Mitt's wife, Ann Romney, faces cancer

[Liberal_in_LA]

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/2008_12_06_Ann_Romney_undergoes_lumpectomy_for__%E2%80%98early__breast_carcinoma:_Faces_cancer/

Ann Romney, wife of former Massachusetts Gov. and GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, is “feeling fine” after undergoing a lumpectomy yesterday after her recent diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer.

Ann Romney, 59, said in a statement that she was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ - a precancerous lump - after her annual mammogram at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston last week. The former Bay State first lady, who also has multiple sclerosis, underwent the lumpectomy in Salt Lake City.

[Buzz Clik]

1. Scary stuff.

All the best to her.

[WeDidIt]

2. It sounds like it was caught extra early

which should lead to a good prognosis.

[Berry Cool]

17. She'll be fine. Which is a good thing.

Had it been invasive and aggressive, it might not have mattered how "early" she caught it. Sad but true.

[MarianJack]

3. Best wishes to her and the family.

We don't have to like them or their politics to wish well in a battle against a horrible disease.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Fortunately she has health insurance

[Submariner]

9. Her husband made sure his Romneycare health insurance scam

was unaffordable to most of the rest of us in this state.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. A woman without health insurance probably couldn't afford the mammogram

So her breast cancer would present itself too late.

[but siriusly folks]

14. That isn't the end all, be all of good health (insurance)

The message we all should take from this is PREVENTION. Merely having a great insurance policy means waiting like a sitting duck for the bottom to fall out. It just goes to show that health is wealth. Look at Linda McCartney. More money than God and she couldn't beat breast cancer, even with the best docs money can buy. So don't let it get that far; be conscious of what you eat NOW and how you live.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. A woman without insurance probably won't even get the mammogram

[Berry Cool]

16. So it's solely our responsibility to make sure we don't get cancer through lifestyle choices?

Yeah, Linda McCartney was sure known for being an unconscientious eater and living an unhealthy lifestyle. :sarcasm:

Come on, there's got to be more to cancer than this. There have got to be some enviromental causes that cannot be pinned on the person who gets it. The more we learn, the closer we can get to real prevention.

[ChazII]

19. Thank you for your wise words. n/t

[Bucky]

5. Well that sucks. I certainly hope the lumpectomy got it all & wish her a full recovery

I've had a couple of friends go thru this. It's a real life altering experience. But the recovery rates are improving greatly, from what I understand. Hopefully, they caught this in time.

[emilyg]

10. I'm one of those people. Early

detection is the key.

[Berry Cool]

18. Early detection is NOT the key. It's only part of the story. What matters is pathology.

If a cancer is aggressive enough, early detection may not make much of a difference. If it's a slower mover and is caught early, that can be good news. But one of the great myths that kills so many people is the notion that "early detection" means everything will be fine. Linda McCartney had "early detection" too.

This is a lucky situation because it was in situ. Not invasive, and it could be taken right out with ease.

[emilyg]

22. Mine was not in situ

early detection saved my life. You do make good points.

[Warpy]

6. There shoud be only one miserable disease to a customer!

Best wishes to her for a speedy recovery.

[DailyGrind51]

7. It must have been relatively small with no metasteses?

My primary had spread to the lymph nodes in front of my spine. After THAT surgery, I understand what a still living perch feels like when it is getting cleaned. 56 staples!

[petronius]

12. Wow, that is a very evocative image

:scared:

I'm glad it worked out for you!

[Berry Cool]

20. The very definition of "in situ" means there is no metatstasis.

Even so, some invasive cancers are caught before they have metatstases as well, and some are not all that aggressive. Which makes their prognosis good.

[Breeze54]

8. What a bummer for the Hummer...aka Mitts wife

I'll bet shes' glad she's not one of the family dogs!!! :P

Could be riding on the roof for 1200 miles!

Romney is SUCH a "people/animal person"! *sigh*

:sarcasm:

[petronius]

13. I'm glad it was caught early, and I hope she's doing well

I also hope that her experience inspires others to check themselves out and take preventative measures...

[Berry Cool]

21. No one can take preventive measures. There are none, despite what many will tell you.

You can try to do what you can to stay healthy, that's all. But there's no guaranteed way to prevent cancer. That's just a fact.