But life had other plans (danlebrero.com)

Article summary

The author's wife underwent preventive surgery to remove her ovaries and Fallopian tubes due to a BRCA2 gene mutation, but unexpectedly became pregnant despite the surgery. The pregnancy was not detected before the surgery because the embryo was too young, and it survived the operation and recovery. The author shares the challenges and surprises they faced during this experience. The story highlights the complexities and unpredictabilities of human biology and medicine.

Main themes

• unpredictability of life and medicine
• BRCA and cancer prevention
• fertility and pregnancy
• medical ethics and malpractice
• faith and miracles
• statistics and probability in medicine
• human biology and complexity

What commenters say

• The story is an incredible and emotional example of the unpredictability of life and medicine.
• The pregnancy was an extremely rare and unlikely event, but not impossible according to biological and physical laws.
• The medical team should have performed a pregnancy test before the surgery, which could be considered medical malpractice in some countries.
• The story illustrates the importance of testing for BRCA and considering non-surgical options for cancer prevention.
• Some commenters attribute the unexpected pregnancy to luck, chance, or statistical probability, rather than divine intervention.
• Others see the story as a testament to the power of faith and the possibility of miracles.
• The discussion touches on the distinction between correlation and causation in the context of fertility and medical diagnosis.
• The story also raises questions about the role of statistics and probability in medical decision-making and the importance of considering edge cases and rare events.