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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: Will Scar Tissue Buildup Be A Concern With The Gap Flap?

July 25, 2014 by

 

<alt="pink lotus flower"/>This week, Dr. James Craigie of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your questions.

Question: My wife had a double mastectomy 10 years ago. At that time she had latissimus surgery to fill in her breasts. Since then, we’ve had numerous surgeries, about every 2 years, due to scar tissue building up in 1 of the 2 (or both) breasts that causes tightening and even pain. Will scar tissue buildup be a concern with the Gap Flap? 2. Regarding the Gap Flap procedure, what is the rate of failure that you experience with any of the 4 surgery sites (2 buttocks, 2 breasts)? Thanks.

Answer: Hi — I’m assuming your wife has implants under the latissimus flaps, which would explain the buildup of scar tissue. GAP flaps are generally large enough to make a breast by themselves (obviously, sizes differ among different people), so implants are not needed, and internal scar buildup would be a very rare event. We last calculated our statistics in October of last year. Over 10 years, we did 217 GAPs, 49 as unilateral, 168 as simultaneous bilateral. The GAP flap survival rate was 97% overall. All of the failures were in bilateral cases, but no patient lost both flaps, yielding a simultaneous bilateral flap survival rate of 96.4%. We have done quite a few GAPs since then with no failures (most recently a simultaneous bilateral last week), so the current statistics are actually a little better than that. We don’t bury flaps, and therefore can’t miss (or ignore) a failure, so these are ironclad statistics that could survive a GAO audit. To our knowledge, only Dr. Allen (who invented breast perforator flaps and trained the rest of us), his ex-partners in New Orleans, and ourselves actually do simultaneous bilateral GAP flaps on a routine basis. I’d be happy to discuss your situation further if you wish, just call or email.

Dr. James Craigie

Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction

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

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Breast Reconstruction Surgery: What Can I Expect In Terms of Nerve Recovery?

March 14, 2014 by

breast reconstruction

This week, the Charleston breast surgeons with The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your questions.

Q: How long does it take for nerves to recover and for full skin sensation to return after reconstructive surgery?

A: During any surgery, numerous sensory nerves, generally too small to have names, are invariably cut. Depending on the extent of the surgery, this can result in numbness of the skin or other areas. This is not typically regarded as a complication, but rather an essentially inescapable result of making an incision in the body. Most of the little divided nerves literally “wither away,” and other sensory nerves eventually grow in to take their place, restoring sensation once again. This process can take anywhere from a few months to 1 – 2 years. There is no limit on how late sensation can be regained, but the longer, beyond 1 – 2 years numbness, lasts, the less likely it is that sensation will spontaneously return. Occasionally, numbness can persist indefinitely, although this is uncommon.

In addition to numbness, other symptoms such as discomfort, hypersensitivity, or chronic pain can also result as a consequence of nerve damage following any surgery. Thankfully, these complications are much rarer then numbness. While it can be very difficult to ascertain exactly what mechanism is causing discomfort, some possibilities include traction or tethering of nerves by scar tissue, or formation of a “neuroma,” which is a painful little ball of tissue at the end of a regenerating nerve.

Nerves irritated by adjacent scarring may be helped by massage, injection of local anesthetics, or simply the passage of time. Neuromas, which are thankfully extremely rare following breast surgery, usually result in pain when pressure is applied to a very specific location, and can be much harder to treat. Surprisingly, additional surgery is often not effective in treating these rare cases of chronic pain, and referral to a Pain Therapist for injectable nerve blocks may be the most effective option.

Dr. Richard M. Kline and Dr. James Craigie

Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction

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

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How One Woman Discovered the Positive Outcomes of Reconstruction Surgery and Cancer

November 30, 2011 by

Today’s In Her Words post comes to us from a past patient of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction, Jakki Grimball. Jakki is a breast cancer survivor who lived in Columbia, SC and traveled to Charleston to receive her DIEP reconstructive surgery. Today, her and her husband live in Charleston where her husband is the director of The Neighborhood House, an organization providing services for people in need, including food pantry, soup kitchen, emergency assistance, sewing classes, resume writing, and more.

See below for our interview with Jakki:

What type of reconstruction surgery did you have and how do you feel about the results?

I had the DIEP flap procedure done October 2007 by Dr. Craigie. The outcome far outweighs the surgery and recovery time. I am very pleased with the results and having a tummy tuck as an added benefit!

Would you make the same decision again if you could go back?

I would definitely make the same decision. I had a friend who had implants and she now wishes she had done the DIEP flap procedure. She’s had several complications. Of course, I believe I had the best plastic surgeon in South Carolina perform my surgery.

What advice would you give to women who have undergone a mastectomy or double mastectomy and are unsure about natural breast reconstruction?

I would and have advised women to have the DIEP flap surgery. It is far better to have natural breast reconstruction than to have a foreign substance placed in the body. I realize advances have been made in breast implants and there are fewer adverse effects; however, I believe that using my own tissue left little opportunity for infections and other complications. I have never regretted having the surgery or choosing Dr. Craigie as my surgeon.

In what ways has breast cancer both negatively and positively affected your life?

