I had a double mastectomy to prevent breast cancer on May 16, 2016. Three years ago today I remember being in the hospital crying after waking up and seeing the bandages wrapped around what used to be my breasts, and deflated silicone discs in their place. I'm only sharing this because, as difficult as this surgery was, I have no regrets.
I am thankful that I had the opportunity to get genetic testing and discover that I have a BRCA2 mutation, which gives me a 69 percent risk of breast cancer during my lifetime. Knowing my status gave me a warning and a chance to be proactive.
My pathology after the surgery came back with a surprise: I had DCIS, Stage 0, noninvasive breast cancer. That confirmed for me that I had made the right decision. Three years later, I am doing well. I am in good health, I ran my first half-marathon in December and just published Probably Someday Cancer, which I hope can help others facing hereditary breast and ovarian cancer feel less alone and make informed decisions.