cancer – ovaries (I have a 20-40% chance of getting ovarian cancer) and breasts (60-80% chance). Having nursed women with ovarian and breast cancer for most of my nursing career, I know how devastating those cancers are and I want to avoid them as much as possible.
I had the first surgery on March 30th – a laparoscopic bilateral oophrectomy (keyhole surgery to remove my ovaries). This surgery is low-risk and most people bounce back quickly, with very little complications. Then there’s me. I seem to have the worst luck when it comes to complications to procedures – I went into complete heart block after an angiogram and required CPR. One medication landed me in hospital from a severe allergy. So to have complications after this small operation, while not surprising for me, was a shock to the system all the same.
I bruised. My abdomen got extremely distended. A lot of pain and nausea. But the worst thing – I couldn’t pass urine. I ended up going home with an indwelling catheter and it unearthed a problem with my bladder that’s probably been there for a long time but wasn’t apparent until I had pelvic surgery. I had follow-up surgery to fix it last week and while there was an improvement, I’ll continue to have issues for a long time because my kidney and bladder have been damaged. All my back pain was from my kidney, not my spine after all.
This week I will undergo my biggest challenge yet – a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy. I’m scared of having this operation after what I’ve been through, but I’m more scared of breast cancer. Someone said to me that I’m brave to do this – I don’t feel brave. In fact I feel just the opposite. The women who have breast cancer are brave. Imagine going through this operation as well as radiotherapy, chemotherapy and medications for life. That’s brave to me.
I feel like I’m cheating cancer by doing these surgeries, but there’s still the risk of getting a different type of cancer because of this gene mutation. BRCA2 causes pancreatic, prostate and renal cancer as well as melanoma so I’ll still have to remain vigilant. Of course I can’t get prostate cancer, but pancreatic cancer is hard to detect and my dad’s was too far advanced to have any treatment. It ravaged his body and he only lasted for 7 months after it was diagnosed. Poor bugger, it was a horrible way to die.
How the Coronavirus Has Impacted Me
So while the world’s attention has been focused on coronavirus, my attention has been on my own health issues. I’ve found it hard to cope at times because it’s restricted my ability to interact with the people who are my confidantes and support system. Talking on the phone is not the same. Even when I was in hospital I could only nominate one visitor for the whole hospital stay. My husband was sent away from the hospital and could only visit for 2 hours once a day. Going through mastectomies will be daunting without him there for my support. The thought of it upsets me a great deal. I won’t be able to have my sons and best friend visit at all.
Elective surgeries were cancelled in March but I guess I’m really lucky that I knew the surgeons personally and my first operation was pulled forward to beat the deadline before it would have been impossible. I feel a little guilty that I could get this preferential treatment but there has to be some perks for nursing alongside these doctors for the last 20-30 years.
Having to tell my brothers and nephews over the phone and Messenger that they too have a 50% chance of inheriting this really sucks. Social distancing sucks when you have to have these very full-on conversations. Worrying that I may get the coronavirus affects my health too, because I have co-morbidities that would mean I’d be one of the cases most likely to end up really sick from it. It’s been a very stressful time, and I’ll be glad when this is all over and we’re out the other side. One things for sure, the world will be a changed place when this pandemic is done.
Note to my followers: I’ll be out of action for a while due to my surgery this week. I may be able to post short updates via my mobile phone but my usual blog posts will be on hold for a few weeks. Thank you all for your support, I really appreciate it.
MidlifeStylist 
26 responses to “Beating BRCA2 – How it has Affected My Life”
Well, that certainly puts things in perspective. All the very best to you for your next procedures – let’s hope you’ve had the unexpected curve balls and the rest will be smooth sailing. Tough to be doing this and even tougher to be doing it now, without the support you’d like. Good vibes headed your way.
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Thankyou for your kind wishes. I will be glad when I’m through all this, it will be a huge relief. Regards, Christina
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Christina what devasting news for you to be dealing with. I think you’re making the right choices, but with all the complications involved I think you are definitely showing courage to face that and proceed with this next big surgery. I hope it all goes well and that you sail through it – keep us posted and thanks for sharing where you’re at – it helps to know what others are going through so we can send warm wishes and a virtual hug (and social distancing is slowly changing – restrictions are lifting here in Australia – so there’ll be real hugs for you soon!)
Thanks for linking up with us at MLSTL and I’ve shared on my SM 😊
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Thanks Leanne, I’m now one week post mastectomies and back home. I did have further complications after this surgery, which involved a second operation to control bleeding. So I’m over the moon to be through all the surgeries and on the way to recovery. Thanks for your lovely comments, I am so uplifted by my blogging community. Warm regards, Christina
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Christina, Sending positive thoughts your way for a speedy recovery. Having dealt with breast cancer surgery (with complication) and reconstruction surgery, I can understand slightly the physical pain and general discomfort you might be in. And hoping your area of the world continues to safely lift restrictions so your IRL support system is there for you. Best wishes for quick full recovery.
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Hi Pat, thankyou for your lovely message, it means a lot. I’m lucky to not have breast cancer as my surgery was prophylactic. Even though I’ve nursed women going through mastectomies for years, I feel totally ignorant of just how much it can impact you physically and emotionally. I guess like anything, each woman’s experience is different. Thankyou for your kind wishes and I hope you are now fully recovered, regards Christina
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I am glad you are post surgery and recovering. It is a very difficult time to be sick. My son’s mother in law was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a few weeks before we went into lock down and is waiting for services to restart so she can continue radiotherapy.
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Hi Anne, yes I agree, it is a very tough time to be sick. I hope things get back to normal soon, especially for people like your son’s MIL who can’t afford to wait months to start treatment. All the best, I hope she’s ok, regards Christina
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I wasn’t familiar with the BRCA2 gene until I took a DNA test and it was one of the things they tested for. I was negative, thankfully. I can’t imagine what you must be going through, testing positive, having to make such difficult decisions about whether or not to have life-altering (not to mention body-altering) surgeries, then having to tell your family what they may be in for. I hope you are doing as well as possible and on the mend. My heart goes out to you.
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Hi Lori, it has been a difficult few months I must admit, but it’s still preferable to have these surgeries pre-cancer. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind as to what direction I’d take. There was a tiny chance that they would find cancer in the biopsies but they were all negative. I’m lucky, I have the support of my family and friends and live in Australia where the healthcare system allows for prophylactic surgery. So many people aren’t as fortunate. Thanks so much for your comment, regards Christina
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