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Archives for February 2017

5 Self-Care Tips

February 28, 2017 by

 

Between working full-time jobs, taking care of our families, and juggling day-to-day activities, it’s easy to forget about self-care and put everyone and everything else before our own needs.

Think about it…

How many times have you put your own desires on the back burner in order to cater to someone else, whether it be work, your partner, or your children?

There’s nothing wrong with taking care of others.

In fact, the ability to put others before yourself is a beautiful gift that not everyone has. But serving others doesn’t mean you should stop taking care of yourself.

Self-care, especially when you are someone who puts yourself last, is an extremely important topic. That’s why, this week, we’re sharing with you easy tips to ensure you get the self-care you need so you can live a happy, healthy, and balanced life.

Keep reading to discover a few self-care tips that you can easily implement into your schedule every week.

Schedule Weekly “Me Time”

Long work days, carpooling your kids to various activities, being there for a friend who needs a shoulder to cry on, and other similar activities eat up a lot of your time. And when you have a servant’s heart, it can be really hard to say no when someone needs you.

That’s why it is so important to block time off during your week that is “me time.”

Some people need an hour every night to relax and refresh, while others need an hour every other day. It’s up to you how much time you think you’ll need.

The idea is that whatever amount of time you block off is for you and you only.

Don’t let anyone schedule plans with you during that time. Tell your partner you will be unavailable during your “you time” so he or she can help with the chores or kids or manage anything else that needs to get done.

Turn off your phone and computer so people don’t have access to you.

Use your time to relax, unwind, and enjoy the things you love to do.

Cook a Meal You Love Once a Week

For those of you that have children and/or a picky partner, cooking can often be a chore.

You may find yourself making mac-n-cheese 3 nights a week because your children won’t eat anything else. Or maybe you refrain from making your favorite vegetarian dish because your significant other doesn’t enjoy veggies.

It’s ok to compromise and make meals that will make everyone happy…but what about you?

Every once in a while, you deserve to indulge in your favorite foods, too. That’s why, once a week, you should treat yourself to cooking your favorite meal.

If your kids or spouse doesn’t enjoy what you make one night a week, there’s always bread and peanut butter in the pantry.

If you don’t want to search for a good recipe, check out some of our favorites:

Quick and Easy Soup Recipes

Quick and Healthy Meal Recipes 

Simple Charleston-Area Recipes 

Visit a Spa

Everyone deserves to be pampered once in a while—even you!

If you are able, a trip to the spa to get your nails done or get a massage is a great way to relax and take care of yourself. Let someone take care of you for a change!

If you know a handful of other women that need some self-care, get a group of girlfriends together and make it a fun outing.

If you’re in the Charleston, South Carolina area, we recommend these local spas.

Get Some Exercise

Part of self-care is ensuring your body is healthy and happy. This means partaking in some form of exercise every week to keep your mind clear and your body strong.

This doesn’t mean spending hours breaking your back at the gym. That’s no fun. We encourage you to pick activities you love, like yoga, walking, Zumba, etc.

There are many forms of exercise, like hiking or dance classes, that you can do in groups. Make your self-care exercise time more fun by inviting your friends to join these types of activities with you if you enjoy having company.

Just Be

At times, life can be hard, stressful, and challenging. For that reason, sometimes the best form of self-care is to simply sit quietly and just be.

This can be accomplished in many ways.

Some people prefer meditation, a time where they can sit in peace, reflect, and free their mind. Others enjoy things like taking a hot bath with calming music in the background, or sitting in nature and admiring the views for a while.

The idea is to lose yourself in the stillness and calmness of the moment so you can free your mind, relax, and enjoy yourself.

The laundry, business reports, and doctors’ appointments will all still be there when you’re done relaxing, so take some time and just be.

 What do you do regularly for self-care? Let us know in the comments below!

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Ask the Doctor- Can you have reconstruction after a full body lipo suction?

February 24, 2017 by

This week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question:  Hello I’m a cancer survivor and I have a question. I’ve been on this roller coaster ride for the last past six years and I’m ready to get off of it six years with the painful mishaps of reconstruction NOT the cancer. So my question is…it possible to have breast reconstruction after you have had a full body lipo suction everywhere. I mean where would a doctor get any fat or tissue from? I’ve had several failed breast augmentation and several capsules therefore the skin is very thin.

I now have my 8th capsule (ROCK ) I’m just about ready to cut them OFF myself, totally miserable. I have just about given up my faith and search and doctors because every time I go under the knife and get my hopes up high. I end up in the same boat. Is safe to say I feel like cutting them off myself I’m sick off these rocks are very painful is there anything that can be done? Thanks in advance

Answer:  It may be possible to reconstruct your breasts with your own natural tissue, but I can’t give you odds without examining you, and then probably ordering an MRI angiogram to evaluate the status of the perforating blood vessels that we use to transfer tissue.

