25 Year Old Who Had a Preventive Bilateral Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction - Vancouver, WA

This experience hasn't been the easiest for me, especially in the emotions department. I never looked at having a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy as it being like an amputation. After I had the surgery and had my expanders in, I started to feel that emotion of having something missing. My breasts that I had for most of my life, were gone. The Thought of never being able to breastfeed if and when I decided to have children, started to set in. But then I realized, I carry a gene that could eventually at some point in my life, make things a lot harder. Being a single and 25, the though of children hasn't really came up, so why would I risk my life for something small like breastfeeding. My surgeon said something encouraging about when that time comes, that there are alternatives for that matter. That made things a little easier to set in that it's okay to feel emotional about things like this, but in the end, everything will be okay. Not having to have that burden and weight on your shoulders of getting breast cancer is a real blessing. At least knowing that I brought my chances from 80-90% down to 10% or less.

I just want others to know is that you're not alone. I found that out through this journey this past year. Especially telling my story on different social media sites and finding out that there are others my age or old, who are or have went through the same exact procedures as me. That's been a huge coping process for me. Since have these surgeries, it's been hard on me socially, so I guess social media has helped me a lot with being able to meet and talk with women who know exactly what I'm going through. That's why I want you to know, is that you're not alone in this!

I'm 25 and made the huge but right decision in going forth with having a mastectomy and reconstruction. My mom had Breast Cancer twice and later found out she was BRCA1+. Then I later got tested at the age of 22 and was also BRCA1+. Though I'm young and was a hard decision, I would do it all over...