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Melissa Etheridge: Angelina Jolie's Mastectomy Is "Fearful," Not "Brave"
US Weekly ^ | June 17, 2013 AT 6:00PM | Allison Takeda

Posted on 06/18/2013 4:22:21 PM PDT by drewh

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To: vladimir998
It's not a bizarre choice. I have a friend who lost several siblings (brothers & sisters) to different types of cancer, including ovarian and breast cancer. Two of her nieces (daughters of the two sisters who died of cancer) have also had bouts of breast and ovarian cancer. My friend got tested, and the doctor told her that it wasn't a matter of IF she'd get cancer, it was only a matter of WHEN. She chose to have her breasts removed.

You're saying you'd rather wait until you get diagnosed with cancer, to do anything, instead of doing something to prevent getting it altogether. If you had a 90% chance of getting cancer by not having the surgery, and a less than 20% chance of getting cancer by having the surgery, which option would you choose?

41 posted on 06/18/2013 5:31:41 PM PDT by mass55th (Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway...John Wayne)
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To: Lilyjuslan
My mother died from ovarian cancer at age 52. My sister died from inflammatory breast cancer at age 37. My sister tested positive for BRCA 1. I was tested after she got her results and I'm negative. Had I tested positive, I'd have had the surgery done in a NY minute. If a person is positive, than 50% of their offspring will also have the gene mutation. People with the BRCA gene tend to get cancer an average of ten years younger than their parent was when diagnosed. IMO, Angelina Jolie did what she had to do and Melissa Ethredge is a fool.

Absolutely! I agree. Many blessings to you and yours and convalescences as well.

42 posted on 06/18/2013 5:32:05 PM PDT by GOP Poet
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To: GOP Poet
apologies . . . convalescences = condolences
43 posted on 06/18/2013 5:33:23 PM PDT by GOP Poet
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To: vladimir998

>> Actually I do [understand cancer treatment best practices].

We’ll see.

>> I just disagree with hacking off perfectly healthy body parts merely because there is a chance that the person might later develop cancer.

So you disagree with prophylactic oophorectomy for women with a high probability of contracting ovarian cancer? On what basis?

How about prophylactic hysterectomy for women at risk of endometrial cancers?

If everyone took your advice, and chose not to have anything done until they actually developed cancer, what would be the difference in incidence and mortality from these cancers?

What would be the economic impact of taking your advice?


44 posted on 06/18/2013 5:37:50 PM PDT by Nervous Tick (Without GOD, men get what they deserve.)
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To: vladimir998
" If you actually develop the disease, then you take appropriate action. "

That's very easy to say, but appropriate action when it comes to cancer doesn't always work, does it? Jolie had a high likelihood of developing breast or ovarian cancer. I don't laud her as "brave"; IMO it was a personal decision involving self-preservation more than bravery. But I understand why she did it.

45 posted on 06/18/2013 5:39:12 PM PDT by CatherineofAragon ((Support Christian white males----the architects of the jewel known as Western Civilization).)
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To: Norm Lenhart

Norm, my condolences on your loss. God bless you and your daughter.


46 posted on 06/18/2013 5:40:31 PM PDT by CatherineofAragon ((Support Christian white males----the architects of the jewel known as Western Civilization).)
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To: mass55th

“You’re saying you’d rather wait until you get diagnosed with cancer, to do anything, instead of doing something to prevent getting it altogether.”

I’m saying, if you’re not sick, you’re not sick.

“If you had a 90% chance of getting cancer by not having the surgery, and a less than 20% chance of getting cancer by having the surgery, which option would you choose?”

I am in fact in a similar situation (and no, it’s none of your business what that is) and I will not have surgery unless there’s a need to have surgery. I don’t take medicine unless I’m sick. I don’t have surgery unless I need it. I don’t pay taxes unless I owe them. I generally don’t eat unless I’m hungry (although my waistline would disagree). I live by a simple rule: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If she didn’t have cancer why remove healthy body parts?


47 posted on 06/18/2013 5:43:17 PM PDT by vladimir998
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To: KosmicKitty

>> the screening for colon cancer isn’t the most fun thing in the world

Are you talking about colonoscopy? Or something else?


48 posted on 06/18/2013 5:43:20 PM PDT by Nervous Tick (Without GOD, men get what they deserve.)
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To: CatherineofAragon

Thanks. I just brought it up to point out that cancer kills and has consequences. Real ones. You can’t live without a liver, but you CAN live without breasts.

One of the men on the oncology ward had testicular cancer. He refused the snip that could have saved him. He died before she did.