The first question is whether you have enough extra tissue left after liposuction to make it worthwhile doing a microvascular transfer to the breast area. The areas we commonly use are the abdomen, the buttocks, and the posterior thigh. “Enough” is a relative term, to a large extent defined by your personal breast size goals.

The second issue is whether you have usable blood vessels in any areas which we could potentially transfer as flaps. This can usually be determined by a pre-operative MRI angiogram. Unfortunately, this requires an unusually strong (3T) MRI machine, and a specialized exam protocol, so ordinarily it must be done at a special facility here in Charleston.

Thanks very much for your question. I would be happy to discuss your situation further by phone or in person, if you wish..

Have a question about breast reconstruction or post-surgical you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask!

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How to Make Exercising More Fun

February 21, 2017 by

 

Exercise is good for our heart, muscles, and lungs, and helps us release stress and extra energy that builds up inside ourselves.

It’s something that, no matter how old or young we are, we all need to do in order to keep our bodies strong and stay healthy.

Unfortunately, many people avoid exercise because they feel incapable of it, or are intimidated by it. Part of the problem is that many people believe you need to spend hours at a gym lifting heavy weights or running miles on a treadmill to get a good workout.

This is simply not true.

Any time you are up and moving, you are getting exercise. That means you can turn daily activities into exercise and, most importantly, have fun while you’re doing it!

Keep reading to discover a few ways you can have fun while exercising—without the expensive gym membership or insane workout plans!

Dance

Dancing is a wonderful form of exercise, and it’s a total body workout.

When you dance, you get a solid cardio workout, strengthen your muscles, and improve your flexibility. The best part is that it only takes about a half hour of dancing to your favorite tunes to provide you with your daily dose of exercise.

If you want a more structured form of dance exercise, we recommend taking a class, like salsa dancing or Zumba. You can find these classes available at local community centers, dance studios, or gyms.

Play Outside with Your Kids

The next time your children, grandchildren, or nieces or nephews ask you to play outside, unleash your inner child and go for it!

Playing a game of tag, hopscotch, or jump rope is a fun way to get fresh air while moving your body. You’ll have so much fun, you’ll forget you’re even exercising.

It’s important for both kids and adults to get out and move, so try scheduling a half hour of outdoor play every day.

Join a Club Sport

If you love watching football, basketball, baseball, or any other sport on the big screen, we know you will enjoy getting off the couch and playing your favorite sport.

It doesn’t matter if you your were colleges all-star player, or if you have two left feet. Anyone can participate and have a good time when she participates in club sports.

Rally a bunch of your friends or family members together, join a team, and get a workout on the field together.

Take a Hike

If you dislike running on a treadmill, but want to improve your endurance, build strength, and get a good cardio work out ,take a hike!

When you hit the trails, you get the same amount of exercise as you would on a treadmill, but you get to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and work out at a more comfortable pace. Most people get so wrapped up in the beauty of nature that they forget they are even working out!

Pick a cool day, invite a friend, be sure to bring plenty of water, and plan an exciting day on the trails.

What’s your favorite fun exercise routine? Share in the comments below!

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Ask the Doctor- Can you you improve my issues and tell me the cost?

February 17, 2017 by

This week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question: Due to strong family history of breast cancer, I had a bi-lateral subcutaneous mastectomy. I had this surgery shortly after my husband died suddenly from a MI. I was in my early thirties with two young children to raise. I had such a poor result and complications from that procedure, I am now interested in using abdominal fat for both breasts. Until this year, I had no fat @ 123lbs.

I now have abdominal fat, @ 137lbs. The poor result of the surgery destroyed my self-confidence as a woman. I am 68 yrs. old in great health but, because of the way I look, I have never accepted an invitation for a “date,” in all those years. My chest is tight, painful, with random indentions that were cuts made into the muscle in an effort to give me some relief.

I got no relief, just exacerbated the look, the shape of both breasts. Does this sound like an issue you could improve? Also, could you give me just a ballpark cost, a guesstimate, the range of lowest to highest cost? Thank you.

Answer:  Good questions. I’m going to copy our doctors and physician assistant to answer the clinical questions for you. There are other options for you to consider and they can ask some questions to be able to help you decide what might work out best for you. The whole team is in surgery right now but I am sure they will reply as soon as they have a chance to catch up on their e-mail.

