My friends and family have been asking me a lot more questions about my mastectomy – which I’m really happy about. A big part of the reason I went public with my journey was to educate others about BRCA and being proactive about your health.

Today, one of my friends told me that I was the only person he had met who was excited about having a mastectomy. The truth is, I am scared as sh*t about the actual surgery and recovery, but he was right that I am weirdly excited about it.  I’m really really looking forward to having it be in the rear view mirror. I’m excited because my breasts kind of feel like ticking time bombs at this point and I’m eager to lower my breast cancer risk so much. Thankful that medical technology is as incredible as it is. Thinking about how lucky I am that the BRCA test even exists, if my grandmother or great aunts had these options, maybe they would still be alive.  Pumped up about having some fun celebrations before the big surgery. Feeling humbled by the offers to come over and help during my recovery, receiving thoughtful recovery gifts, and friends offering to stock our pantry up with snacks for my hubby while he’s taking care of me.

It seems odd that I could be excited right now, but I’m focusing on the end-game of no more anxiety provoking mammograms or breast MRIs and going from an 87% lifetime risk of breast cancer to around 1%. I also choose to be positive instead of worrying too much because I’m a big believer in the power of positive thinking and energy. I’ve been getting so much positivity from my friends, family, and online community and I’m just so thankful. And to quote one of the greatest shows ever….