Blog

A Mother’s Day Tribute

Posted on by

When I think of all the mothers who are involved with those having DIEP flap breast reconstruction or any kind of breast surgery, it warms my heart. There are those Moms who are no longer with us who are so deeply rooted to their daughters they have inspired them to make this tough choice when affected by breast cancer. They are worthy of a Mother’s Day tribute. Mothers Having Breast Reconstruction Your arms are used for hugging, wiping tears, working, cleaning, and caring. It may be tender moments, angry moments, gross and disgusting moments but you chose this title and roll with the punches. For Moms who have been diagnosed with breast cancer or having surgery to reduce their risk of getting breast cancer you are thrown into a world you never intended to be in. You wonder how you will even tell your children you may have to lose Continue Reading →

Episode 8: ERAS Protocol in Breast Reconstruction

Posted on by

Are fear of pain and time of recovery after breast reconstruction surgery some of your biggest concerns? If so, Episode 8: ERAS Protocol in Breast Reconstruction, with Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo will give you information about ERAS (Enhanced Recovery after Surgery) protocol many large volume centers are now using for DIEP flap and other types of breast reconstruction. Dr. C is the president of  PRMA in San Antonio and the developer of the Breast Advocate app. Both of these sites have more information about ERAS protocol as well as the DiepCJourney blog and  DiepC Foundation YouTube channel.  Why Use ERAS? There is a shared interest Dr. C and I share in having this conversation. He states it very clearly at the beginning of the podcast. The number one beneficiary is patient experience and patient outcomes. There are substantial data and evidence-based studies about results of using ERAS and the benefits it offers patients. In fact, follow the directions below and Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Clubhouse Discussion

Posted on by

This past week, I was fortunate to have Roberta Albany and Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo join me as moderators for a breast reconstruction clubhouse discussion. Clubhouse is a fairly new app for iPhone users. The sessions generally last an hour in length. Think of it as a casual phone conversation with the members who join. It is not recorded, or at least does not have that feature yet. There are moderators who can invite those who “raise their hand” using an icon on the app to come “up to the stage”. They are invited to speak by a moderator when they raise their hand. Once invited to speak, they unmute their microphone to begin their question, comment, or thoughts. The topic I chose was “Breast Reconstruction Concerns and Questions Answered”. The discussion and information provided by Roberta and Dr. C was both enlightening and informative. I want to provide some of Continue Reading →

Episode 7: Newly Diagnosed with Breast Cancer? What are Next Steps?

Posted on by

Have you been overwhelmed with emotion and information when newly diagnosed with breast cancer? My guest, Dr. Deanna Attai, is an Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles. Episode 7 takes us from being newly diagnosis with breast cancer to the clinical visit and what are next steps. As past president of the American Society of Breast Surgeons I have leaned on Dr. Attai since I first met her in May of 2019 at the ASBrS annual conference. Breast cancer is not one disease and patients bring to their consult with a wide variety of knowledge regarding their diagnosis. Tumor biology, stage, grade, and family history are some of the factors discussed after being newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Step 1: Knowing the Type of Breast Cancer She guides us through how she helps patients who are confused Continue Reading →

Episode 5: Abdominal Wall Reconstruction

Posted on by

Dr. Ron Israeli of New York Breast Reconstruction and Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (NYBRA.com) and Dr. George DeNoto, Director of General Surgery and Hernia Institute, St. Francis, Hospital, East Hills New York, discuss the technique they have developed together in Episode 5, abdominal wall reconstruction, for the DiepCJourney Podcast. I hear from patients in the DiepCJourney Facebook group who requests information on various topics. This is one of those honored requests and I knew exactly who to turn to. I invited Dr. Israeli to do the podcast. To my pleasant surprise he asked if he could be joined by his colleague, Dr. George DeNoto. These two gentlemen have known each other for a while when they trained together in General Surgery. They refer to each other as “surgical brothers” leaning on each other as resource and eventually collaborating on a technique to repair hernia after TRAM flap surgery. Abdominal Wall Reconstruction Continue Reading →