In the meantime, here are some basic ideas of cost. This would be for a “self pay” patient. We do accept most insurances so ultimately your financial responsibility would be based on the contract between you and your insurance company. This is a very rough estimate based on some research into the same question for a patient early last year. We’d have to update for you if you choose to proceed but it’s a good starting point.

The fee for a DIEP flap for a private pay patient is $10,000.00 per side. Rib cartilage resection to access vein $1604.78. Mesh placement to repair abdomen $1032.00. Second side/procedures are discounted by 50%.

Anesthesia is per hour at $500 for the first hour and then $300 each hour after. These procedures typically take 4 to 5 hours for one side.
Pre-operative imaging $3015.44 (MRA pelvis/abdomen)

East Cooper Hospital $ 25,000.00 – covers operating room and 4 day inpatient stay.

Hope this information is useful, please feel free to send any additional questions you may have, we’re always happy to help!

Have a question about breast reconstruction or post-surgical you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask!

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In Her Words: Moving Forward in a Post-Surgical World

February 14, 2017 by

 Everywhere you look, it seems there are blogs, posters, and articles that talk about how to stay positive while battling breast cancer. This is not a bad thing. It’s important for women to be encouraged and think good thoughts as they are dealing with such a serious illness.

However, when our only focus becomes positive reaffirmations and fuzzy pink boas, we forget to talk about another side of having cancer—a side that needs to be discussed.

We forget to talk about the ugly, dark, painful, uncomfortable, and scary side of having cancer.

We know, this isn’t a conversation that anyone enjoys having.

But it’s important.

Why? Because understanding the “uglier” sides of battling cancer is a part of what helps women move forward after their courageous battle.

Betsi Green, a breast cancer survivor and a patient at The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction, wants to help women who are in the same situation as she was by sharing her story.

She hopes her story will help breast cancer survivors find peace and comfort as they make the transition into a post-surgical world—despite the challenges and discomforts that come with recovery.

Here’s Betsi’s story in her own words…

“Cancer is ugly.  Cancer is raw.  Cancer is painful.  Cancer is more than simply losing your hair.” – Betsi Green

On the first of November, Dr. Paul Baron did a right skin sparing modified radical mastectomy with lymphatic mapping and sentinel node biopsy. In short that means Dr. Baron removed my right breast and a handful of lymph nodes.

In the operating room, Dr. James Craigie inserted an expander where my breast had been. The expander, as its name suggests, is used to expand the skin and keep the tissue viable for the reconstruction surgery.

During surgery, the expander is filled with air.  Shortly after surgery, in a follow up appointment, the expander is filled with a saline solution.  This is done in the surgeon’s office.  The syringe is inserted in the center of the expander.

Let’s talk about the expander.  It wasn’t painful. It was uncomfortable. It was very uncomfortable.

It was difficult to bend over.  I felt like I had a brick on my chest.  It was difficult to have water from the shower hit my tender skin. It was difficult to have material touching my skin.

Did I say it was uncomfortable?

The skin felt very thin and pulled, which I expected, just didn’t expect it to be as tight as it felt.  Sleeping with the expander kept me to my left side or on my back.

It wasn’t until the first week of December, I noticed something was wrong.  The bottom half of my expander had turned red.

Anytime you have a foreign object in your body, you want to keep a close eye on how it looks and/or feels.  This bright red color told me something, and it was not good.

I did not feel any different.  I had no pain.  The uncomfortableness of the expander remained. These days, I really didn’t care what my chest looked like.  However, in this case, looks mattered and I “kept an eye” on it.  I was hoping it would simply go away on its own.

It turned out my expander was infected.

I share this with you for one particular reason:  SPEAK UP!  If you are uncomfortable, go see your team. If you think something is wrong…it probably is!  There are things they can do to help the comfort level.

Don’t be shy.  You are (or should be) in control of your cancer journey as much as possible. The doctors and their staff are not mind readers.  Let them know if you need an “adjustment”.

Ask them how they can help you be more comfortable.

The cancer dance is an ongoing experience.  My dance has been ongoing since June 2016.  It will continue thru the 2017 calendar year.  One appointment, one diagnosis, one doctor, one surgery, one chemotherapy treatment, and one CT scan does not complete the experience.

There are a lot of ugly things that can happen as you recover from your battle with breast cancer. But if you know about them, and speak up, you will be able to get the help you need.

You can make a huge difference in how your own personal cancer treatments affect you.

Be confident and as comfortable as possible as you move forward thru your own individual journey. And by all means…keep moving forward.

-Betsi Green

Check out Betsi’s blog and read more about her journey here.

Do you have any words of wisdom on recovering from breast cancer? Share them below!

