POSTED UNDER Breast Reconstruction REVIEWS
Get Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy! Will Post Pics Soon :) - Ogden, UT
ORIGINAL POST
(I will post photos when I get them all together...
miss loveOctober 21, 2013
WORTH IT$35,000
(I will post photos when I get them all together in sequence) First off, I had no family history of Breast Cancer, but was diagnosed with it in one breast on 3/6/2012. I had a nipple sparing mastectomy on one breast on 4/12/2012. I had immediate reconstruction on my other breast with a tissue expander. I had 6 rounds of chemo, I didn't need radiation so the reconstruction was an option for me. After reconstruction, they filled the expander gradually until I was the size of breasts I wanted. It didn't hurt at all, just a bit tight because the skin had to stretch because the they had to remove some of the skin during mastectomy On 2/7/2013, I had surgery for an implant exchange on both breasts. They turned out great. One of them had tissue in it and the other had no tissue because the cancer was completely removed in one breast. On 9/19/2013, I had a breast lift to match up the shape, size of breast, areola and nipples. One of my implants had been sliding he fixed that at the same time. I am still in the final process of Breast Reconstruction. My Plastic Surgeon reassured me that he can fix the breast if it doesn't settle and round out. He put me at ease and reassured me during the whole process. Keep in mind this is a long process, (year and a half or so) but it was worth every minute! Please get reconstruction, insurance covers it or you can usually get help from grants or financial help from the hospital. I spoke to many women who chose not to get it because they said their husbands didn't care. I told them it is for them, for confidence, self esteem and just feeling feminine and getting back to moving on with their lives. For some women, it was too late, they didn't know their insurance covered it, which is now mandatory. Waking up after mastectomy and looking down and seeing what looked like a breast (tissue expander) was the happiest day of my life! I did feel alone. Family and friends helped me through the struggle with depression. I even met alot of people struggling with Breast Cancer or lost others to it. I actually chronicled my baldness and struggle on Facebook! I stayed as optimistic as possible and decided to be brave and educate people on it. I needed support, but didn't feel like going to support groups. Feel free to ask questions or message me.
Replies (6)
September 12, 2015
I just thought I would check in on you! How are you doing and do you feel like your back to a normal routine with your new breasts?
September 16, 2015
Your story has touched my heart. My aunt is a breast cancer survivor. She too made the decision to embrace her femininity and remained so positive through, what I imagined was her darkest hour. She wore vibrant wigs in many styles, textures and colors. I admire her and you for your strength and courage. I look forward to following you. #Fcancer
September 25, 2015
You just made my day :) Make sure you get mammograms and let them know you have implants because they use a different technique. You are beautiful inside and out...and I agree!!! #Fcancer
September 26, 2015
:)) awe thank u! I had one done just before surgery! I wanted to make sure before I moved forward.
March 17, 2017
FOLLOW UP: Well, after my initial review, my outlook on my previous Plastic Surgeon has changed. I was afraid to post anything else because he was angry that I initially commented when he found out about the post. My opinion on this Doctor has changed. After my reconstruction, in order to get better results, he recommended a breast lift to decrease the size of my areola and raise my nipple so it matched the position of the one breast I had a Mastectomy on. The first breast lift was terrible. My breast was boxy looking and squared with extra skin on the left side which made my implant slide under my armpit. He didn't seem to want to fix it, but I insisted. He did a another breast lift revision which rounded out my breast but unfortunately created a white circle around the areola which had barely been decreased from the initial breast lift. That was my specific request for the revision. I regret going to this Plastic Surgeon. He started off with a good bedside manner. He seemed to listen to my questions, but unfortunately didn't want to give me options. I have been in constant pain which he just brushed me off about. He also ranted about my initial post on this site stating his Colleague saw it and told me he would have rather me ask him about things which I wasn't comfortable doing because he kept minimizing my concerns. He put me in an awkward position on my follow up appointment. I posted the comment here so I could get possible recommendations from other Doctors since he dismissed my issues anytime I asked in depth questions. I also requested my medical records so I would have info on my implant serial numbers since he told me he didn't know how to find that in the system. Upon reading them, they were extremely unprofessional. He actually documented personal and private conversations I had with him. It was humiliating. I was embarrassed and felt betrayed. I thought these were confidential. In addition, he actually documented in my medical records referring to my comments on this blog stating he was upset about it. I feel like he did a botched surgery on my breast which I didn't have cancer in. The breast I had a mastectomy on turned out pretty well, it does have alot of rippling. He also was supposed to refer me to a physical therapist since I had lymph nodes removed since there was cancer in them. Instead, I have thick scar tissue which has affected reaching, raising my arms, etc. I found out about the protocol after the fact. After my last follow up, I told him about the constant pain I have in both breasts, all he kept saying to me was it's probably capsular contracture which can come on at any time. During the entire process, I called him once because I was concerned about a knot under my arm after the first breast lift. He was on call that night. He returned my call and asked why I did'nt come in earlier. I told him the office staff told me he was booked and they couldn't fit me in. He became upset at me for calling, even using profanity which later in the call apologized for. I really wish he would have been more professional. He joked around with me alot which put me at ease in the beginning. Unfortunately, he seemed to avoid and minimize my concerns after my implant was put in on my non-cancerous breast. After he brought up the blog, I told the staff on this website because he was rude and stand offish at the appointment he brought the blog up at. They made an exception and removed it. Although one of his collegues may tell him about my comment, I feel it would be beneficial to now state his real name so I can hopefully help others in the process. Dr. Jeremy Rinard at McKay Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah. I still recommend getting breast reconstruction. He told me he didn't have a gallery of patients he worked on. He told me that it's unrealistic to show me previous patients results since others results may vary. I highly suggest going to a Plastic Surgeon who will actually show you a gallery of their work. I still recommend Breast Reconstruction but go to someone who is professional, addresses your issues and understands all facets of the procedures. Good luck to you all. Life get's better so hang in there!
Thank you so much for sharing your journey on RealSelf. Your bravery and openness are much appreciated by many other women. I have heard other women express the need for support during this lonely and challenging time but they also didn't feel like reaching out to support groups. Thank goodness for the internet as online support can be helpful. Thank you for the tips on getting reconstruction...so glad you did it for yourself. Looking forward to your photos. And, most importantly, congratulations on conquering the cancer!