The Story of the Kindness Tree

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Holiday lights are glowing across neighborhoods and cities across the world. Parties, celebrations, friends and family gather as another year ends. On a damp, cool, morning the doorbell rang unexpectedly in the middle of the day. My husband was off work, so he beat me to the front door although I was close behind him. When we opened the door, there stood our neighbor with a long cardboard box. We knew exactly what it was. This is the story of the kindness tree. When we First Saw the Tree A couple of weeks prior to our neighbor bringing this long cardboard box, we were out for a walk. This time of the year where we live, the days are short, often blanketed by fog in the early morning with light mist during the day. I told my husband to look at the tree on our neighbor’s front porch as we Continue Reading →

A Commentary: A Study Marking Patients for DIEP Flap Surgery

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Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open is an open source journal available for everyone to read. I refer to it frequently. The articles I focus on are those regarding breast reconstruction. The article entitled, “A Standardized Approach to Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap Marking” was recently brought to my attention by a plastic surgeon, Dr. Roy Kim. I know Dr. Kim via social media and speaking to him at the annual Plastic Surgery conference. I recently had the privilege of meeting two of the authors of the paper, Dr. Edward Reece and Dr. Sebastian Winocour both of Baylor College of Medicine. I think he knew I would find this study fascinating. I decided to write a commentary on this study of marking patients for DIEP flap surgery. A Patient Advocate’s Thoughts: A Study Marking Patients for DIEP Flap Surgery I chose DIEP flap as the method of breast reconstruction after Continue Reading →

A Simple Note of Gratitude

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I was raised to have a grateful heart. I have come to appreciate this value my parents taught me. They modeled the importance of expressing gratitude frequently with friends, family, and even strangers. Mom and Dad always said gratitude should be given freely from the heart, expecting nothing in return. I dedicate this blog to an individual I have known for five years. I encourage the reader to take the time to acknowledge those in your life who have made a difference, large or small, either publicly or privately with a simple note of gratitude from your heart. Moments in life are sweet and precious, tenuous and unpredictable. We don’t always know the direction our lives will take. There are the planners and the gypsies. I have always considered myself a planner with a bit of gypsy spirit. A plan I put in place in 2014 was to complete my Continue Reading →

Nutrition and Diet after DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction

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Are you more aware of your nutrition and diet after DIEP flap breast reconstruction? I certainly am and I hear the same from many women. When breast cancer is the driving reason behind having this intricate surgery, it is little wonder nutrition and diet become a focus for so many. At the same time, I hear a lot of inquiry about what is the best way to eat a healthy nutritious diet after breast reconstruction.  The one factor that changes this is the “tightening down” of the tummy during this surgery. With the tummy tissue being used to reconstruct the breast, the tummy area is pulled down similar to a tummy tuck. Many women talk about the feeling of having less room, filling up quicker, and feeling like they can’t eat as much after DIEP flap breast reconstruction. Where do your Food Values about Nutrition and Diet come from? The Continue Reading →

DiepC Journey Facebook Group Hit 4,000 Members!

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DiepC Journey Facebook Group Hit 4,000 Members! Facebook members on DiepC Journey, Breast Reconstruction after Mastectomy, can be very active in the evenings. This happens when members have some alone time after dinner, work, and putting the children to bed. I hopped on last night. I noticed a lot of activity and questions being asked. Then something incredible happened. I looked at the number of members as I approved some new requests to join. I was a bit shocked to find out the Journey hit 4,000 members. DiepC Journey Facebook Group and 4,000 Members Around the Globe I am in awe of this group because it is specific to breast reconstruction after mastectomy. That is our common bond. On World Kindness Day I asked members to check in to tell each other where they were from. This group continues to practice kindness toward each other in unexpected ways. They checked Continue Reading →

How Do You Give to Nonprofits During Giving Season?

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The fourth quarter of each year is an important time for nonprofit organizations to begin “the ask” to bring awareness and raise funds for their cause. Corporations and individuals not only look for organizations to support for an end-of-year tax deduction, but larger corporations often have company matching programs to benefit nonprofit organizations. How do you give to nonprofits during giving season? The Microsoft Employee Giving Program for Nonprofits My experience at Microsoft for their “Day of Learning” made a positive impact on DiepCFoundation.org. It is the nonprofit organization I started after my own successful breast reconstruction following a double mastectomy. It began by contacting a friend at the Redmond, Washington, Microsoft campus. We discussed a plan that would benefit both the employees and the Foundation. It was imperative to me we bring awareness about the work and mission of the Foundation. Through Microsoft’s “Day of Learning” program I was Continue Reading →

How to Participate in a GRYT Chat in 3 Easy Steps

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Social media and apps give us the ability to participate in key topics related to healthcare. The GRYT Platform is one such opportunity. This statement from the GRYT website explains the importance to patients across healthcare disciplines. “We believe information is an undeniable right, so we’ve created a way for you to connect to people with similar experience, providing inspiration, information, and access options, allowing YOU to choose what’s best for you.” Let’s outline how to participate in a GRYT chat in 3 easy steps. Step 1 of Participating in a GRYT Chat: Downloading the App Begin by downloading the app to your phone or desktop. It can be downloaded from either the iTunes App Store or the Google Play store. Here is a link you can use: https://grythealth.com/the-app Step 2 of Participating in a GRYT Chat: Setting up your Profile Once you have downloaded the app, set up your Continue Reading →

How Shared Decision-Making Works in Breast Reconstruction

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The term shared decision-making can be used across multiple disciplines in medicine. The process of shared decision-making takes place when a patient and their health care provider work together to make a health care plan that is best for the patient. It is a topic I speak of often in my community as a patient advocate for all options of breast reconstruction after mastectomy. Let’s talk about shared decision making and how it works in breast reconstruction. How Shared Decision-Making Works for the Patient Whether implants are chosen or you choose to use your own tissue, being your own best advocate and doing your homework prior to your initial consult is beneficial. Prepare your questions and findings ahead of time. Your physician will go to the consult prepared. Doesn’t it make sense then, that you are just as prepared? This first step will empower you with a voice to communicate Continue Reading →

A Network of Support Through your Breast Reconstruction Journey

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It is an honor to present a project I was asked to participate in. The focus of the project is patient centered stories in breast reconstruction. Emphasis is placed on the shared decision-making model for patients through their own personal breast reconstruction Journey. The program is available in a video presented on a Balancing Act segment of Lifetime Television and embedded in this blog for you to watch. It is truly a network of support through your breast reconstruction Journey. Rebecca’s Network of Support I was approached by Mentor to participate in the project. It did not take me long to know my voice was an important part of the network of support. The story focused on Rebecca, a young woman who tested positive for the BRCA 2 gene. She sought guidance from a genetic counselor after watching her mother go through breast cancer. She knew she was at higher Continue Reading →

Is There Guilt Associated with Choosing Breast Reconstruction?

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Sometimes, yes, sadly there is guilt associated with choosing breast reconstruction. I hear this conversation too frequently. It is a feeling I can relate to on some level. There are varying reasons women feel this way during the process of deciding to have breast reconstruction when they are faced with mastectomy. Let’s look at some of the reasons and answer the question, “Is there guilt associated with choosing breast reconstruction?”. Perceived Vanity Associated with Choosing Breast Reconstruction To some who hear the words breast reconstruction and plastic surgery in the same sentence, there is sometimes a perceived notion the patient is choosing this for appearance sake, vanity. I cringe when I hear the phrase, “boob job” referring to breast reconstruction. Sadly, a leading beauty magazine actually used the phrase talking about breast enhancements and reconstruction in the same article just this year. I won’t be including the name of the Continue Reading →