Can We Drive Change in Breast Sensation Through Webinar Attendance?

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We have become accustomed to attending online webinars. One I have watched from inception is the iBreastBook webinars. It was designed by oncoplastic breast surgeon Yazan Masannat. He is located in Aberdeen, Scotland. I continually learn from these webinars and appreciate the global presence of presenters and attendees. Yazan is driving change in breast surgery by exploring the latest surgical techniques in breast surgery in these online learning opportunities. The most recent one I attended I ask myself; can we drive change in breast sensation through webinar attendance?” Why is Driving Change in Breast Sensation Important to Me? The title of the webinar I am commenting on is, Mastectomy: What is New. The presenters were an impressive group of international surgeons in breast surgery. They are as follows: I am a patient who has experienced successful return of sensation to my breasts after DIEP flap breast reconstruction. It is equally Continue Reading →

Tribal Unity Sends all the Right Messages in Breast Cancer

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You may be familiar with the long running American television series, “Survivor.” The premise of the show is that each team begins on different tribes. At the end, the real benefits and strength of the team are when the separate tribes join together creating one tribal union. Alliances form and tribes forge through adversity. This is when tribal unity sends all the right messages in breast cancer in my corner of the patient advocate world. This is familiar to me in the world of breast cancer, breast surgery, and breast reconstruction. As a patient advocate, I see a variety of platforms on social media helping communities affected by breast cancer. I watch these separate entities support specific biology types of breast cancer, gender specific breast cancer, ethnic specific breast cancer communities, wellness and survivorship, and the various choices made in the decision process for treatment and surgery. They run a Continue Reading →

Season 2, Episode 1: Breast Reconstruction Awareness in Australia

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It is with great honor I present Season 2, Episode 1: Breast Reconstruction Awareness in Australia of the DiepCJourney podcast. Connections made with patients and surgeons in the world of plastic surgery undoubtedly serve the purpose of improving patient outcomes. It is such a pleasure to be able to present this information and education on a global level from this fine Australian microsurgeon who has ignited breast reconstruction awareness in Australia. Dr. Joe Dusseldorp Ignites Breast Reconstruction Awareness in Australia The overriding mission through these global connections is “upping our game”. My guest, Dr. Joe Dusseldorp has certainly exhibited this. Not only is he an internationally trained microsurgeon, but he is a TEDx Talks presenter on personalizing medicine and how technology is making the incurable curable. I’m passionate about solving some of the difficult problems in plastic surgery, and applying the best that emerging technology can offer to constantly advance Continue Reading →

Episode 19: Delayed and Revision Breast Reconstruction

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Dr. David Light, MD, of NYBRA Plastic Surgery, is a board certified, fellowship trained plastic surgeon with a dual practice focused on breast reconstruction and aesthetic surgery. Our topic on Episode 19: delayed and revision breast reconstruction. Here is the summary of our conversation on the DiepCJourney podcast. Telemedicine for Delayed and Revision Breast Reconstruction Dr. Light performs over three hundred primary and revision breast surgeries per year. Besides DIEPflap, he also performs other microsurgical specialty flaps for breast reconstruction including the SIEA, PAP, LTP, and GAP flap. His practice also includes implant-based breast reconstruction. Microsurgery is a unique subspecialty of plastic surgery requiring further training. It involves anastomosis or tying together of blood vessels among other skills. For this reason, access  to microsurgeons is limited across the U. S. Many patients must travel to have autologous breast reconstruction, reconstruction using your own tissue with a blood source. Microsurgeons have Continue Reading →

Fatigued by Being Affected by Breast Cancer?

