Premium Essay

My Medical Choice

In:

Submitted By izzye
Words 1006
Pages 5
My Medical Choice
By ANGELINA JOLIEMAY 14, 2013

LOS ANGELES

MY MOTHER fought cancer for almost a decade and died at 56. She held out long enough to meet the first of her grandchildren and to hold them in her arms. But my other children will never have the chance to know her and experience how loving and gracious she was.

We often speak of “Mommy’s mommy,” and I find myself trying to explain the illness that took her away from us. They have asked if the same could happen to me. I have always told them not to worry, but the truth is I carry a “faulty” gene, BRCA1, which sharply increases my risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

My doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different in the case of each woman.

Only a fraction of breast cancers result from an inherited gene mutation. Those with a defect in BRCA1 have a 65 percent risk of getting it, on average.

Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could. I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy. I started with the breasts, as my risk of breast cancer is higher than my risk of ovarian cancer, and the surgery is more complex.
Photo

On April 27, I finished the three months of medical procedures that the mastectomies involved. During that time I have been able to keep this private and to carry on with my work.

But I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience. Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into people’s hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness. But today it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action.

My own process began on Feb. 2 with a procedure known as a “nipple delay,”

Similar Documents

Free Essay

A Choice That Mattered

...A CHOICE THAT MATTERED By Jery Althaf-12M34 At last, the day of the test arrived. I prayed to God not to get a good rank for medicine, else my parents would force me to follow through, and I didn’t want to oppose them. But I had no clue whether I would score well in engineering. I ended up performing averagely in both exams. Any Indian graduate especially in Kerala dreams of becoming a doctor. My parents pressured me to opt for medicine as a career. I recently happened to read George Orwell’s “Shooting an elephant”. Just as Orwell, an imperialist officer who hated imperialism had a dilemma; I too because of my parents was in a similar situation. The issue of moral dilemma and question of choice always come before us. Life places us in different scenarios, where we have to take a choice that influences our life a lot thereafter. Orwell had to take a decision whether to shoot a mad elephant or not. He did not want to shoot it, but external factors made him act against his values. Yes, the instance of moral dilemma did happen to me too. It could have totally changed where I am and what I am: it could have changed my dreams and my life drastically. Any dilemma is a question that requires you to invest your time, your thoughts and then act. Act only when you are sure: when you are sure of what you believe, then you shall never repent for your choice and you shall never question your identity. You will lose yourself once you have succumbed to the pressure of society. In fact,...

Words: 1426 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Advance Directives

...Advance Directives for Medical Decisions The Living Will [Type the author name] 12/13/2014 Advance directives for medical decisions Advance directives define your choices for end-of-life care and Living wills express your wishes and choices when you're not able to express them yourself. A living will is a written, legal document that provides instructions for the medical care that you want or do not want to be used to stay alive, as well as other decisions on your pain management, and if you want to donate your organs. These documents are so valuable in healthcare situations because they determine your wishes and what you value in life like the importance of being self-sufficient and independent. You can express what situations would make your life not worth living and what procedures you would want if they provided a cure. Your healthcare provider or doctor can arrange for consultation and information about discussing your personal requests. There are many situations and decisions that should be addressed about potential end-of-life care and your doctor can provide information about these issues. Some situations in which a Living Will might apply and would be of benefit to those involved would be if you stated that you would like to be resuscitated by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or by a defibrillator to shock you heart to start beating again. You can also have a provision for use of a ventilation so you can breathe and list for how...

Words: 1643 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Research

...E_____ ________c Summer Health Professions Essay Young Scholars Liberty Partnership Program would be an amazing opportunity and honor for me to participate in. Young Scholars is dedicated to helping young adults explore their career choices and help them reach their goals. I feel that the Health Professions Program is a great opportunity that would allow me to get more in depth information about the career I want to pursue. Since I was a child, I have always been so excited to start exploring and working in the medical field. I have put a lot of effort into my schoolwork and have challenged myself with many rigorous courses and with that, I will continue doing so by taking many AP classes in my Junior and Senior year of high school. If I get selected to participate in the YSLPP Summer Health Professions Program, it would help me narrow down my choices of the medical careers that would best suit me. It would also strongly reflect on the decision of what I want to do for a living when I get older. There are many careers in the medical field that I am interested in but I’ve narrowed my choices down to three. My top pick is an Emergency Navy Physician. I would love this job because, not only would I be helping people but I would also be helping our nation by saving soldiers. In order to become an Emergency Navy Physician, you have to serve two years of Active Duty, which I am really excited to do. While being a physician, you get to travel the world and help soldiers in different...

