Category: Emotional Recovery

Your spouse/partner; telling your children; telling your parents and siblings; reaching out to friends; friends who latch on for the drams of it all; when to ask for help; how to be grateful for help

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 Patient Advocacy Story

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Breast Reconstruction Awarenrss Day 2015, a patient advocacy story, begins with an inspirational moment; a moment that was a true catalyst to a new found purpose in my life. Where was the inspiration? Why would a patient become an advocate and subsequently an affiliate to promote a nationwide campaign for breast reconstruction awareness following a cancer diagnosis and mastectomy? Easy answer! The plastic surgeon I chose to do my DIEP flap surgery and the patient liaison that was my first point of contact at their group WAS my starting point. When something feels right, I move on it. It was my moment of inspiration. I was asked to share my reconstruction surgery experience with other women who were considering the same type of surgery. I wanted to pay it forward and let other women know about this group, their skill, success rate, credentials, compassion and the support of all the Continue Reading →

Guest Blog ~ World Health Innovation Summit & Gareth Presch

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Guest Blog ~ World Health Innovation Summit & Gareth Presch I am pleased to share a guest blog from the World Health Innovation Summit and Mr. Gareth Presch .  Through the power and connection of Social Media across the globe I am pleased to present the work that Gareth is doing.  Through shared vision and outreach we are like-minded in our enthusiasm to reach communities to improve the health care experience.  Thank you Gareth for your work and for sharing this blog! Health touches us all, every sector, and we support sharing knowledge between those sectors to improve health and social care around the world – Gareth Presch It started with a tweet! – Gareth Presch Posted on October 11, 2015 by World Health Innovation Summit “Together, We Inspire” World Health Innovation Summit CIC – Community Led “Patients, Clinicians, Managers, Voluntary Sector, Education and Businesses” Supporting the sharing of knowledge to Continue Reading →

#FlashbackFriday

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#FlashbackFriday and A Chance Encounter I wanted to share a chance encounter that I had yesterday and post it for #FlashbackFriday. While I was busy doing what I’ve been calling my “boots on the ground” work to promote Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day 2015, I had a fortuitous circumstance, an encounter of compassion. Tweeting in the Stairwell My Twitter account was full of activity yesterday thanks to some overwhelming support from Social Media friends and supporters. I was at the imaging center to hand out flyers for my Breast Reconstruction Awareness event. It seemed like a logical place to drop off promotional material for women getting mammograms and screenings. I took the stairwell trying to be inconspicuous and out of the way of the patients. OK, so I was also admittedly latching on to the imaging center’s WI-Fi so I could check the craziness of my Tweets coming in. It was 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 →

October & Pink

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October is the month that you can find pink in a vast array of merchandise in every imaginable form. You find it in retail stores, on websites, the shoes of NFL football players, pink M & M’s, pink, pink and more pink. Some of the very products that slap the pink ribbon on their merchandise contain chemicals known to increase the risk and occurrence of breast cancer.  A bit unsettling, right? October vocabulary Pinktober, Pinkaholic, Pink outs, Think Pink. I think breast cancer patients who have had it with the whole pink thing might even come up with a new slogan: Pink Stinks! Don’t Forget the Guys and Be True to Blue! We all read stories about what having breast cancer does to the men and women who are diagnosed. Yes, men! Don’t forget to wear blue for the guys! You can read this blog summary of a podcast I 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 →

A Letter to “Life it Up 365”

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To my friends, Dana and Colleen, at Life it Up 365: I found your website, “Life it Up 365” in late July of this year. After reading it I had an idea for my own private Face Book page. I wrote a blog entitled, “Breast Cancer, Breast Reconstruction & New Challenges”. I posted it to my private Face Book page with this comment: What have you done as a result of your cancer diagnosis or finding that you are BRCA positive? Have you tried something new? Has it been fun, frightening or both? Share your story with us at the Journey in a brief comment response. I will compile your responses into another blog and share them with Dana and Colleen at Life It Up 365 in early September. I didn’t get as many responses as I thought I might but the ones I did receive from my members are Continue Reading →

DIEP flap Recovery: the First Week Home

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DIEP flap recovery, the first week home from hospital, or in my case back to my rental, was something I called on my best friend and caregiver to help me recount the details of. We had a few good laughs over some events I will share with you in this post. My husband was only able to be there for one week during my hospital stay.  Since I flew over 800 miles to have my DIEP flap surgery I had my best friend fly in to take over for him the week I left hospital. We chose to stay in a Vacation Rental by Owner. Lots of Sleep during DIEP Flap Recovery My surgery was on a Monday and I left hospital on Saturday. The sunshine and fresh air were divine after being in a hospital bed for five days. I got into the apartment rental, changed into my favorite Continue Reading →

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 →