He may well still be here today.


49 posted on 06/18/2013 5:45:19 PM PDT by Norm Lenhart
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To: Nervous Tick

Risk is not about present actuality. Risk is possible future not definite future. If you are not diseased you should not undergo treatment as if you were.


50 posted on 06/18/2013 5:46:12 PM PDT by vladimir998
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To: Irenic

I thought Etheridge was a lesbian? Do I have my celebrities confused?


51 posted on 06/18/2013 5:47:50 PM PDT by EDINVA
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To: CatherineofAragon

You wrote:

“That’s very easy to say, but appropriate action when it comes to cancer doesn’t always work, does it?”

Nope.

“Jolie had a high likelihood of developing breast or ovarian cancer. I don’t laud her as “brave”; IMO it was a personal decision involving self-preservation more than bravery. But I understand why she did it.”

I understand why she did it too. I just don’t think it makes much sense to hack off perfectly healthy body parts in an age where cancer is increasingly beatable anyway.


52 posted on 06/18/2013 5:48:09 PM PDT by vladimir998
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To: vladimir998

Not ovarian cancer, which is one of the types she was likely to develop.


53 posted on 06/18/2013 5:49:03 PM PDT by CatherineofAragon ((Support Christian white males----the architects of the jewel known as Western Civilization).)
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To: vladimir998

That’s lame mumbo-jumbo, and the idea that you should avoid action before the fact to lay off high probability risk borders on absurd.

Whatever. You have made up your mind, clearly NOT based on understanding, but you don’t seem inclined to change it.

I just hope you haven’t encouraged any gullible person to forego a treatment that might save their life. I surely wouldn’t want that on MY conscience.


54 posted on 06/18/2013 5:53:24 PM PDT by Nervous Tick (Without GOD, men get what they deserve.)
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To: EDINVA

Yes, she is.


55 posted on 06/18/2013 5:53:33 PM PDT by Irenic (The pencil sharpener and Elmer's glue is put away-- we've lost the red wheel barrow)
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To: vladimir998

Angelina Jolie’s body parts were not perfectly normal and healthy. She has the BRCA gene mutation. She was walking around with a couple of time bombs. Now she has peace of mind.


56 posted on 06/18/2013 6:06:55 PM PDT by Lilyjuslan
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To: Norm Lenhart

I’m sorry that you lost your wife at all, no matter the cause.


57 posted on 06/18/2013 6:07:00 PM PDT by rabidralph (http://www.cafepress.com/westernwis)
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To: Nervous Tick

“Whatever. You have made up your mind, clearly NOT based on understanding, but you don’t seem inclined to change it.”

I made up my mind based on a deep understanding of the issue and a holistic and organic view of human life. Like a liberal you’re assuming I have no understanding simply because I disagree with you. Notice, I am NOT doing that to you or anyone else in the thread.

“I just hope you haven’t encouraged any gullible person to forego a treatment that might save their life.”

I hope I have encouraged people to not go through major surgery when they are not actually sick.

“I surely wouldn’t want that on MY conscience.”

My conscience is clear. I have done nothing wrong. Why don’t you try to guilt trip a liberal instead?


58 posted on 06/18/2013 6:38:32 PM PDT by vladimir998
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To: Lilyjuslan

“Angelina Jolie’s body parts were not perfectly normal and healthy.”

Actually they are - she is not suffering from cancer.

“She has the BRCA gene mutation.”

She doesn’t have cancer.

“She was walking around with a couple of time bombs.”

Nope. She walked around with a POTENTIAL time bomb, not an actual time bomb.

“Now she has peace of mind.”

Probably not for long. I hope she doesn’t get sick, but I bet someone who would resort to this is going to easily have their peace of mind destroyed by something sooner rather than later. Mark my words.


59 posted on 06/18/2013 6:41:44 PM PDT by vladimir998
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To: vladimir998

Touched a nerve! Good. I’m over the target. I’m getting that “you’re a liberal” namecalling flak. It’s the last gasp of those with no grasp.

>> you’re assuming I have no understanding simply because I disagree with you

No, I’m *concluding* (not assuming) you have no understanding, based on your own testimony, to me and to others. You have *shown* no understanding, in spite of being given the opportunity to do so. Your nonsensical mumbo-jumbo and claims do NOT constitute understanding. Maybe your public skool teachers told you that your holy opinion was sufficient to carry an argument; if so, they did you a disservice.

Bye now. And please don’t screw up anyone else.


60 posted on 06/18/2013 6:50:07 PM PDT by Nervous Tick (Without GOD, men get what they deserve.)
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