Category: DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction

One Year Post DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction

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One Year Post DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction I am now one year post DIEP flap breast reconstruction. I was finalizing my surgical prep exactly one year ago today as I write this blog. My surgery was the morning of December 1, 2014.  So how am I doing now? How does my body feel? Do I have any regrets? Would I suggest having DIEP flap surgery to other women? Was I truly able to “just get on with it”? I’m doing just splendidly! I honestly believe I’m doing quite well, in fact splendidly, and enjoying many benefits from having DIEP flap surgery after a second breast cancer diagnosis and double mastectomy. I want the reader to know so you have hope. I opened my social media accounts today before I began writing this blog post. I read a statement from a woman who was just going in for her DIEP flap Continue Reading →

Benefits of Exercise after Breast Cancer

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Benefits of Exercise after Breast Cancer It is #WorkoutWednesday and I’d like to share a comprehensive video from John’s Hopkins Medicine on the benefits of exercise after Breast Cancer. Take ten minutes out of your day to view it and then I encourage you to move at your pace and ability to improve your health. Cancer diagnosis, treatments, surgery as well as breast reconstruction surgery take a lot out of our bodies. We may have gone into either of these situations being very healthy. I often hear this from other women. This is definitely to your benefit and will help with recovery. However, after treatments and surgery you are then left to pick up the pieces from the assault on your body. Where do you move forward from there? Whether you are walking, running, dancing, doing Pilates, yoga or another form of movement, know that you are providing great benefits Continue Reading →

Thankfulness

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A feeling of thankfulness is what I frequently experience when I sit at my keyboard to write. Free flowing thoughts, words, ideas about knowledge, science, medicine, health, life’s experiences are why I love the writing process. My day is not complete unless I have at the very least written down or made note of something I feel is worth writing about to inform and educate others. My daily routine consists of fixing coffee, checking my social media accounts and then organizing my day before I go on my morning walk. Often times a thought, an idea or a topic comes to mind while I am out walking and I’ll come back to my office and act on it. There is nothing like fresh air and getting that blood pumping through your system to fuel some new ideas. There are mornings though that the well seems to be dry. I think Continue Reading →

Fears of Breast Cancer Recurrence

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Fears of Breast Cancer Recurrence Fears of breast cancer recurrence are palpable for anyone who has been diagnosed with this disease we have yet to find a cure for.  We each handle the fear differently. I had a recurrence.  I’d like to share my own experience, how I faced those fears, and how I dealt with them. As an educator for many years, I have seen the differences in personalities both in students and parents when it comes to handling what is seemingly the simplest of fears. What is catastrophic to one is barely a blip on the radar to another. There are those in life who are simply more fragile than others.  Differences in dealing with this fear of recurrence must not be judged or become fodder for accusations when we don’t always appreciate the circumstances behind. “How Do You Always Stay Positive?” Friends, relatives and family who have so Continue Reading →

Heart Healthy Hump Day Meals

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Here are some heart Healthy Hump Day Meals worth sharing. Many who read this blog are also interested in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I’ve decided to post a couple of quick, easy dishes that I’ve tried and enjoyed. I recently visited with a registered dietitian at the local Cancer Center. This is a service that is provided free to patients. She emphasized the importance of a healthy, balanced diet and we went over my current food choices and exercise routine. So today’s blog will be a fun share of a couple of those tasty dishes that are packed with nutrients but don’t take a lot of time to prepare. I think that time stops many of us from preparing fresh, whole foods. It’s easy to open a box and stir in some processed ingredients. Shopping, chopping and preparing fresh foods can take longer so I hope these recipes and the Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Side Effects We Wish We Knew About

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All of the breast reconstruction side effects we wish we knew about are difficult to cover in the initial consult with your reconstructive surgeon. Why you might ask? It’s simply a matter of time. The key elements of the surgery itself, patient expected outcomes, individual health related issues, medications, recovery time and  other topics need to be covered in your surgical consult with your plastic surgeon. A List of Questions to Take to Your Consult That does not excuse your plastic surgeon, however, from providing you with further information regarding side effects, coping with them, how you will feel months after your reconstructive surgery and the possible emotional and physical impact. You just have to come to the consult prepared and ask.  I would encourage you to ask the following questions during your consult: I know there are going to be unexpected side effects from this surgery. I also know Continue Reading →

A Letter to My DIEP Flap Sisters

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A Letter to My DIEP Flap Sisters I hear from a number of DIEP flap sisters when they are having upcoming surgery for phase one or two of breast reconstruction. Some currently have cancer. Others have gone through their cancer surgery and treatments and are at the point they can now physically proceed with DIEP flap surgery. There are those of you who are having prophylactic mastectomies due to a gene mutation and still others are ready to complete phase two and finalize their journey. There is excitement and exuberance in their comments. I am so excited I have a date for my surgery! My insurance has been accepted for my DIEP flap! My surgery is just two weeks away! I will be able to look back soon on this entire process and be able to move on! I know how you feel. I sense your anticipation in removal of Continue Reading →

#WorkoutWednesday

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#WorkoutWednesday Exercises Let’s call today’s blog #WorkoutWednesday. I’m back at my desk today after an amazing trip to one of my favorite places on the earth, Seattle, Washington. I was able to enjoy family and friends as well as schedule meetings and dinners to connect with more amazing women in the breast cancer and breast reconstruction community. I unpacked my week and a half’s worth of luggage as well as my “portable office” after my flight yesterday. I was amazed at how happy I was to set my laptop back up in the office space in my home or as I have fondly named it, “The She Shed”. I missed writing, blogging, researching, sharing and reaching out to the on-line community. But the face to face meetings I had last week were invaluable. There will be blogs written as follow-ups to those experiences. It was important for me to get Continue Reading →

Flying Home After DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction

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Flying home after DIEP flap  breast reconstruction surgery has the potential of both emotional and physical impact for patients. It was for me and I’d like to share my experience with you. I recommend securing a wheelchair to get you to the gate. It was invaluable for me for two reasons. I didn’t have to worry about walking fast to my next connection and it eliminated excess swelling and pain from walking long distances at the airport. It gets you through TSA much faster, too! Physical Impact of Flying Home I highly recommend you have a travel partner for phase one of DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery. I did and they can do the heavier lifting for you. You will be instructed not to lift anything over ten pounds for six weeks after surgery. Lighten up the purse this one time, ladies. I suggest the following items: Lip balm to Continue Reading →

Delayed DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction

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Delayed DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction ~ My Story Delayed DIEP flap breast reconstruction, my story, my experience, will hopefully give others considering this method some insight into your planning. In a perfect world immediate breast reconstruction, reconstruction done at the same time as a mastectomy, results in the best possible aesthetic outcomes for a number of reasons.  But, we all know breast cancer is not a perfect world. There are Reasons Patients have Delayed Reconstruction: Adjuvant therapy Adjuvant therapy may be necessary after a mastectomy. If there are lymph nodes that have tested positive for cancer and chemotherapy or radiation is recommended, this could delay your reconstruction. My story: No lymph nodes tested positive and radiation was not deemed necessary. However, because of the type of cancer I had, left breast recurrence from twelve years previously and a new cancer in my right breast, I was encouraged to have the Continue Reading →