You may be asking, "What results?"
If so, you can catch up by reading this post (and the post linked to in said post).
Got the call from Rigshospitalet a little while ago, and...
No terribly, horrible, no good, very bad gene mutation for me!
Not sure how one celebrates news like that, but...
Yay!
Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cancer. Show all posts
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Being Wary of the Ides of March
I spent much of today wondering why I was so tense and tired.
I've had a quiet, relaxing weekend. Spent lots of time with my wonderful husband and adorable dog. Ate some lovely food. Watched some television. Saw a completely stress-free, brain-candy movie.
So, how come my shoulders are tied up in knots?
Oh, right... remember this post? (Probably not. I posted it a year and a half ago.)
This Friday, I'll make my way to Rigshospitalet (my local hospital here in Copenhagen) for what might be the first of several meetings regarding getting tested for the gene I discussed in the above post. My concerns about having the gene were a big part of what discussed with the doctor a few weeks ago. As with most things when it comes to the Danish healthcare system, you go to your primary care doctor for any and all questions, and then that doctor will either treat you himself or give you a referral. In this case, the referral was sent to the hospital and they sent me a letter with my appointment date.
That date is March 15th.
Life, your sense of poetry is not amusing.
It means missing a Danish class, and I've had to miss a few this module. In fact, I'll be away on the day that they've scheduled our module 3 exam, so I will have to schedule to take it on a different day. Hopefully missing a few classes won't jeopardize my chances of passing.
But let's be honest... getting this genetic test done is more important than whether or not I have to re-take 6 weeks of Danish classes.
In the meantime, I'll just hang out with my husband and my puppy and try not to think too much about it.
I've had a quiet, relaxing weekend. Spent lots of time with my wonderful husband and adorable dog. Ate some lovely food. Watched some television. Saw a completely stress-free, brain-candy movie.
So, how come my shoulders are tied up in knots?
Oh, right... remember this post? (Probably not. I posted it a year and a half ago.)
This Friday, I'll make my way to Rigshospitalet (my local hospital here in Copenhagen) for what might be the first of several meetings regarding getting tested for the gene I discussed in the above post. My concerns about having the gene were a big part of what discussed with the doctor a few weeks ago. As with most things when it comes to the Danish healthcare system, you go to your primary care doctor for any and all questions, and then that doctor will either treat you himself or give you a referral. In this case, the referral was sent to the hospital and they sent me a letter with my appointment date.
That date is March 15th.
Life, your sense of poetry is not amusing.
It means missing a Danish class, and I've had to miss a few this module. In fact, I'll be away on the day that they've scheduled our module 3 exam, so I will have to schedule to take it on a different day. Hopefully missing a few classes won't jeopardize my chances of passing.
But let's be honest... getting this genetic test done is more important than whether or not I have to re-take 6 weeks of Danish classes.
In the meantime, I'll just hang out with my husband and my puppy and try not to think too much about it.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Why Children Scare Me
Last night, my fiance had a dream in which we had children. He woke up thinking he had to tend to them.
And then he remembered that we don't have any.
All day today, he was making little comments and jokes about how we should start having kids ASAP.
Now, this is a topic that he and I have talked about quite a bit. Before I met him, I never even considered having children. But pretty much as soon as I met him I started picturing what an amazing father he would be, and it became more of a possibility.
After we got engaged, my parents dropped a bomb. I knew that both of my grandmothers had died when my parents were young. What I didn't realize is that the cause of my paternal grandmother's death was genetic.
It turns out, that there's a 50/50 chance that I have the a mutated BRCA gene that is very commonly found in Ashkenazi jews like my grandmother. It's a gene that greatly increases the chances of getting breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
In addition to being scared to death of raising a child in general, the idea that I might have to leave a child behind when the kid is as young as my parents were when they lost their mothers...
It breaks my heart.
I'll get the genetic test before I decide on whether or not I want children. I may go for it either way, because my fiance really should be a father. But I want the decision to be an informed one.
And then he remembered that we don't have any.
All day today, he was making little comments and jokes about how we should start having kids ASAP.
