I wanted to share that I am BRCA1+ I had a double mastectomy last year w immediate reconstruction. I only had my tubes out since there seems to be a lot of research suggesting the cancer actually starts there. If nothing is confirmed within a couple years I will have my ovaries out too. I just turned 40. three kids. tough choices for everyone to make regardless of fame and celebrity.

Anonymous wrote:The only thing that bothers me is that the focus of this should be on the fact that 99% of women can't afford this kind of care.

Disagree. AJ can't do a thing about the affordability of healthcare, but she CAN raise awareness about the disease, testing, prevention and treatment options. Good for her for trying to be effective in the way she's best suited.

The article writer who compares herself to Jolie does not really make sense to me. What they have in common is a disease. but that is all. Jolie already has 6 children and a husband. She is a famous movie star. What she says gets reported because millions of people know her as a ... famous movie star. And very beautiful.

LOL, thanks for the laugh, ladies.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My thought is that Angeliina needs to take her kids, her stolen husband, and her ovaries, breasts, and whatever else and take a seat. Do we need to know everytime she cuts the cheese?

. attention-seeking again

Right! So transparent, managing to have the BRCA gene and then having tons of major surgery and sparking a national conversation about cancer prevention. That bitch.

I know right! How dare her mother, aunt and grandmother just die like that making her realize, "oh my, I might be next". The nerve of her to cut off two perfectly good breasts, albeit soon-to-be cancer infected, so that she could grab international attention. And if that wasn't enough, her doctor told her that if she wanted greater attention she should just remove all her ovaries and fallopian tubes, for that would cause a great headline. The nerve of Angelina to garner such personal attention while highlighting women's health issues. Nobody cares about women cancer, so she just need to stop all this nonsense. Just go back to making movies and women health issues can be placed back on page 296.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My thought is that Angeliina needs to take her kids, her stolen husband, and her ovaries, breasts, and whatever else and take a seat. Do we need to know everytime she cuts the cheese?

. attention-seeking again

Right! So transparent, managing to have the BRCA gene and then having tons of major surgery and sparking a national conversation about cancer prevention. That bitch.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My thought is that Angeliina needs to take her kids, her stolen husband, and her ovaries, breasts, and whatever else and take a seat. Do we need to know everytime she cuts the cheese?

. attention-seeking again

Anonymous wrote:My thought is that Angeliina needs to take her kids, her stolen husband, and her ovaries, breasts, and whatever else and take a seat. Do we need to know everytime she cuts the cheese?

Anonymous wrote:Why is everybody arguing like all employed women get FMLA? It's for large companies only and people who are hired as full-time employees with benefits at those companies. Walmart, for example, likes to hire people at *just* under the hours/week limit to get insurance. There are so many people who don't get this benefit. If anyone has any info, I'd love to see the real stats.

Everyone would be wise to check with their individual employers about what their benefits & leave entitlements are. They vary, but I know of very poor, government-dependent people whose health issues and preventative care have been well provided for.

Why is everybody arguing like all employed women get FMLA? It's for large companies only and people who are hired as full-time employees with benefits at those companies. Walmart, for example, likes to hire people at *just* under the hours/week limit to get insurance. There are so many people who don't get this benefit. If anyone has any info, I'd love to see the real stats.

Anonymous wrote:My thought is that Angeliina needs to take her kids, her stolen husband, and her ovaries, breasts, and whatever else and take a seat. Do we need to know everytime she cuts the cheese?

Ms. Aniston...please step away from the keyboard.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many women in your situation have figured out a way to make it work. Under FMLA, you are entitled to regular pay and your position. But I think you'd simply prefer to groan, complain and blame everything on money and real life situations.

Sorry, but you are not correct. FMLA guarantees that non-essential employees can take up to 12 weeks off (typically, some states provide a higher limit) from their position for either their own health or to tend to the care of a family member. The time off is unpaid, but if the employer provides short-term disability, sick leave, or vacation, the employee can receive that benefit while on FMLA. You don't get 12 weeks paid under FMLA, followed by your sick leave, vacation (or PTO), and/or disability time.

FMLA provides the continuance of a job (for non-essential employees) after your return. FMLA doesn't provide that the time off is paid.

Sigh.

1. Never said you get 12 weeks paid followed by sick leave.
2. I did say you can use whatever leave you have.
3. Non-essential employees???? That's where you're mistaken.

People would be wise to check with their individual employers about their leave options, just as they'd be wise to check with their own medical team about their health options.

Depending on the reason for your leave, you're entitled to more than just 4 weeks...up to 2 years I believe. I've been out for a year + under FMLA.

Someone should just post the gov't guidelines for FMLA here instead of all the weird misinterpretations.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many women in your situation have figured out a way to make it work. Under FMLA, you are entitled to regular pay and your position. But I think you'd simply prefer to groan, complain and blame everything on money and real life situations.

Sorry, but you are not correct. FMLA guarantees that non-essential employees can take up to 12 weeks off (typically, some states provide a higher limit) from their position for either their own health or to tend to the care of a family member. The time off is unpaid, but if the employer provides short-term disability, sick leave, or vacation, the employee can receive that benefit while on FMLA. You don't get 12 weeks paid under FMLA, followed by your sick leave, vacation (or PTO), and/or disability time.

FMLA provides the continuance of a job (for non-essential employees) after your return. FMLA doesn't provide that the time off is paid.

Sigh.

1. Never said you get 12 weeks paid followed by sick leave.
2. I did say you can use whatever leave you have.
3. Non-essential employees???? That's where you're mistaken.

People would be wise to check with their individual employers about their leave options, just as they'd be wise to check with their own medical team about their health options.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]

Not everyone gets PTO. Welcome to the real world. [/quote]

You can pay a little over 25 cents per month and obtain short or long-term disability through many non-work related insurance companies. In many cases it covers 100% if your pay when you must leave work for an extended period of time.

But being a pessimistic whiner is so much better than being proactive, no?

[/quote]

Many insurance companies will not offer those disability plans to feds, even if you're not trying to get them through work. [/quote]

I understand: It's much more fun to think of all the reasons why you can't find ways to take care of your health instead of....actually finding ways to take care of your health. As a fed, I assume you have pretty good health insurance. So why the fuss?