My Experience as a LEAD Graduate

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I want to share my experience and what it means to be a Project LEAD Institute graduate and patient advocate. Application for scholarship and letters of recommendation must be submitted to be accepted into the program.  The Project LEAD Institute strongly supports the education and involvement of patient advocates in both research, action, and the education of the community they serve, locally and nationally. This is a portion of a statement from the web page giving you a sense and focus of the LEAD graduate program: The Project LEAD® Institute is a six-day intensive science course for breast cancer advocates covering the basics of cancer biology, genetics, epidemiology, research design and advocacy. I learned about the program through two fellow breast cancer survivors, Michael Singer, a male breast cancer survivor, and Terry Arnold, an advocate for the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Community.  I met them both at SABCS, San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2016.  They Continue Reading →

This is What Happens through DIEP flap Connections

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Education about breast reconstruction options after breast cancer and mastectomy: This is what happens through DIEP flap connections. Two women living in two different parts of the country, one surgeon, a plastic surgery team, and a desire by all to educate and inform! I traveled to have my DIEP flap breast reconstruction in December of 2014 at PRMA in San Antonio, Texas. I was connected to another woman, Rhonda, now a “breast friend”, through PRMA when she became interested in DIEP flap. I was part of the Pink Ladies Support Group at PRMA.  This group speaks to other women about their own experience and traveling to have DIEP flap. Rhonda, like me, was interested in booking her surgery with Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo. I received the following email the morning of January 25, 2016. Hey gals!  Dr. C has an out of state patient named Rhonda who will be coming here Continue Reading →

Intimacy ~ Touching your breasts after DIEP flap surgery

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This blog has been sitting in my archives for quite some time.  Intimacy and touching your breast after DIEP flap surgery seems like an unabashed topic to write about. The intimacy of the content and the shared photos delayed my writing. Respect for my fellow DIEP flap sisters and touching your breasts after this surgery is not something every woman wants to do. I know this to be true because I talk to women who feel this way. I fully respect all the complexities that surround the new sensation of your DIEP flap breasts.  The purpose of my blog is to share my experience and in some way, empower breast reconstruction patients to embrace their new breasts after they have healed from surgery and to feel comfortable touching their newly reconstructed breasts. If my suggestions and story work for you, I am happy.  If they do not, I get it, Continue Reading →

International Day of Yoga

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June 21 was proclaimed the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations in December of 2014.  I am certain there will be many celebrations across the globe practicing various levels and difficulties of this popular practice for mind, body, and spirit. The benefits of yoga are many for all ages.  I remember with great fondness the days I brought my kindergarten students in from recess when they were all wound up from being on the playground and practiced a bit of yoga with them before we would start a lesson.  We would sit quietly on the rug in circle, legs crossed, thumbs touching the middle finger as the back of the palm laid gently on the top of their knees.  I would ask them to close their eyes and take deep breaths and slowly breath out with a gentle, “Ohmmm”.  It refocused and quieted them down almost immediately. Yoga Continue Reading →

Honoring my Father During my DIEPflap Surgery

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This is a perfect weekend to write a tribute honoring my Father and his support during my DIEPflap surgery.  My father is in his late 80’s now so watching me go through DIEPflap breast reconstruction two and half years ago was not an easy process for him.  He knew nothing about this type of surgery.  My Dad’s generation and friends who had radical mastectomies and survived breast cancer never knew of the options to rebuild one’s breasts after they had to be removed after a breast cancer diagnosis.  It was just assumed that the loss was part of the plan and how you would continue to live your life. I gently guided Dad and Mom through the process and why I chose to have DIEPflap breast reconstruction after my second breast cancer diagnosis.  I will admit, it was tough.  His main concern for me was the length of surgery and Continue Reading →

National Cancer Survivor Day Celebrating all Survivors

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National Cancer Survivor Day is a movement in the fight against cancer.  How, might you ask, does that fit into my wheelhouse of educating about breast reconstruction options after mastectomy?  Yes, mastectomy!  And there is your answer.  Every person I engage with on social media, each patient I talk to about planning a course of action to reconstruct their breasts, the research and education I seek to understand and share revolves around those who have had or will be having a mastectomy because of breast cancer or a high likelihood of getting it due to a BRCA gene mutation.  My engagement through my Foundation work involves those individuals who have chosen the profession of plastic surgery, oncology, radiology, and breast surgery to serve those individuals affected by breast cancer.  Most importantly, is involves the community of survivors. How did this all happen for me and where has it evolved over Continue Reading →

The Importance of Shared Decision Making: Breast Reconstruction

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What is the importance of shared decision making in breast reconstruction? A recent study published on the JAMA Network site stated this in the Conclusions and Relevance portion of the article: Shared decision making is needed to support decisions about breast reconstruction. Shared decision making is a daunting, yet attainable task, for both surgeon and patient when discussing the risks associated with breast reconstruction.  The article stated: Breast reconstruction has the potential to improve a person’s body image and quality of life but has important risks. Variations in who undergoes breast reconstruction have led to questions about the quality of patient decisions. My breast reconstruction experience was successful even though met with challenges that included out of pocket costs for travel, planning and recovery, calling on family and friends to help with recovery, and subsequent surgeries for scar revision and symmetry.  It also improved my body image and quality of Continue Reading →

My Double Mastectomy: Three Years Later

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Double Mastectomy: Three Years Later May 15, 2014, I was sitting in a hospital room recovering from a double mastectomy.  Why am I smiling so much in the photo?  The answer: I just finished a phone conversation with my parents.  They live a little over one thousand miles from me.  I couldn’t believe how little pain I was in and how good I felt.  It was important to me that they hear my voice. Both my Mother and Father were in disbelief that I was calling them. Just 24 hours before, they were on alert at their home waiting for the phone call to let them know I was out of surgery and doing well.  When I mentioned to them I was heading home in a couple of hours after the call, they were even more surprised.  I could hear the sense of relief in their voices over the phone. Continue Reading →

Support During DIEP Flap Surgery

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Support During DIEP Flap Surgery Finding support during DIEP flap breast reconstruction is paramount to the success and recovery of your surgery.  When I speak to others who are contemplating this type of breast reconstruction one of the first questions I ask is, “Do you have a support system?”  I follow with the statement, “You will need it for this surgery!” Support during DIEP flap can include a variety of individuals both personal and professional.  I wanted to take a retrospective look at the support women had for their DIEP flap surgery.  I posted this question in the on-line support group I administer for breast reconstruction after mastectomy. Name the three people who you found the greatest support from during your own DIEP flap breast reconstruction process. Breast surgeons, plastic surgeons, family members and friends can look at the replies from these women who have already had DIEP, who it was Continue Reading →

DIEP Flap Belly Button

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Did you know you’ll be getting a new belly button if you choose to have DIEP flap breast reconstruction after a mastectomy?  The study referenced in this blog uses the medical term, umbilical reconstruction, known to most of us as the belly button.  We’re approaching belly button season so I wanted to share this part of my DIEP flap surgery along with the study while having a bit of fun with this post, too! I had the privilege of meeting one of the authors of the study last year at Plastic Surgery the Meeting (#PSTM16) in Los Angeles, Dr. Samuel Lin.  He is a kind gentleman with a warm smile and easy to chat with.  It is apparent he is very dedicated to his profession.  Dr. Lin presented the paper at AAPS (American Association of Plastic Surgeons) meeting in Austin, Texas this year.  I became interested in this study when Continue Reading →