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Women I Know and Admire

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May brings many celebrations that honor women. It is Mother’s Day weekend, but I have seen so much more on social media this month celebrating women. There are many women I know and admire, and I wish to celebrate them. The Mothers we Know and Admire They are not all with us, which gives me an even greater sense of appreciation that my ninety-two-year-old mother is still quite well and living. Admiration does not begin to embody all my thoughts and feelings for this woman. Not all mothers are admired through life and even after they have passed. It is the way of our fragile and emotional human nature. But for those who have been there for us you deserve some kudos and few more as we celebrate Mother’s Day this weekend. Wiping tears, listening, making tough decisions on behalf of their children, working exhaustively at home and in their Continue Reading →

Why DIEP Flap is the Best Recommended Breast Reconstruction Option

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The focus of this blog is two-fold. I will provide information regarding an upcoming public hearing concerning recent changes to insurance coverage for DIEP flap breast reconstruction. It will be held on June 1, 2023. The hearing will allow patients affected by breast cancer to become involved. I share my personal feeling that it is important for readers to understand the magnitude of this hearing regarding access to and coverage for breast reconstruction. There are many medical reasons why DIEP flap is the best recommended breast reconstruction option. Information Regarding Public Hearing on Breast Reconstruction Over the past few months, there has been a lot of information sharing on social media regarding coding changes to DIEP flap surgery. The collective voices sharing this information in multiple formats, coalitions formed, and no matter what organization it is from, has resulted in the public hearing held by CMS. I want to share Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction for Stage IV Breast Cancer

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I have embedded a video with my guest Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo, current president of PRMA in San Antonio, Texas on the topic of breast reconstruction for stage IV breast cancer. We share our common thinking that we do not believe we would have been having this conversation ten, or even as recently as five years ago. It is a topic worthy of discussion. Dr. C shares information in the slides to guide those with stage IV breast cancer through the decisional process of considering their options for breast reconstruction. Development of Decisional Apps and Treatment for Stage IV Breast Cancer A convincing motivation for me having this conversation with Dr. C is that he is the developer of the Breast Advocate® app. This free app is co-created by leading specialists and patient advocates. I have been on Dr. C’s advisory team since the inception of the app and have watched Continue Reading →

Volunteers Moving the Mission of DiepCFoundation Forward

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Since before opening DiepCFoundation.org in the summer of 2016 I have been surrounded by volunteers. Being part of a nonprofit organization requires time, talent, and passion. I could not do this without our volunteers. This blog is dedicated to those who have and continue to believe in the mission of the Foundation. Every day I see volunteers moving the mission of DiepCFoundation forward. The First Volunteers for DiepCFoundation It all began with a phone call. Late in the day in February of 2016 the surgeon who performed my DIEP flap breast reconstruction called encouraging me to open a nonprofit foundation. Thank you, Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo, for taking time, for volunteering to make that phone call after your workday in surgery on your way home. I promised him I would begin giving this consideration. A month passed and I was visiting our oldest son and daughter-in-law to help with the care Continue Reading →

From Diagnosis to Regaining Strength after DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction

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I remember well the day I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I found out when I received a phone call about my first diagnosis. It honestly felt surreal, like a gut punch when I picked up the phone and heard, “You have breast cancer.” The second time it was in person when I was called back to the radiologist’s office on my way home. The phone rang telling me to return after being cleared to go by a resident. I knew it wasn’t going to be good. But from diagnosis to regaining strength after DIEP flap, I made it through like so many others. My Diagnosis, Both Does the moment and emotions you experienced when you were diagnosed ever go away? I often hear the day, time, place, and how one felt is forever etched in your mind. It still is for me. How did you feel? My palms were Continue Reading →

Exercises Pre and Post DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction

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There are several studies reporting the benefits of exercise for cancer patients. The studies center around maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle before during and after cancer treatment and surgery. I have long been a proponent of the value of exercise. In this blog I will share what I practice and know about exercises pre and post DIEP flap breast reconstruction. Taking it to the Streets The video I share gives an example of some simple, yet effective exercises guided by a trained exercise physiologist. We are filming at the Wolfe Foundation Cancer Wellness Program at the McConnell Heart Health Center in Columbus, Ohio. Whether you are part of an online class or in person class, I encourage breast cancer and breast reconstruction patients to ask their healthcare team if there is a local or online exercise program available in their area. While some people are incentivized by exercising in Continue Reading →

TruSense℠: Restoring Sensation and Wholeness after Breast Cancer Surgery

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Many women are left numb after mastectomy. At PRMA in San Antonio, Texas they have created the term TruSense℠ that refers to restoring sensation and wholeness after breast cancer surgery. I interviewed Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo to learn why this procedure is important to patients. Maintaining Breast Sensation after Breast Cancer Surgery Dr. Chrysopoulo, Dr. C to his patients, points out the good news first. We now have surgical techniques where there are ways of maintaining sensation and even restoring it. There are variations in mastectomy results. The breast surgeon has a lot to do with how much feeling they have after mastectomy. Thus, this is a breast surgeon issue since they are the ones removing the breast gland that contain the nerves that provide feeling. Dr. C points out they do not do it on purpose it is just the way the nerves travel through the breast tissue. There are Continue Reading →

Microsurgery and DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction and all it’s Worth

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I chose this topic for my weekly blog after doing a retrospective look at the writing, interviews, podcasts, and connections I have had over the past few years since having my own DIEP flap breast reconstruction. I love talking about DIEP flap. It is sophisticated and intricate surgery requiring great skill and expertise. I often refer to it as a profession of passion. Patients who choose to undergo this surgery spend long, often agonizing hours searching for a microsurgeon to perform their surgery. They spend equally long recovering from surgery. Thus the topic I have chosen to write about this week: Microsurgery and DIEP flap breast reconstruction and all it’s worth. Microsurgery: A Profession of Passion I am so fortunate that microsurgeons share the story of who inspired them to choose microsurgery. It is a glimpse into the human side of their lives and why they chose to do DIEP Continue Reading →

Robotic Assisted DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction in Australia

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Since I had my own DIEP flap breast reconstruction at PRMA in late 2014 performed by Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo I have been fascinated with this surgery. I feel one strong reason people choose the profession of microsurgery is out of passion. The satisfaction of what is accomplished each day must linger long after they leave work and in fact drive them to do better. I invite you to learn more from one such surgeon I met via social media, Dr. Joe Dusseldorp. Join me in learning more about robotic assisted DIEP flap breast reconstruction in Australia. The Progress of DIEP Flap and Value of Robotic Assisted DIEP Over time, I have seen so much progress in surgical procedures and robotic assisted DIEP is just one of them. Dr. Joe agrees and points out this is just ONE technique. His comment, “Surgery doesn’t change overnight. It’s lots of little incremental steps Continue Reading →

DIEP Flap Reducing Abdominal Wall Complications

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Looking at the analytics on the DiepCFoundation YouTube channel I realized this video, DIEP Flap reducing abdominal wall complications with Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo is worthy of a blog summary. For our viewers, some value watching the video while others find it helpful to read the information. Having in a blog will allow you to print it if you feel it will help you at your surgical consult. Speaking to your surgeon about reducing abdominal complications in DIEP flap breast reconstruction is an important part of the conversation. Hernia and Bulging in DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction Dr. C begins our conversation with “Well, you know how I feel about the belly”. I agree and point out the other video we did on the topic, “The Aesthetics of the Belly in DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction”. Dr. C and I like to share these across multiple channels. This video can also be found Continue Reading →