Big Day

8:20am: Today's the first big genetics day - getting the consult.  I woke up a few times closer to morning, but the sleeping pill allowed me to get back to sleep, so I'm feeling somewhat rested.  Just had bread with cheese for breakfast and I'm taking some orange juice to the appointment in case I get light-headed again.  Will update here as I know more.  Fingers crossed!

11:40am: Wow, that genetics appointment was long.  The genetic counsellor seemed really sweet and she gave me her card if I have more questions.  We gave the consent for genetic testing, as well as for them to try to get some medical records from relatives that are now deceased but showed a similar history.  She said that seeing one ovarian cancer in a family is rare (about 1 in 100), but seeing up to 4 makes them believe that there is a genetic link.  Right now they're putting my mom's chances of having the gene around 70-80%.  My chance is 50:50, and if I inherited it, according to their statistics I'll have the following chances of getting cancer:

With BRCA1 mutation:
- Breast cancer: 47-66%
- 2nd Breas cancer: up to 50%
- Ovarian cancer: 35-46%

With BRCA2 mutation:
- Breast cancer: 40-57% - 2nd Breast cancer: up to 50%
- Ovarian cancer: 13-23%

These numbers are a bit lower than what all the other studies suggest, but as this is based on April 2010 data I prefer to believe these.  The blood for it will be drawn next week.  10-15mL of it and that will take 10-11 months for us to get results, then an additional 2-3 months to get my DNA analyzed.  The testing is actually done locally.

In a way I am relieved - relieved in the sense that there's nothing I can really do in that time.  I think I'll make a follow-up appointment to learn about anything I can do for prevention.  The genetic counsellor said that it's really me that all this will impact.  Even without a genetic mutation, they would still recommend having my ovaries removed by age 42 or so.  That's the part I'm scared of.

Going to take a 30-minute power nap and then off to work.

8:55pm: So the power nap didn't come to fruition, but I had a nice dinner out with a friend.  It's these distractions that I need right now.