Category: News

Nipple Prosthesis after Mastectomy from Naturally Impressive, LLC

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Decisions and Waiting It’s SO hard to wait! -for pathology report or test results -to be done with chemo / radiation -to be done with breast reconstruction That moment when you’re finally done with treatment and breast reconstruction is so exciting! The next thought is to get nipples and you’ll be completely done with it all and able to feel “normal” again. Sounds so simple, but a good nipple solution can be frustratingly elusive. If you are planning to have a permanent option like nipple tattoos or surgical nipple reconstruction, you might get the news that you need to wait at least 3 to 6 months for tissue to settle. That can feel like forever to have to look in the mirror and see a “blank slate” or lopsided chest. We never knew how important our nipples were before we lost them, did we? But wait…you CAN have nipples much Continue Reading →

Breast Surgery Recovery Shirt I Wish I’d Had

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Here it is, the breast surgery recovery shirt I wish I’d had and you can order it right here: from the Healinincomfort site. Healincomfort will pay shipping. Now that’s a deal! One part of my job as a patient advocate and Founder and Director of DiepCFoundation.org is finding products making healing and recovery from breast cancer easier for patients. I have been through six different surgeries for breast cancer and breast reconstruction. My double mastectomy and DIEP flap breast reconstruction both required surgical drains. They were not my favorite part of recovery but necessary to drain out accumulated surgical fluid. The amount of time a patient has surgical drains can be a couple of weeks and sometimes a little over a month. It really depends on the individual healing mechanisms of each patient. This is why I am happy to write about the Healincomfort breast surgery recovery shirt I wish Continue Reading →

Why Should I Ask About Physical Therapy After Breast Surgery?

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I feel extremely fortunate my breast surgeon and plastic surgeon both recommended physical therapy for me after the breast surgeries they performed on me. My breast surgeon, Dr. Michele Ley, prescribed it for me about six weeks after she completed a double mastectomy due to my second occurrence of breast cancer. Dr. Chrysopoulo, my plastic surgeon, prescribed it for me after my DIEP flap breast reconstruction. I hear from many women who have not had the same physical therapy opportunity I did. So, I encourage them to ask their surgeons, “Why Should I Ask About Physical Therapy After Breast Surgery?” Physical Therapy after Mastectomy Surgery I began experiencing shoulder pain about three to four weeks after my double mastectomy. I went in for a follow up appointment to my breast surgeon around the same time. The shoulder pain occurred mainly when I was on my computer. This was during a Continue Reading →

A Breast Reconstruction Tattoo Completes a Patient Journey

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Connections made through the breast cancer community often become delightful friendships. So is the case with Sandra and me. We both had our DIEP flap breast reconstruction done in San Antonio at PRMA, Plastic Reconstructive Microsurgical Associates. Sandra is also a member of the Journey Facebook page. She volunteers her time when I make visits back to San Antonio for my Foundation work. I invited her to sit down and share her story. You can view the video in the blog of how a breast reconstruction tattoo completes a patient Journey. Sandra’s plastic surgeon informed her at her consult for her DIEP flap surgery that she would be losing her nipples. She felt comfortable with this decision for her best health and aesthetic outcomes knowing he would rebuild the nipples during the second phase of her breast reconstruction. The tattooing of the areola area could be done after healing from Continue Reading →

Healing After Breast Reconstruction is a Journey

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Women and men can choose three different types of breast reconstruction. There is implant-based reconstruction. Another type is when a patient can choose to use a variety of skin flaps to rebuild their breasts. This is called autologous, using your own tissue, breast reconstruction. A combination of both autologous and implant-based reconstruction is sometimes chosen and performed after a mastectomy. Any of these type of breast reconstruction options requires time to heal, both emotionally and physically. Healing after breast reconstruction is a Journey. The Unknowns You don’t know what you don’t know. A patient can sit in an initial consult with their plastic surgeon with all their questions in hand. The hope is the consult is done in a shared decision-making fashion where both parties, the patient and plastic surgeon, listen carefully and with intent to each point of discussion then come to the best decision for the patient’s health Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Wounds and Management