 

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Ask the Doctor- Can you help with a radical?

February 10, 2017 by

This week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question: Had a radical on one side and a more common one on the other due to cancer. Can you help?

Answer:  If you have some extra skin and fat on your abdomen, buttocks, or thighs, then there may be a good chance we can use that to reconstruct you. It can be very difficult or even impossible to reconstruct a radical mastectomy defect with an implant, but if we are able to use your own tissue it could potentially be very straightforward, depending on the particulars of your situation.

I would be happy to call and discuss your situation in more detail, if you wish.

Have a question about breast reconstruction or post-surgical you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask!

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Fun Valentine’s Day Activity Ideas

February 7, 2017 by

Thanks to Valentine’s Day, February is commonly known as the month of love. On the 14th day of this month, many people show love to their friends, family, and significant others, while participating in Valentine’s Day activities.

While we believe that you should express your love for others throughout the entire year, we also know how fun it is to plan special surprises and events on Valentine’s Day.

To help you celebrate, we’ve put together a few of our favorite Valentine’s Day activities so you can plan the best day ever for your partner, friends, or family.

The best part—you can set aside some of these ideas to use throughout the rest of the year to show people how much you care.

Keep reading to discover some of our family Valentine’s Day activities.

Make a Homemade Meal

For many people, food is the key to their hearts. After all, who doesn’t love a home-cooked meal comprised of their favorite foods?

Taking the time out of your busy schedule to cook a meal on Valentine’s Day is a great way to show how much you care. And it’s easy, too!

All you need to do is find out your special Valentine’s favorite meal, and then cook!

Call up your girlfriends for a dinner party at your house, invite your parents or siblings over, or plan a special dinner in for you and your significant other this year. We promise you can’t go wrong with this idea!

 Make a Delicious Dessert

If you’re not much of a cook, but you love to bake, making a Valentine’s Day dessert may be good choice for you.

Here are a few different ways you can use dessert to say “I love you!”

#1 Make your partner’s favorite dessert and serve it as an after-dinner surprise.

#2 Bake a batch of desserts (like brownies or cookies) and hand them out at the office or to your neighbors.

#3 If you have children, make a dessert like cupcakes, and then get the whole family to decorate them and celebrate together.

Go Out for Coffee

Taking a friend, family member, or significant other out for coffee (or tea!) is a great opportunity to spend time with those you love.

This Valentine’s date idea is budget friendly, but most importantly, buys you precious time to chat and spend quality time with the ones you care about. Time together is certainly the best gift of all.

If you’re able, give your “Valentine” a gift card for future coffee dates throughout the year.

Have an In-Home Movie Night

Avoid the Valentine’s Day crowds and have a movie night in the comfort of your own home.

This type of activity works well when you want to celebrate with a bunch of friends, but want to keep the activity cost budget friendly.  Simply put together a list of people you want to celebrate with, pick a movie, and ask your friends to bring a sweet treat to share.

A movie night in is also a great option for a more intimate date night.

Pick out your significant other’s favorite movie, make a yummy movie treat, grab a cozy blanket, and enjoy a quiet evening  together.

Get Out the Crafts

If you have children, a Valentine’s Day crafting night can be a lot of fun.

We recommend using colored paper, stencils, and stickers to write Valentine’s Day cards for each other. This is a great way to remind your children how much they are loved.

While the cards are fun, it’s also a wonderful way to spend quality time with your kids…something they will cherish forever.

Volunteer

Not many people think about doing volunteer work on Valentine’s Day, but it’s a good way to show your community how much you care. It’s amazing how much one act of service can impact a person who needs a little extra love this season.

This Valentine’s Day, get your family or friends together and pick your favorite place to lend a hand like a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or animal shelter.

Not only will your community feel loved, but you’ll also feel good about making a difference.

Do you have a favorite Valentine’s Day activity? Share it in the comments below!

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Ask the Doctor- What exercises will help my pain?

February 3, 2017 by

This week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.

Question: I had tissue expander insertion 3 weeks ago, drain removed today, filling started last week (60 ml) and again today. I’m having a significant amount of pain in my armpit, drain site and back of shoulder above scapula. Knowing I can’t raise arm above my shoulder, what exercises would help?

Answer: Not sure any exercises would help. It is fairly common to have pain in armpit and drain site, not so much so above scapula. My first recommendation is to discuss your concerns with your treating surgeon. We are happy to give you all the support we can, but at this point your treating surgeon should be your first resource. We are, however, here if you have further questions.

Have a question about breast reconstruction or post-surgical you’d like answered from our surgical team? Just ask!

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