Words: 644 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Negotiation Skills

...It is my choice It is my choice to agree to disagree It is my choice to voice my concerns It is my choice to share my opinion It is my choice to vote It is my choice to support a Manifesto I believe is practical and realistic It is my choice to defend Health Care in Guyana It is my choice to oppose those who say the Guyanese people are Oppressed It is my choice to laugh at those who condemn our history for the are dared to repeat it It is my choice to support the Donald Ramoutar’s Government And it will remain my choice to stay true to myself and stand up for what I believe in No we do not have the perfect system. No we do not have the perfect Nurses. No we do not have the perfect Doctors. No we do not have the perfect Facilities. But ask yourself ….. Are the nurses/doctors/ other health care workers the ones who urine and defecate on the floors? Are the nurses/doctors/ other health care workers the ones who break the cistern every single day? Are the nurses/doctors/ other health care workers the ones who shove plastic bottles, sanitary napkins and cloth down the toilet bowls? Are the nurses/doctors/ other health care workers the ones who throw garbage all over the compound even though there are bins everywhere? NO, they are the ones who have to clean it every single day, they are ones who are faced with criticisms and insults every single day, and they are the ones who never get a smile or a thank you not even a single day. They are the ones who work...

Words: 429 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Unethical Financial Penalties

...Nursing Life is full of choices. A nurse who has been named nurse of the year twice in her career, has her masters in science, and has her certification in critical care also weighs three hundred pounds. A computer engineer who has designed a patented accounts payable program also goes home nightly and relaxes with a six pack of beer. A cashier at the local Wegmans has the record for scanning more products per hour than anyone else in the organization also smokes a pack of cigarettes a day. An accountant who has never missed a day’s work also races in dirt bike tournaments. An African American father adds salt to everything he eats. A farmer sprays his fields with fertilizer, but never wears a mask. A fifty-year old man working in a factory never sees a doctor also has a strong family history of cancer. Lifestyle choices carry health risks. Who is ultimately responsible for the costs of unhealthy lifestyle choices? Healthcare in America is threatened by rising health care costs and the increasing incidence and financial burden of chronic diseases. As employers, insurance companies, and the government seek to decrease these escalating costs, there is a concentration on individual health behavioral choices and the personal obligation of the individual to adopt healthy lifestyle choices. Within the framework of health care reform, there is a growing initiative by employers to impose financial health insurance penalties for unhealthy lifestyle choices. Financial penalties...

Words: 2754 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Death and Dying

...Death and Dying Tonia Larson Kaplan Univerity HS101 Unit 9 03/26/2013 1. List 2 examples of legal issues affecting healthcare and describe how you determined your choices to be legal issues. Two examples of legal issues affecting health care are- labor and employment issues because it seems like there is always some kind of a lawsuit being brought forth about age discrimination or requests for accommodations for employees with disabilities. Medical malpractice and tort reform how can you not determine that to be legal issue when even the President of the United States of America talks about it in a State of the Union address. 2. Give 2 examples of ethical issues affecting healthcare and describe how you determined your choices to be ethical issues. Two examples of ethical issues affecting health care are- equal treatment vs VIP treatment for donors and influential people this is an issue that seems like it will never go away because some people fight with the idea of feeling like they have to spend more time and or give special treatment to large financial donors, and trustees family members because they are helping keep the doors open and the business functioning properly and as well have the power of your job placement. Another ethical issue in health care is the addressing nurse moral distress about providing care with minimal benefit. As we learned in the case of Terry Schiavo these cases can be difficult for everyone and drain some bedside nurses to the point...

Words: 776 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Medical Writing Errors

...The purpose of assignment three was to take the information that I learned in my research paper and transform is into three different genres that would target three different audiences. My research paper focused on medical writing and some topics that lay within it. In my paper I gave a background in medical writing history and then talk about it in the present day. I cover prescription writing errors, becoming published and writing in medical school. I chose to take my information on the history of medical writing, prescription errors, and becoming published and transform it into different genres other than a research paper. Along with changing the genre that the information is presented in I must also repurpose it with the intention of targeting...