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I derive a great deal of information from the surgeons and patient members of the Journey Facebook group. The questions they ask are pertinent to the healing process as well as various aspects and the decision to have breast reconstruction. When I have an opportunity to visit our physician members, I schedule time to do videos to answer questions patient members are asking. Knowing how demanding the schedule of plastic surgeons can be, I am honored once again to sit with Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo of PRMA in San Antonio at the end of his long clinic day to talk about the topic of breast reconstruction wounds and management, dedication I am grateful for. Thanks Dr. C! Medical Comorbidities to Consider We begin our discussion with a patient inquiry about a medical comorbidity (condition) called Factor V Leiden. Dr. C clarifies this is a clotting problem not a wound healing issue. Continue Reading →

Patient Advocacy at ASBrS

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It was an honor to attend the American Society of Breast Surgeons meeting as a patient advocate. I felt welcome from the moment I arrived. The first breast surgeon I met was a past president of ASBrS, Dr. Deanna Attai. I have been interacting with Dr. Attai on Social Media through #bcsm tweet chats but never had the opportunity to meet her in person. We sat in the lobby of the hotel to share a cup of coffee. The first question she asked me was, “Terri, why did you attend the meeting?” I smiled at her because it was the question I wanted to be asked as a patient advocate attending ASBrS. I folded my arms on the table, leaned in as I smiled at Dr. Attai, and answered her question with a question, “Guess who told me about all my options for breast reconstruction?” The smile on her face Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Decorative and Restorative Tattoos

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Two patient advocates, both breast cancer survivors, walk into a tattoo parlor in downtown Seattle. Sounds like an intriguing story, right? It was. I had the honor to have patient advocate Kirstin Litz join me for an intense day of patient advocacy work in the great city of Seattle. Our day began with a cup of coffee for the road, of course. We arrived in the densely populated district of Capitol Hill early morning to visit Eric Eye. We were there to interview him about his work doing breast reconstruction decorative and restorative tattoos. I have never had a tattoo but after visiting Eric we talked about the possibilities of a decorative tattoo in my future. He asked me what I was thinking about. I told him I have deep Irish heritage and I love to dance. Van Morrison is one of my favorite musical artists. I explained to Eric Continue Reading →

National Doctor’s Day

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Celebrate National Doctor’s Day? I’m in. These folks deserve a day of honor. Why? Long days and sometimes into the night in hospital and clinic. Hours of paperwork after time spent with their patients. Calming the fears of their patients. After hours calls from concerned patients. Putting back together diseased, damaged body parts. Comforting family members concerned about loved ones. Continued study and refresher courses to maintain licenses, expand knowledge, and improve skills. The list is exhaustive. The profession is noble. The talent is admirable. A Personal Note of Gratitude to Doctors I want to share a personal note of gratitude. My professional life has always focused on education. I was accustomed to interaction was with students, parents, colleagues, and administrators. My professional life took on a different role after a second breast cancer diagnosis, double mastectomy, and successful DIEP flap breast reconstruction. I felt it was important to educate Continue Reading →

DiepCJourney Celebrates a Four-Year Anniversary of Educating About Breast Reconstruction

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Four years ago, on March 17, 2015, an idea was launched. DiepCJourney blog began as a cathartic writing exercise, detailing my Journey of being diagnosed with breast cancer twice and the choice to undergo DIEPflap breast reconstruction. DiepCJourney soon transformed into a passion, a mission to educate others about my successful experience and what I continue to learn on this amazing Journey. I am grateful to celebrate the four-year anniversary of DiepCJourney, the blog that launched a Foundation to educate others about all their options for breast reconstruction after mastectomy. The Celtic symbol and backdrop for DiepCJourney was developed with a dear friend, Meagan. Both of us embrace our rich Irish heritage. We met several times at quaint coffee houses in early January of 2015 discussing the design, meaning, and an appropriate launch date for the blog. The sketch she drew of me was something I had to consider for Continue Reading →