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People are affected by breast cancer in many ways. A person diagnosed can be fatigued from treatments. Some effects may seem short-term after finishing chemotherapy, radiation, or having surgery. Those in the metastatic breast cancer community have life-long effects they face for the remainder of their lives. I am speaking of the long-term effects of fatigue and being affected by breast cancer in both of these groups. The Fatigue that Effects Daily Living        Fatigue from breast cancer can come in many forms. You may feel physically fatigued from having surgery or undergoing treatment. It disrupts your body’s system causing it to work overtime during the healing process. As you sit in your chair feeling this way, you may become sad, feeling helpless, as you watch others trying to take care of you when perhaps a week or month before surgery or treatment you were the one taking care of others. Continue Reading →

Episode 17: Journey of the Caregiver

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Caregivers are called upon in the most unexpected ways through disease, an accident, surgery, or treatment. This is the story and journey of a thousand miles, two breast cancer diagnoses, multiple surgeries, and the story of how my son, Brian, taught me more about this role and what it means to be a compassionate caregiver on Episode 17: Journey of the Caregiver, on the DiepCJourney podcast. No Instruction Book for a Caregiver When a friend or loved one faces a health event and you know they will need assistance, your call to duty to be a caregiver begins. There is no payment for this role and certainly no instruction book. Both the patient and the caregiver shift their daily routine and begin to think in terms of strategy to help the patient. Considerations can include any or all of the following: This can all become overwhelming and require a great Continue Reading →

Episode 9: Optimal Flat Closure in Breast Surgery

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It is important for patients considering any kind of breast reconstruction to be informed and educated  about all your options. My guest on the DiepCJourney podcast are two microsurgeons from Midwest Breast and Aesthetic Surgery in Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Pankaj Tiwari and Dr. Ergun Kocak worked and trained together at Ohio State. “All things in Columbus come back to THE Ohio State University” as Dr. Tiwari states. They are two ideal surgeons to discuss the topic on episode 9, optimal flat closure. The Change in Breast Surgery Terms I stated in the podcast during my surgical consultation in 2002, correction, I meant to say 2014, I was not given the options for optimal flat closure. There is a reason I was not. The procedure, closure after mastectomy, has been around for an exceptionally long time. The change that has taken place recently is in the terminology used with emphasis on Continue Reading →

Packing When Traveling for DIEP flap Breast Reconstruction

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Many women travel for breast reconstruction surgery. Why? Access to a plastic surgeon in your town may not be available. It was not for me so I decided to summarize a list of what I recommend you will be packing when traveling for DIEP flap breast reconstruction. Why Patients Choose to Travel for DIEP flap If you are having autologous breast reconstruction, like DIEP flap or any other type of tissue reconstruction, finding a microsurgeon to perform your breast reconstruction is important. Microsurgery is a specialty of plastic surgery. These surgeons perform tissue reconstruction. Tissue reconstruction has warm blood flow in the transferred tissue used to reconstruct the breast. It requires great skill and additional training beyond plastic surgery training to tie the tiny blood vessels together to achieve the blood flow in the newly reconstructed breast making it feel more like the native breast tissue removed from a mastectomy Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Nipple Tattoo Artistry Experience

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This story is about three friends in vastly separate places in their lives, uniquely connected through the breast cancer experience, and a narrative of a breast reconstruction nipple tattoo artistry experience. Whitney’s Breast Reconstruction Story I met Whitney in 2019 shortly after moving back to Seattle. Our past connections are uncanny. We remain friends and the story behind how it came to be still warms my heart. You can read more about it in this blog and how Whitney’s genetic mutation for ATM and CHEK2 put her at high risk for getting breast cancer. She completed her breast reconstruction Journey traveling to San Antonio having her DIEP flap performed at PRMA. Whitney communicated with me while she was in Texas revealing how pleased she was with her surgery. My heart was happy to hear about support from her husband and other Journey members living in the San Antonia area. Because Continue Reading →

Episode 24: Sexual Health Program for Cancer Patients

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Sharon Bober, PhD, Psychologist, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Assistant Professor in the department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, chats with us on this episode of the DiepCJourney podcast. I met Sharon through the Scientific Network on Female Sexual Health and Cancer where she is the current chair of this organization. Our topic in this blog summary of the podcast; sexual health program for cancer patients. Why Sexual Health is not Often Talked About I feel the intimate and sometimes uncomfortable nature of the topic, sexual health, is one of the major reasons it is not often talked about at consult for cancer patients. Dr. Bober points out very few medical professionals have formal training in sexual health. Further, she points out managing sexual disfunction remains outside the bounds of normal conversation. A noticeably clear statement she makes is, “We live in a culture that is suffused with images of Continue Reading →