Category: Plastic Surgery

Release from hospital after DIEP flap surgery Phase 1

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Release from hospital after DIEP flap surgery Phase 1 Release from hospital after DIEP flap surgery begins your individual part and responsibility of healing and recovery. You have been in hospital for a few days, usually four to five, depending on your individual recuperation after surgery. You have been tended to 24/7 either by your doctor, a physician’s assistant, the nursing staff, specialist or other staff assistants. It’s time to go home or as I like to refer to it since I was an out of town patient, back to your place of healing. What do you need to know? Your catheter has been removed and you have been to the bathroom by yourself by now. You are free of the IV’s that have been part of you since you got out of surgery. The entire process of being released from hospital is an event in and of itself. You Continue Reading →

Surgical Drains

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A Bit of Self-deprecating Humor Never Hurts Surgical Drains – A Necessary Evil I hope you get a Friday laugh out of this post!  Surgical drains are a necessary evil for many surgeries and they certainly are for DIEP flap reconstruction.  Drains are an important part of your healing but no patient I speak to likes them.  But, hey, they are temporary.  I even had one of my abdominal drains become infected the week I was out of the hospital after phase 1.  But, it was taken care of within 12 hours when my doc upped my intake of anti-biotic.  Things happens when you’re healing and the infection was short-lived, just as the drains are short-lived. You can read why they are so important to your healing at the PRMA website. This #FundayFriday,  #FlashbackFriday post is to hopefully evoke a giggle, smile or laugh.  Just remember to grab a pillow and Continue Reading →

Traveling for DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction

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My Journey traveling over 800 miles for DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery took planning a preparation. Many people, including healthcare providers have asked me, “Why did you travel  to San Antonio, TX for your DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery and what is it like to travel? To answer the first question, I feel I found the best micro-surgeon in the country to perform my DIEP flap procedure.  This is a highly complex surgery successfully performed by few surgeons across the United States.  Many women have to travel to have this surgery performed because of the few number of skilled plastic surgeons who specialize in autologous, microsurgery, breast reconstruction. I stand firm in my conviction, the group at PRMA in San Antonio are eight of the finest micro-surgeons in the United States. I want other women to know where the great surgeons are across the country.  The answer to the second question Continue Reading →