#InternationalDayOfHappiness

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#InternationalDayOfHappiness March 20, 2016 has been designated #InternationalDayOfHappiness. There are events, material items and people who define happiness for individuals. I believe that most of society across continents and cultures seeks happiness. It is an elusive concept difficult to defined because it is an individual response to a number of external factors. Those factors might include one’s physical surroundings, current state of health, or individuals you are with. I want to share one such day of happiness that I recently experienced and what defined happiness for me that day. It began with an invitation from friends to join in the Susan G. Komen breast cancer walk in our town. This same group of women invited me to go last year but I had to decline because I was days away from the second phase of my DIEP flap breast reconstruction surgery. I remember fondly a group picture they texted to Continue Reading →

Areola Tattooing Post Breast Reconstruction

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Areola Tattooing Post Breast Reconstruction Areola tattooing is usually the final phase of breast reconstruction after mastectomy. The nipple can be rebuilt using the patient’s own skin after reconstructive surgery.  This normally takes place about 3-4 months after phase 1, the transfer of the tummy tissue and blood vessels to create a warm, soft, breast mound. A 3D tattoo of the entire nipple and areola complex can also be done if a patient does not have the nipple rebuilt.   Both procedures can be done as a final step to restore the breast as close to its natural look as possible. Many plastic surgeons offer tattooing in their office but there is an alternative. You can go to a skilled and qualified tattoo artist to have these procedures done. A patient who has had the nipple rebuilt can have the areola area tattooed. Some chose not to have the nipple Continue Reading →

#WorldBookDay #DrSeussDay #ILookLikeAPlasticSurgeon

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#WorldBookDay #DrSeussDay #ILookLikeAPlasticSurgeon Today, March 3, 2016, is #WorldBookDay and it is trending on Twitter. One of my favorite tweets, showing some of the world’s most exquisite libraries. They look to be true museums of the mind!  It seems appropriate to me as a life-long educator that this day follows yesterday’s celebration of #ReadAcrossAmerica and #DrSeussDay. I have fond memories of reading our favorite Dr. Seuss book to our own two boys who are now grown men, one of whom has a son of his own. We would sit them in our lap or beside us in a comfy chair and read The Cat in the Hat. Teachers love Dr. Seuss Day in their classrooms.  It gives them an opportunity to wear the beloved hat or costume that has become so familiar across the U.S. and globe. It is a day that gives them an opportunity to simply enjoy the Continue Reading →

Genetic Testing ~ A Tough Decision

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Genetic Testing ~ A Tough Decision A recent article I read, Beyond BRCA: Testing negative and living in the “gray zone” for cancer risk, motivated me to write a personal response.  This is the story of my own genetic testing that for me was a tough decision. The article was about a fellow Twitter advocate in the breast cancer community, Stacey Tinianov. We have a bit in common as you can see by the list. Both love coffee and tweeting. You can find Stacey on Twitter @coffeemommy and me @6state Both maintain a healthy diet and active lifestyle Both gave birth to our children before the age of 30 Both had two children and nursed them Both love the “blueberry diet”… AKA…”a lifetime of following the myriad of published “cancer prevention” techniques Both diagnosed with breast cancer in our 40’s (me> a 2nd diagnosis in my 50’s) Chemotherapy – Shared Continue Reading →

DIEP flap surgery: Packing for your Hospital Stay

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DIEP flap surgery: Packing for your Hospital Stay Here is a simple list of what to pack for your hospital stay for DIEP flap surgery: First and foremost: ID, insurance card, glasses and holder or contacts and case, and any medications your physician would like you to take in hospital. This might include the ever important stool softeners, daily meds you normally take and/or your pain meds if they were ordered ahead of your surgery to take with you. Pillow ~ I brought a very soft & squishy micro bead pillow with a removable/washable cover.  This is not the exact one I had but a suggestion of something similar. Why? You will be lying on your back and I like having a pillow up next to my face to “mimic” side sleeping. It was cozy and there were times when the nurses told me it looked so comfy they were Continue Reading →

Pregnancy After DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction

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Pregnancy After DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction I meet amazing women and hear inspiring stories of courage in my breast reconstruction education and outreach. We share pictures, laughs, tears, fears, and stories of triumph in my conversations with these women warriors. Chats with these women, not only in the U.S., but across the globe fuels and energizes me to continue this advocacy. This story, pregnancy after DIEP flap breast reconstruction, touched my heart as a mother of two boys. I am fortunate through my travels to meet DIEP flap patients in person. Nothing gives me greater joy than sharing my experience and listening to others’ journeys through their own breast reconstruction process. It is a shared strength and sisterhood few understand and appreciate. One fortunate meeting and follow up story I wrote might seem nothing short of miraculous.  Although for each of us, our stories too, feel miraculous after we’ve reached Continue Reading →

#WorldCancerDay February 4, 2016

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#WorldCancerDay February 4, 2016 It would be a day of celebration if we did not even have a #WorldCancerDay trending on social media. A #WorldCureDay is what we would all like to see trending. That seems impossible and unlikely to many. So what does #WorldCancerDay mean to you? My short answer and one that holds great meaning to me personally: #Community.  A community of #WeCanICan. I resisted being part of that cancer community when I was diagnosed with breast cancer the first time. Get it out, kill it with the toxic chemo and radiate it until it is no more. I did not want to be in that community. I wanted to move on and get back to a “normal” life. Diagnoses number two? I decided it was time to join the community. What a community they are! Yes, it is a community of frightened patients. It is a community Continue Reading →

Baldness During Breast Cancer & Chemo

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Baldness During Breast Cancer & Chemo Baldness during Breast Cancer & Chemo is not an easy side affect for most women. You could walk around for weeks, months without anyone knowing you have breast cancer unless… wait for it… you’re on CHEMO, especially the type causing hair loss!!! The sight of a women who is bald is a forgone conclusion and truly screams, “I’m on chemo and have cancer!” It’s just not an easy pill to swallow, excuse the tongue in cheek. Many forms of chemo cause hair loss in women. It did for me and the brave women who volunteered to use their photos to be in this blog post. They all willingly shared their pictures for a reason. We did it to support another woman who is going through chemo as I write this blog. But, whether you have been through chemo, are currently going through chemo, or Continue Reading →