Words: 1700 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Physical Therapy Admission Essay

...your program of choice at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and why you have chosen a health care career. A desire to practice my kindness in a professional setting has grown in me since young age. This ambition has motivated me to apply for an admission to the Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy. My interest in the profession developed through experiences as a volunteer, PT aide, and as a research student. My career objective is to become a Physical Therapist to help people live their lives pain free. Volunteering in a hospital setting the past few summers and working as a physical therapist aide had allowed me to focus on the work of a physical therapist, it has greatly influenced my choice to pursue Physical Therapy. Since as a little girl, I have always had a desire to help others in every possible way I could. Through my mother's mentioning of this career, I decided to take the chance to experience the field of Physical Therapy through volunteering. Although I always had fear of interacting with new people the first time, I still believe that it was one of the best choices I made in my life. It enhanced me to step out of my inner personal fear of being bashful and opened the doors to interact with patients and staff. Through observation and shadowing, I was inspired to help patients physically and mentally by playing a crucial role in their lives. Based on my interest, I decided to work in a research lab with one of the professors from College Of Staten...

Words: 471 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Managed Care

...costs by placing limits on physicians' fees and by restricting the patient's choice of physician". Simply stated, managed care provides benefits to those who cannot afford the expenses of an insurance plan. Managed health care is considered to be a process by which medical benefits are monitored for the purpose of cost management, which results in the ability to limit the access to health care benefits and coverages. The health care system in the United States is an emerging system that is constantly being transformed. Our current health care system today is very different from what was established in the past years. These changes are a reflection of what the patient's want, which was to move from an indemnity plan to a managed health care system. There are various reasons for the changes within the system, but primarily due to economic realities. The cost of healthcare is constantly increasing and has grown faster than any other economic sector. Population growth, increased pharmaceutical necessity and health cost increases are just a few key factors that are the driving force of such rapid growth. HMO, Health Maintenance Organizations, are defined as "a prepaid health maintenance organization that delivers care to its members via designated physicians and requiring members to to join plans for a certain amount of time, i.e.,. yearly". HMO's contracts directly with independent medical offices as well as private physicians. These contracts may consists if one...

Words: 921 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Road to Becoming a Pediatrician

...hard work. According to a HealthCare-Training Center, the job description for pediatricians includes a wide variety of tasks including medical history, ordering test, administering treatment, and explaining procedures (HealthCare-Training Center). Pediatricians communicate with nurses and other healthcare providers, and refer patients to medical specialists when necessary. They plan and apply healthcare programs, as well as prepare reports for organizations. They treat new born and patients up to the age of twenty-one years old. Pediatricians are concerned with more than just physical well being of their patients. They are also involved with prevention, early detection, and management of other problems that affect children and adolescents like social stresses or depression. As a pediatrician one will constantly learn new and exciting things and it all starts with earning a high school diploma, then getting accepted into a four-year institution of their choice. I am currently attending East Georgia College and later plan transfer to Georgia Southern to earn my Bachelor’s degree in Biology. Most students want to be a doctor takes a “Pre-med” curriculum, which includes some basic science and math courses. Those desiring a career in medicine should volunteer in any medical related fields during their four-years of college because it shows the medical schools your interest in medicine...

Words: 1317 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Abortion

...Abortion 1. Who is your audience? What is the name of the person or group for whom you are writing this argument? Why have you chosen this person or group as your target audience? Why will your argument have exigence for your audience? My audience would be to pregnant women. I have chosen my audience to be pregnant women because women who get pregnant are often asked if they know all their options. 2. How open is your audience to your argument? Is it undecided or hostile? Keep in mind that the more hostile your audience is, the more time you will need to spend establishing common ground between you and your audience. My audience would have to be more towards hostile because abortion is a sensitive subject to some people. 3. How will you organize your argument to accommodate your audience’s level of openness to your position? Will your argument have a classical structure? Will it have a Rogerian structure? Will you be presenting your reasons and evidence before directly stating your thesis? Why, based on your knowledge of your audience, will your argument have the organization you will be using? I will give both of the sides of the argument and keep an open mind when presenting both sides. My argument will have a Rogerian structure and my thesis will come after all the evidence is presented. 4. What are your audience's priorities and goals? What are your audience's concerns and fears? What values and beliefs contribute to these priorities, goals, concerns, and fears...