What Patients Can Teach You About Breast Cancer PTSD

Posted on by

I wrote a blog on this topic regarding my own experience with PTSD after a breast cancer diagnosis. In fact, it was after my second breast cancer diagnosis. There are times when blogs are inspired in ways I did not see coming. After sharing it in my closed Facebook group my heart dropped reading the comments from others about their experience. I was amazed at what patients can teach you about breast cancer PTSD. I asked them how they deal with PTSD after breast cancer. They provided honest answers, some heart wrenching and some with resources to share within the group. Here is some what some patients shared about their own struggles. Sleep Deprivation and PTSD after Breast Cancer Sleep seemed to be illusive to some. They reported crying all day exhausting themselves into a nap. But then they did not sleep at night. This became a vicious cycle. One Continue Reading →

Episode 4: Coordinated Care in Breast Cancer

Posted on by

Have you been diagnosed with breast cancer or at high risk of getting breast cancer due to a genetic mutation? Do you remember the day you heard those words and got the news? How many healthcare providers did you have on your team? In Episode 4 we discuss the importance of coordinated care in breast cancer. My guest is an educator, microsurgeon and Director for MedStar Plastic and Reconstruction surgery and Academic Chair for the Department of Plastic Surgery at Georgetown University Medical Center, Dr. David H. Song. He chairs the BC3 Conference in Washington, D. C. The purpose of the conference as stated from the website: Breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women. Diagnosis and treatments are part of the practice of a wide number of medical specialists and there are national initiatives calling for a multidisciplinary approach to the care of breast cancer patients. The multiple Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Truth: Headlines and Research

Posted on by

Are you considering breast reconstruction? When I was faced with a second breast cancer diagnosis, had a double mastectomy, and began to do my own research about breast reconstruction, I was either oversaturated with information or wanted to shut down from information overload. When researching breast reconstruction, how do you distinguish the truth in headlines and research? The Moment of Truth The moment of truth begins when you are diagnosed or find you have a high risk of getting breast cancer due to a gene mutation. This moment is most often at the office of your healthcare provider. An oncologist, radiologist, breast surgeon, or genetic counselor are the most likely people to give you this news. You walk out the door with pamphlets and information. They might give you resources for online support, virtual meetings with other survivors, or websites to research. I hear so many individuals in this situation Continue Reading →

Episode 3: Breast Reconstruction and Breast Sensation

Posted on by

In Episode 3 of the DiepCJourney podcast I discuss breast reconstruction and breast sensation with two surgeons who have performed this procedure together in their practice. Dr. Anne Peled and Dr. Ziv Peled work in tandem in the operating room to preserve and restore sensation to the breast for those affected by breast cancer. The paper published by Dr. Anne and Ziv Peled can be found in the PRS Global Open under the title, Nerve Preservation and Allografting for Sensory Innervation Following Immediate Implant Breast Reconstruction PRS Global Open Dr. Anne Peled, who was diagnosed with breast cancer herself, was torn about what surgical option to choose for her own diagnosis; a lumpectomy, oncoplastic surgery or mastectomy. She was aware, due to standard training of breast surgeons, a mastectomy would mean the likelihood of losing sensation to her breasts. Most patients who undergo mastectomy are left numb and as she Continue Reading →

Sexual Health after Breast surgery and Breast Cancer Treatment

Posted on by

The words, “You have breast cancer” can be very difficult to come to terms with for women and men. Added to this and what follows is the aftermath from treatment, surgeries, and loss of body parts. Our bodies are physiologically designed for sex with nerves to sexual organs in both male and female bodies. Sex is often associated with an emotional experience for many. For those affected by breast cancer living with scars, loss of body parts, debilitating changes to sexual function, self-image, fatigue, vaginal dryness, loss of libido, to name a few, changes in sexual health after breast surgery and breast cancer treatment are often left to the patient to grapple with. Our guest, Liz O’Riordan, is a breast surgeon, breast cancer survivor, and author who discusses and writes about the topic of sexual health. We invited her for an interview. Liz tells us her medical background and shares Continue Reading →