Save the TaTas!

This morning, I woke up and read through my facebook, like ya do.  I saw the article about Angelina Jolie coming forward to discuss her double mastectomy.  All I could think was, 'That sucks, but I'm glad that she had it done and that she is healing and that she's coming forward to try to raise awareness.'  It was on the morning news shows, cause, well, tits are a big deal, you know.

And then I didn't think anything else of it.  Apparently, there are corners of the internet that did.

Take a look at this.  You may want to throw things and punch people in the face.  I know I did.

Yeah.  That's right.  There are people out there in Internet Land that are shaming Angelina Jolie for making this massively painful health decision.  Do you really think it's easy to decide to lop off your boobs?  I mean, do you think that people WANT to go out and have double mastectomies?  I mean, except for the people who are crying that she did it for attention.

Jolie tested positive for the breast cancer gene.  Her mother died of ovarian cancer when she was in her 50's.  This mother did what was best for her family and was tested, and it came back positive.  Only one in 500 women carry the gene, but she does.  She was also told that she had a terrifying 87% chance of developing breast cancer.  87%.  87%!  Those are not good odds.

So she had the radical double mastectomy.  She's already had her reconstructive surgery.  She is healing, physically and emotionally.  And best of all, she now only has a 5% chance of developing breast cancer.

I am amazed--as I usually am when it comes to this woman--at her strength through this.  She made a heartbreaking decision after terrifying news.  She had this major surgery, and she was able to complete it without anyone knowing about it.  Not a single damn tabloid.  Good for her.

In this article, she talks about her medical choice.  It's beautifully written, and I have to be honest, it made me cry a little.  

The people who are talking shit about Jolie need to be slapped.  That makes me furious.  Instead of being joyful that she caught it before it was too late and that she is using her celebrity status to raise awareness for this horrible disease.  1 in 8 women will have invasive breast cancer at some point in her life, and 1 in 36 will die of it.  Jolie is calling more attention to it, particularly to the importance of early screening if you are at high risk.

Good for her.  I wish her a speedy recovery.  I am so happy she caught this early, and that she will be around for her children.

And to leave you all with a more amusing take on this...thanks, Wil Wheaton.