Words: 3310 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Economics

...description (including daily responsibilities) | Provide patient care Document actions Serves and protects hospital Updates job knowledge | Working with a variety of patients, from pediatric to geriatric, or specializing in one of numerous possible areas such as neo-natal intensive care, cardiac care, neurologic care or dermatology Observing and recording patient behavior Consulting with physicians and other healthcare professionals Establishing treatment plans, operating medical equipment Supervising licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and certified nurse assistants (CNAs) | Requirements for path (school, military, training, age, location, skills, etc.) | get certified in nursing assistant during high school | Nursing program RN-to-BSN ADN’s program National RN test | Salary/benefits information | $23,000 Medical benefits (dental, vision, life insurance) | Medical Benefits, including coverage for medical, dental and vision. Paid Vacations Retirement through 401(k) and 403(b) plans Pensions Registered nurses, or RNs, averaged $33.23 per hour, or $69,110 per year, as of May 2011, states the Bureau of Labor Statistics. High salaries ranged from above $46.46 per hour, or $96,630 per year, but could fall to less than $21.62 per hour, or $44,970 per year. RNs can earn their pay by specializing in areas of practice | Opportunities for advancement | Opportunities are shorter because...

Words: 584 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Advance Directives

...Advance Directives Yuronda Lewis Advance directives were created to respond to the increasing sophistication and prevalence of the medical technology of today’s world. The wishes of the dying are going unheard because they didn’t make plans before the time came along. This is when the situation of living wills, durable power of attorney, and other directives came into place. Living wills provide the specific course of treatment that is to be followed when a person is dying. The durable power of attorney gives another person the right to state the last wishes of a dying person. There are four kinds of legal advance directives that are followed in any case of the dying and the parties left behind to decide. The first choice is the living will of a person. The second choice is the durable power of attorney given by a person to another person to decide. The third choice is a person legally stating their wants in writing before they are ill. The last choice is the person leaving the choice to a health care agent through a health care agency. I have personally been involved in every situation of this topic. My mother got ill and put a durable power of attorney in place for me to make the decisions for her care. There came a time when I couldn’t afford the cost of her choice and she signed her care over to a hospice facility and they became responsible for care and I lost the right to make any decisions about her care. She made this decision because...

Words: 1417 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Abortion

...For my final paper I have decided to do a on the ethical and controversial issue of abortion. In this report I will cover both sides of the abortion issue. I will summarize the stands of both Pro-Life advocates and Pro-Choice, by presenting arguments from organizations, authors, and journal articles from each side. As well as give a brief history on abortion and a look at the laws that govern this issue not only here at home but around the world. In conclusion of my report I will give my views on the issue and on which side of the fence my beliefs put me on. So lets begin. Up until the early 1960s abortion was illegal. Almost forty years after the Equal Rights Amendment was first introduced to Congress. However, abortion was not always a crime. During the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, abortion of early pregnancy was legal under common law. Still abortion was illegal during a time when women had little to no rights over what they said, or desired and certainly no control over their right to give birth or not. Even still generations of women persisted in the need to control the amount of children they would have. In a time where birth control was very ineffective or not at all the likely hood of an unwanted pregnancy was inevitable. During the more than 100 years abortion was illegal in the United States some late-nineteenth-century doctors believed there were two million abortions a year. Many women died as a result of trying to have illegal abortions, but if...

Words: 1961 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, Database Administrator, And Ethical Hacker

...Over the course of my Introduction to Information Technology class, I was given an assignment to research three careers. One career was of my choice and could be in any field. The other two careers were required to be in Information technology. It was also required that one of the technology careers dealt with IT security. The careers I researched were Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, Database Administrator, and Ethical Hacker. The career of my own personal choice was a Diagnostic medical sonographer. I chose this career because sonography is what I would like to major in. A Database Administrator was my technology career and an Ethical Hacker was my choice for an IT security profession. I chose these two occupations because I had very little...

Words: 903 - Pages: 4