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*Treatment results may vary
Pics
The first pic is two years post dmx. The rest are 10 months post DIEP with Dr. Shuhao Zhang. While the fading is staring to take place. I expect it will take a full two years for everything to fade like it did with my DMX. Dr. Zhang also said I could have a procedure to help lighten the scars more quickly, but I would like to give my body some more time to heal on its own.
Sacramento DIEP Flap Reconstruction
My cancer journey started in 2018 with a DMX to a flat result. While this was an okay result, I gained some weight and had a hollowed out look that made me uncomfortable.
In 2020 I met with Dr. Zhang and he said that I would still be able to have a DIEP procedure if I started with expanders. So in August of 2020 Dr. Zhang placed the expanders and by November I was ready for DIEP. Scheduling issues prevented me from completing the process in the same calendar year but in April of 2021 my DIEP was completed. The surgery was long (9-10 hrs) but everything went as expected. I spent 2 nights at Mercy San Juan. The nursing staff was fabulous and were very careful with me and my new flaps. Thankfully, the flaps survived. Healing was a slow process, but I was up walking and feeling good within about two weeks. I initially had 4 drains, the first two were out after about 10 days and the other two after about a month.
Dr Zhang monitored my healing and answered all of my questions. The abdominal aspect of this surgery was something way more significant then I had imagined. I am happy to report that I have a waistline again and a flat abdominal wall. My former belly created about C cup breast which is actually a bit larger then I was to start.
After almost a year of healing and living in my updated body I can honestly say that I am happy to have gone through this process and that Dr. Zhang was thorough and meticulous with the work he did. My breasts have scars as I was flat after my DMX, but the scars are continuing to fade. I have not yet decided if I want to have 3D tattoos so that is still a possibility. The best part is that my new breasts are soft and feel very natural. Currently, I do not feel any need to have additional surgeries to tweak the work Dr. Zhang completed.
In 2020 I met with Dr. Zhang and he said that I would still be able to have a DIEP procedure if I started with expanders. So in August of 2020 Dr. Zhang placed the expanders and by November I was ready for DIEP. Scheduling issues prevented me from completing the process in the same calendar year but in April of 2021 my DIEP was completed. The surgery was long (9-10 hrs) but everything went as expected. I spent 2 nights at Mercy San Juan. The nursing staff was fabulous and were very careful with me and my new flaps. Thankfully, the flaps survived. Healing was a slow process, but I was up walking and feeling good within about two weeks. I initially had 4 drains, the first two were out after about 10 days and the other two after about a month.
Dr Zhang monitored my healing and answered all of my questions. The abdominal aspect of this surgery was something way more significant then I had imagined. I am happy to report that I have a waistline again and a flat abdominal wall. My former belly created about C cup breast which is actually a bit larger then I was to start.
After almost a year of healing and living in my updated body I can honestly say that I am happy to have gone through this process and that Dr. Zhang was thorough and meticulous with the work he did. My breasts have scars as I was flat after my DMX, but the scars are continuing to fade. I have not yet decided if I want to have 3D tattoos so that is still a possibility. The best part is that my new breasts are soft and feel very natural. Currently, I do not feel any need to have additional surgeries to tweak the work Dr. Zhang completed.
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