Reflection

Sometimes it is hard to be completely happy with yourself. When you look in the mirror you find little things that bother you. These little things may not be so obvious to others, but they become huge to your confidence and self satisfaction. There is no question that there is truth in the saying "You must love yourself before you can love someone else."



Being a BRCA carrier or a breast cancer patient or survivor, this task can be a difficult one. BRCA and Breast Cancer can cause a person to take many steps for prevention. Both my mother and aunt are BRCA carriers. My aunt is a breast cancer survivor as well. Both women, though, took steps to prevent ovarian cancer. They both had prophylactic hysterectomies. I know my mom struggles with this decision that she made. Although I think she is beautiful, she feels that she has put on weight and finds it difficult to keep it off, since her surgery. When you have a prophylactic hysterectomy you instantly go into surgical menopause. When you are a women in your thirties or forties, you might end up feeling like you were robbed of the time you still had to possess that aspect of your youth. It is hard to have to accept something that not only changes you physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. What was once easy to do now may not be so easy. Something like loving yourself, or taking the steps to get to that point, may have become miles farther away. This fact is almost discouraging, but you must not give up on yourself because thats when you give up all hope.

It is important to look in the mirror and be able to feel good. You deserve to feel good about yourself. A women who has gone through something like breast cancer is beyond deserving of feeling good about herself and her body. It is hard enough having to face the scars left behind. You shouldn't have to hide yourself from a mirror the rest of your life because of breast cancer, or even BRCA. Breast cancer takes enough from its patients. Sometimes it is hard to find the courage and strength to stick up for yourself and what you know you deserve. You must find your motivation and with that motivation you will be able to conquer your goal in doing so. Yes, being selfish is looked at negatively, but being selfish is sometimes good. You have to be the one to look out for yourself because sometimes other won't. You know best what your needs are and how to satisfy those needs. This is why selfishness is very important. We don't even have to call it selfishness, but rather self-courage or self-respect. If you had the strength and power to fight breast cancer or take preventative measures against BRCA you, without a doubt, have the power and courage to do for yourself what you deserve.

Taking preventative measures against BRCA takes a toll on a woman. Don't let it take over your life, though. Yes, in menopause terms you are now equivalent to an older woman, but you don't have to live that way. You are still a sexual being with needs. Things may not be so natural anymore. Also, because you aren't so comfortable with yourself, and your body changes, you might not feel so sexually comfortable. You deserve to feel comfortable about sex like you once may have. Like I said before, things might not be so natural, but there are alternatives. Also, alternatives aren't the only answer. Make sure you do what you need to make yourself feel better about your image and sexuality. This is very important for your happiness and self-image. You deserve to feel good about yourself. Don't allow BRCA or breast cancer to take more from you than it already has. You deserve to live.