Category: DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction

Father’s Day 2026: The Quiet Courage of the Men Who Shape Us

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Father’s Day invites us to pause and re‑examine our values, surrender our ego, and remember the men who taught us what integrity, humility, and everyday grace look like. Life has a way of testing us through tragedy, pivots, and hard decisions. But it also reveals something deeper: our shared humanity. The truth is that empathy and vulnerability are not weaknesses, but superpowers that heal. This year, I find myself reflecting on three men whose influence continues to shape my life and the mission of DiepCFoundation: my Dad, my surgeon, Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo, and our oldest son, Richard. Each of them taught me something essential about courage, compassion, and what it means to show up for others. At the end of the blog, I share a special fourth tribute. My Dad: Love Spoken in Actions, Not Words My Dad never texted, never Face Timed, and never understood why his daughters were Continue Reading →

When Courage Finds You: A Breast Cancer Reflection

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Courage is a word that has followed me through every chapter of my breast cancer journey. Loved ones whispered it, clinicians spoke it, and strangers offered it without knowing the full story. Many in the breast cancer community hear the word long before they feel anything close to brave. I have spent years thinking about what courage means, how it shows up, and why it feels so complicated. This reflection is my attempt to honor that truth. What Does Courage Really Mean? People often imagine courage as bold, loud, and heroic. Popular images show someone charging forward without hesitation. Real courage looks very different for most of us. It is the ability to act while fear is still present. It is choosing to move forward even when your voice shakes and your heart feels unsteady. Those facing breast cancer discover that courage is not a single moment. It becomes a Continue Reading →

Traveling to the Center For Natural Breast Reconstruction

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For patients exploring their options for breast reconstruction and learning they must travel, the very thought of a long car trip or airline travel can seem like an overwhelming task. It is important at DiepCFoundation then that we provide those practices who support patients who will be traveling for their breast reconstruction surgery. On this episode of the DiepCJourney® podcast, I talk to Dr. Richard Kline and his team to learn how they support patients who travel to their practice at The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. Please go over to the DiepCFoundation YouTube channel and look for this episode soon! If you have questions after you listen to the interview whether you listen to the podcast or watch the video, let us know and we’ll try to answer them. The Team Approach in Breast Reconstruction Dr. Kline collaborates with a team in the operating Continue Reading →

Kindness, Gratitude, Courage: My Compass for 2026

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As I step into 2026, I find myself returning again and again to three simple words. Those words are kindness, gratitude, and courage. They aren’t new concepts. They aren’t complicated. But they have become the compass points guiding how I want to show up in the world, how I want to lead, and how I want to serve the breast cancer community that has shaped my life in ways I never could have imagined. These three words have carried me through seasons of uncertainty, moments of profound connection, and the quiet, steady work of advocacy. They have grounded me when the world felt heavy and lifted me when I needed reminding that hope is not naïve. Hope is necessary. And as I look toward the year ahead, they feel more necessary than ever. Kindness: The Quiet Energy that is Transformative and Contagious Kindness is often underestimated because it’s gentle. It Continue Reading →

Change is Part of the Journey: Finding Strength After Reconstruction

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Seasons bring change. We see visible signs of these changes and they are expected. The changes are often welcome like the first warm day of spring after a long winter. This time of year, during December, holiday lights and long winter nights bring a sense of coziness and comfort. We adapt. Change is also part of the Journey after reconstruction. How do we plan and cope with these changes? It is easier for some than others. Thoughts of Unknown Changes When one begins planning their reconstruction surgery many wonder what they will look like after a surgeon carefully takes a scalpel to skin. DIEP flap breast reconstruction involves incisions at both the breasts and the abdomen. Just thinking about that process can be overwhelming. Will there be pain associated with the incisions? Where will the incisions be and how will one take care of them, whether themselves or with the Continue Reading →

