Category: Travel

DIEP Flap Surgery for Breast Reconstruction

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The embedded breast reconstruction options video is one of the reasons I chose the plastic surgery group to perform my DIEP flap breast reconstruction. Since this blog was published, PRMA has now added another microsurgeon to their team, Dr. Ramon Garza III. There are other plastic surgeons across the U.S., highly qualified, who successfully perform flap reconstruction to rebuild breasts for those affected by breast cancer. However, there are few who do it in high volume, have a high success rate, and with great compassion. It is a specialized surgery requiring years of training, practice and skill. It is imperative to know what makes a successful micro-surgeon and what women are looking for when they choose someone to perform this intricate surgery. I have listed on my resource page the following key questions to ask your plastic surgeon. How many procedures have they performed? What is their success rate? Do Continue Reading →

Length of Hospital Stay : DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction

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Length of Hospital Stay: DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction The length of  your hospital stay after DIEP flap breast reconstruction will likely be four to five days. My surgery was on a Monday morning, I was in my room by 10 pm that evening, and I left the hospital on Saturday morning. Although my surgeon came in to ask if I was ready to leave on Friday, I stayed one extra day only because I didn’t feel strong enough to go back to the vacation rental. He gave me the option to stay another night based on how I was feeling. Remember, I flew in from out-of-town, 800 miles out of town! I had to be 100% positive in my mind that going back to a foreign environment, the vacation rental, was going to be conducive to my healing process for the week I would be there following my release from Continue Reading →

Postoperative DIEP flap Recovery

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Postoperative DIEP flap Recovery Postoperative DIEP flap recovery, pain management, and progress with movement and activity, are some of the most common questions, concerns, and fears women ask me about. I wanted to share my photos in this blog to give women visual of progress I made during my recover from DIEP flap surgery. This was my recovery time and everyone will be different to some degree. I had very few “hiccups” in my recovery and it went as expected. The most difficult part for me was not pain, which was controlled quite well. My challenge came in lying still for five days. But as I frequently tell interested candidates, you have just been re-sculpted by an artist, your plastic surgeon. Treat your piece of art, your newly built breasts, with respect and nurture it back to health with patience and care. All good art work takes time! My First Continue Reading →

DIEPflap Breast Reconstruction: Aesthetic Questions to Ask Your Plastic Surgeon

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DIEPflap Breast Reconstruction: Aesthetic Questions to Ask Your Plastic Surgeon DIEPflap breast reconstruction & aesthetic questions to ask your plastic surgeon involves more than  you may have given much thought to.  You have had a mastectomy due to breast cancer. You have tested positive for the BRCA gene and are facing the decision to have a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy to significantly decrease your chances of getting breast cancer. Perhaps you are even going in for a consult to repair damage done at another practice and are looking for better results.  Now you’re researching and thinking about breast reconstruction options. You found a board certified plastic surgeon with great skill and a high rate of success. The consult appointment has been set up. You write down as many questions as you can and hope beyond hope you will be given the time to have all of them answered.  Your main concern Continue Reading →

DIEP Flap Surgery: Day one, Phase one

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Check-in It was still dark outside the morning we left for phase one of my DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery. We were told to be at the hospital at 6 a.m. Monday morning following Thanksgiving weekend had to be a good day for surgery. My surgeon had time to be with his family, enjoy a feast and be all rested up. It was a new week and a brand new month, December 1. We arrived at the hospital and signed all the paperwork for check in. The wait wasn’t too long but the room we waited in was the typical sterile, hospital environment, fluorescent lighting with CNN on the TV. They had coffee available but nothing for me, thank you very much. I had been on complete fasting since midnight. They took us up to another smaller and quieter waiting area where all patients were checked in and waiting to Continue Reading →

Bilateral Prophylactic Mastectomy

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  Bilateral Prophylactic Mastectomy ~ Is it Right for You? When I read an article about BPM posted on Facebook by my reconstruction surgeon I knew immediately what the letters stood for and so do those in the BRCA and cancer community. Out of pure curiosity I searched on the internet the “meaning of BPM” without adding “medical” to the search. You get some interesting as well as hilarious results: British Prime Minister, Beam Position Monitor, Business Performance Management, Blood Pressure Monitor, Beats per Minute and my favorite, Butt Pumping Music! The Angelina Effect Bilateral prophylactic mastectomy became a popular news topic after Angelina Jolie shared that she reduced her risk by nearly 90% of ever getting breast cancer because of choosing a BPM. She tested positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation and her mother died of ovarian cancer. I wrote a previous blog on this and completely understand why 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 →

The Days Before Breast Reconstruction Surgery

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The days before Phase 1 of DIEP flap or any breast reconstruction surgery puts many women I’ve spoken with through mental gymnastics , present company included. You have arranged for child-care if you have children at home. If you are traveling for your reconstruction surgery and your children will be traveling with you, chances are you’ve scoped out child-friendly venues in the area. This will help their care-taker keep them occupied while you recover in hospital. You have packed your bags. You probably thoroughly cleaned your home knowing it will not be done, at least by you, for a bit. All of the incidentals are what keeps you busy and occupied before you leave. These are all good things. Mental Clearance Sale ~ Everything Must Go! Whether traveling out of town for your surgery or having it done in the same town you live in I suggest getting those “ducks Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Fears After Mastectomy

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Breast reconstruction fears after a mastectomy and not knowing all of the steps involved prevent many women from making the decision to move forward with reconstruction.  My breast reconstruction journey began when I had my annual mammogram on April 2, 2014.  My radiologist informed me the mass she found in my right breast was highly suspicious of cancer.  I had to return to her office the next day to confirm this with a core needle biopsy (CNB). The results were ready five days later. My radiologist asked me the day she took the CNB if I knew of any breast surgeons to review results of the biopsy with me. I had been to see one about five years previously to have a benign cyst removed. I was very impressed with the surgeon and asked to schedule the results of my CNB to confirm whether I had cancer or not with Continue Reading →

DIEP flap Surgery Phase 1, Returning Home

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There are several steps and preparations to be made for DIEP flap surgery, phase 1.  We spend a lot of time preparing for the actual surgery but it is important to think about what it will be like when you return home.   I will share my own personal experience and give you some helpful hints and preparations if this is the type of reconstruction you have chosen and what I did after DIEP flap surgery, phase 1, and returning home. Protect the Work of Art It does not matter if you travel to have your reconstruction, as I did, or if you will be having it done in the same town that you live in. You are going to need support from either friends or family when you return home from the hospital after your surgery. Remember, you are going to have an abdominal incision that runs from hip bone Continue Reading →