Perky Mutant
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My name is Melissa Brumbelow, and in March of 2009, I tested BRCA1 positive for the mutated genes that cause genetic hereditary cancers. A month and a half later at my Oncologists office, I was diagnosed and thrown into the world of cancer full speed ahead.
Perky Mutant is a humorous and firsthand experience based novel guiding BRCA patients from the beginning blood test towards bilateral (double) mastectomy and through phases of reconstructive surgery. Each week is fully documented, detailing tough decisions made, how surgeries affected my body, explanations of my recovery phases, week by week progression photos, tricks and tools I found along the way to make the healing process easier, and hilarious antics through it all.
Perky Mutant is organized into three major sections. The first section is diagnosis; in which medical terminology is explained in layman’s terms. Part two deals with my decision, which was the option of a double mastectomy and the emotional and physical challenges of that choice. The third section explains the individual phases of my reconstruction, and coming out the other side as a complete woman again. Perky Mutant is an illustration of a life changing experience, laced with light and Southern-style sarcasm.
Perky Mutant was inspired the week before my double mastectomy procedure. Despite consultations with numerous doctors, patients with similar experiences, and a wealth of medical reading material, I still felt unprepared for the emotional and physical trials and tribulations I was about to go through. My goal became to document and share my personal experiences and feelings with others.
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About the Book
When Melissa’s gynecologist recommends she get a test specifically for women with a history of cancer in their families, she agrees. With seventeen cases of cancer in her immediate family , she knows she might not be happy with the results.
But nothing can prepare Melissa for the outcome: She tests eighty-seven percent positive for breast cancer and forty-four percent positive for ovarian cancer, both by the age of forty. She faces a twenty percent chance of the cancer recurring in less than four years if she opts for chemotherapy and radiation.
Those aren’t good odds, and Melissa makes a brave decision: She has both breasts removed and goes through the process of breast reconstruction. In Perky Mutant, she shares how she made tough decisions, how surgeries affected her body, and what helped her get through the recovery process. She also includes week-by-week progressive photos to help other women going through the breast reconstruction process.
With a cast of characters by her side that includes her husband, “Studly,” Melissa somehow maintains her humor, wit, and hope. An inspirational story, Perky Mutant will help patients, their friends and family members learn, cope and laugh.
About the Author
Melissa Brumbelow was diagnosed with BRCA1, a genetic form of breast cancer, in April 2009. Facing treatment decisions and multiple major surgeries, she chose to document her experiences to help others. She is a lifelong resident of Douglasville, Georgia, where she lives with her family.