Now, this is a topic that he and I have talked about quite a bit. Before I met him, I never even considered having children. But pretty much as soon as I met him I started picturing what an amazing father he would be, and it became more of a possibility.
After we got engaged, my parents dropped a bomb. I knew that both of my grandmothers had died when my parents were young. What I didn't realize is that the cause of my paternal grandmother's death was genetic.
It turns out, that there's a 50/50 chance that I have the a mutated BRCA gene that is very commonly found in Ashkenazi jews like my grandmother. It's a gene that greatly increases the chances of getting breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
In addition to being scared to death of raising a child in general, the idea that I might have to leave a child behind when the kid is as young as my parents were when they lost their mothers...
It breaks my heart.
I'll get the genetic test before I decide on whether or not I want children. I may go for it either way, because my fiance really should be a father. But I want the decision to be an informed one.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Now...This is a story all about how...
Who starts a blog title with Fresh Prince lyrics but doesn't finish them?
This chick.
Anyway, I figure a bit of background is in order. So, I'll get you up to speed on some recent history:
In the Fall of 2008, right in the midst of the recession, my company basically gave me an ultimatum. Move to Boston (where, after one miserable semester of college, I ran screaming and swore I'd never go back) and keep my job, or stay in the already economically depressed city where I was... without a job. I grudgingly went with the former.
The next two years were some of my worst. With two cancer diagnoses in the family, one of which took me to a funeral on my birthday, a tumor of my own (thankfully benign) followed by surgery, plus the advance of the recession leading to pay cuts at work... twice, and all topped off with the death of a beloved family pet... 2009 could have been better.
While recovering from surgery that year, my oldest friend came to visit for a few days. The girl is always putting ideas in my head. I mentioned wanting to travel some day, and she insisted that I somehow move overseas. She made it sound so simple! I could just go! I seriously considered it while she was there, and then promptly lost all faith that I could make it happen.
2010 was a small improvement, but still riddled with heartbreak and frustration and that feeling that had been eating at me that I just wasn't... home.
In the Fall of 2010, a charming Englishman came into my life. The first time I met him, I thought, "I don't know if he's flirting, or just English..." In America on a two-year contract with his Denmark-based company. And what did he want? He wanted nothing more than to bring me with him when he moved back to Europe.
In April of 2011, he proposed on bended knee. In May of 2012, we'll be married.
I won't lie, I sometimes feel like my life has become an embarrassment of riches. But I am looking forward to the adventures to come.
At some point karma changed its mind about me, and I am okay with that.
This chick.
Anyway, I figure a bit of background is in order. So, I'll get you up to speed on some recent history:
In the Fall of 2008, right in the midst of the recession, my company basically gave me an ultimatum. Move to Boston (where, after one miserable semester of college, I ran screaming and swore I'd never go back) and keep my job, or stay in the already economically depressed city where I was... without a job. I grudgingly went with the former.
The next two years were some of my worst. With two cancer diagnoses in the family, one of which took me to a funeral on my birthday, a tumor of my own (thankfully benign) followed by surgery, plus the advance of the recession leading to pay cuts at work... twice, and all topped off with the death of a beloved family pet... 2009 could have been better.
While recovering from surgery that year, my oldest friend came to visit for a few days. The girl is always putting ideas in my head. I mentioned wanting to travel some day, and she insisted that I somehow move overseas. She made it sound so simple! I could just go! I seriously considered it while she was there, and then promptly lost all faith that I could make it happen.
2010 was a small improvement, but still riddled with heartbreak and frustration and that feeling that had been eating at me that I just wasn't... home.
In the Fall of 2010, a charming Englishman came into my life. The first time I met him, I thought, "I don't know if he's flirting, or just English..." In America on a two-year contract with his Denmark-based company. And what did he want? He wanted nothing more than to bring me with him when he moved back to Europe.
In April of 2011, he proposed on bended knee. In May of 2012, we'll be married.
I won't lie, I sometimes feel like my life has become an embarrassment of riches. But I am looking forward to the adventures to come.
At some point karma changed its mind about me, and I am okay with that.
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