Moving Forward With My Preventative Mastectomy

I’m quite decisive if I have facts and a decision-making matrix. It didn’t take long after my second surgical consult to know how I wanted to move forward and start putting that plan into motion.

Just like that, I’ll be getting a bilateral mastectomy with implants before the end of the year.

Here were the key factors that led to my decision:

• Comparing my options. Compared to the native tissue/flap approach, implants have a shorter recovery period and the surgery is more straightforward with less risk of complications.

• Soraya’s health is declining. I need to be able to “bounce back” sooner rather than later. The long recovery with the native tissue/flap procedure would be tough. I want to be well before she dies. While we don’t know what the future holds, the further out that I heal/recover, the more uncertainty there is about her health.

• Yasmeen and Leena are involved in lots of different activities. I want to be present and be able to cheer them on as much as I can control. I don’t want them to see me down for long– they already have enough to worry about.

• Safi. If I have two surgeries and am down for 6-8 weeks after each, that puts a LOT of weight on Safi to carry the weight of the household. I want to do what’s best for all of us.

• Timing/cost. The native tissue/flap procedure couldn’t be scheduled until 2025, whereas I can get in to have the surgery with implants before January. This helps us financially as we have already met our insurance deductible and have SO.MANY.EXPENSES.

I want to give a special shoutout to my friend and hairdresser Sarah Schultz for sharing her breast cancer journey with me and being there to text every step of the way. For all of you who sent DMs and connected me with people you know for support/guidance, YOU HELPED ME make this decision. This is what it’s about– helping each other through our experiences. 

Let this new chapter on our journey begin.