Pause Before You Post: Navigating Emotions After Breast Surgery

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We’ve all felt it. It is that surge of emotion after breast surgery when expectations clash with reality, when pain, disappointment, or confusion bubble to the surface. In those moments, social media can feel like a lifeline, a place to vent, connect, or seek validation. But before you hit “post,” take a breath and pause. Your story is sacred, and your healing deserves space. Sharing raw emotions online might feel cathartic, but it can also invite misunderstanding, judgment, or regret. This post is a gentle reminder: your voice matters, and so does the timing of how you use it. Why Timing Matters When you Post When you’re fresh out of surgery, feeling physically tender, emotionally raw, it’s natural to want to reach out. You might feel betrayed by your body, disappointed by results, or overwhelmed by the recovery process. These feelings are valid. But posting in the heat of those Continue Reading →

Unplugging and Reconnecting Before Your Breast Reconstruction

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I recently enjoyed a brief but very relaxing vacation with my husband. We visited the Olympic Peninsula in the beautiful state of Washington. Two of our favorite stops were Rialto Beach and the Hoh Rainforest. What we did not know was the lack of internet connectivity in various places on the route. Knowing this was part of our trip, we rolled with it and laughed saying we were “off the grid” hoping we took the correct turns and freeways to reach our destination. This reminded me that unplugging and reconnecting before your breast reconstruction can be a valuable exercise for you. My Thoughts Turned to those Considering Breast Reconstruction There was very little conversation while we were at Rialto Beach. It was an overcast day with thick fog rolling in. We arrived close to high tide in the afternoon. The waves were cresting high and crashing down on the beach. Continue Reading →

Insights from the DiepCFoundation Breast Symposium: Facing the Dragon

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A young man took the podium at the DiepCFoundation Breast Symposium. He shared a slide entitled, “Facing the Dragon.” His presentation was on the role of the caregiver for loved ones who have breast cancer and DIEP flap breast reconstruction. The young man was our oldest son, Richard Coutee. He is also a brother, husband, and dad. It is an honor to present insights from his talk. Facing the Dragon “This threat is something we will be facing as a family.” Rich Coutee Richard is a follower of the stoic philosophers. He presented a slide showing Marcus Aurelius. The metaphor of facing the dragon was to show the threat we faced as a family when we heard that I had breast cancer the first time. Rich was a first-year college student at the time of my first diagnosis. He could have made the choice not to come home. However, he Continue Reading →

Reflections from the DiepCFoundation Breast Symposium: Building Community and Trust

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I missed blogging this summer. A full week has passed since the event as I sit at my computer. It is with a full heart that I share with readers my reflections from the DiepCFoundation Breast Symposium: building community and trust. Nine Months of Planning for the Symposium Have you ever planned an event, for instance, a wedding, graduation, or family reunion that took nine months? I began planning this in late November of 2024. If you are going to do have an event of this scale, you need that time. While I was at the podium the day of the symposium, I recall looking at our oldest son, Richard, one of the keynote speakers and saying, “Geez son, I carried you for nine months and that’s how long it took to put this event together.” Terri Coutee to Richard Coutee It hit me at that moment and why I Continue Reading →

Nipple Reconstruction at PRMA

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Do most people who have nipple reconstruction have breast reconstruction? Not necessarily. Do you think about nipple reconstruction if you’ve had breast cancer and are in a consultation for breast reconstruction? We are going to answer these questions and others on this episode of the DiepCJourney Podcast about nipple reconstruction at PRMA with my guest, Dr. Courtney Carpenter of PRMA in San Antonio, Texas. Meet Dr. Carpenter who Performs Nipple Reconstruction Dr. Carpenter joined PRMA in 2014 after moving her practice and family from Minnesota. She has over eight years’ experience in microsurgery, including head and neck reconstruction, facial trauma, juvenile breast deformities and craniofacial surgery. Dr. Carpenter is passionate about utilizing her extensive expertise and experience to help transform lives through reconstructive plastic surgery. I want to point out that PRMA uses the co-surgeon model in breast reconstruction, meaning there are two board-certified microsurgeons with the patient in the Continue Reading →