The only negative affect breast cancer had in my life was the mastectomy and the chemotherapy. I firmly believe God has a purpose for everything and having breast cancer made me more aware of how fragile life can be. Breast cancer brought my family and friends closer and I hate to say it, but it weeded out those who were truly not my friends. I found out I had breast cancer three days before my wedding and I gave my fiancé the chance to cancel the wedding. He told me he would marry me at my bedside if necessary. So the diagnosis also brought us closer together. I now cherish every moment and I don’t sweat the small stuff (sometimes not even the big stuff).

You and your husband recently relocated from Columbia, SC to Charleston, SC where your husband is the Executive Director of Neighborhood House. Tell us a little bit about this non-profit organization and how it helps the community.

Click here to view a document from The Neighborhood House, outlining their mission and daily services to the community.

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Answering Your Breast Implant Questions

November 18, 2011 by

dr. richard klineThe question below is answered by Dr. Richard M. Kline, Jr., of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction

I had cancer in my left breast 15 yrs. ago, had the lump taken out, then developed a rather large cyst in the same breast. I had the cyst removed, which left me with only half a breast. I also had 8 weeks of radiation. I wanted a breast implant but the doctor said I couldn’t get one. Since it has been so long, could I now get one? I am 75 but still don’t feel good about my breast. I wear a breast form, but it’s not the same.

It is sometimes possible to reconstruct a lumpectomy defect with an implant, but your history of radiation makes success less likely. To some extent, the size of the implant you would require, and the amount of radiation injury you have sustained, influence the chances for success. Flap surgery, while significantly more involved, is ideal for use in radiated tissues, as it allows us to use healthy, non-radiated tissue to replace what is missing. Age, in and of itself, does not affect the success of either surgery, as long as you are generally healthy.

—Dr. Richard M. Kline, Jr.

Do you have a question about breast implants or natural breast reconstruction? Ask the doctor by emailing us at blog@naturalbreastreconstruction.com.

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Nerve Recovery and Breast Reconstructive Surgery

November 4, 2011 by

breast reconstructionThe below question is answered by the Charleston breast surgeons at The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction.

How long does it take for nerves to recover and for full skin sensation to return after reconstructive surgery?

During any surgery, numerous sensory nerves, generally too small to have names, are invariably cut. Depending on the extent of the surgery, this can result in numbness of the skin or other areas. This is not typically regarded as a complication, but rather an essentially inescapable result of making an incision in the body. Most of the little divided nerves literally “wither away,” and other sensory nerves eventually grow in to take their place, restoring sensation once again. This process can take anywhere from a few months to 1 – 2 years. There is no limit on how late sensation can be regained, but the longer, beyond 1 – 2 years numbness, lasts, the less likely it is that sensation will spontaneously return. Occasionally, numbness can persist indefinitely, although this is uncommon.

In addition to numbness, other symptoms such as discomfort, hypersensitivity, or chronic pain can also result as a consequence of nerve damage following any surgery. Thankfully, these complications are much rarer then numbness. While it can be very difficult to ascertain exactly what mechanism is causing discomfort, some possibilities include traction or tethering of nerves by scar tissue, or formation of a “neuroma,” which is a painful little ball of tissue at the end of a regenerating nerve.

Nerves irritated by adjacent scarring may be helped by massage, injection of local anesthetics, or simply the passage of time. Neuromas, which are thankfully extremely rare following breast surgery, usually result in pain when pressure is applied to a very specific location, and can be much harder to treat. Surprisingly, additional surgery is often not effective in treating these rare cases of chronic pain, and referral to a Pain Therapist for injectable nerve blocks may be the most effective option.

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10 Questions to Ask Your Breast Surgeon

September 16, 2011 by

breast surgeryUndergoing any type of surgery is stressful. But the best way to reduce your fears, stresses, and concerns is to do your research and be prepared both before and after surgery. It’s important to understand possible complications during and after surgery, as well as details on the actual procedure.

For patients who are considering breast reconstruction surgery, it’s important to talk with your doctor about your concerns. Some of the most important questions to ask include . . .

1.     Why are you recommending this procedure?

2.     What are the risks? How do they compare with the benefits?

3.     How do I prepare for surgery?

4.     What type of anesthesia will I have?

5.     What happens during and right after surgery?

6.     Who do I talk to about breast reconstruction?

7.     How long will I be in the hospital?

8.     Are there possible complications?

9.     When can I go back to work and resume normal activities?

10.  What are the risks of lymphedema?

Did you find this post helpful? We’d love to hear from you in our comments section.

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Having a Positive Outlook on Life Before, During, & After Breast Cancer: Interview with Leslie Haywood

July 27, 2011 by
Leslie Haywood

Leslie Haywood

We are SO excited to share with you Part II of our interview with Leslie Haywood, creator of Grill Charms™. For those of you who have not yet read Part I of this interview, Leslie shared her story as a breast cancer survivor and explained how she started a successful company while undergoing treatments.

We absolutely love how Leslie can be so inspirational and funny at the same time!

If you missed Part I of this interview, click here.

See below for Part II of our exclusive and highly inspirational (not to mention, hilarious!) interview with Leslie Haywood:

1. Your first Grill Charms™ sale was somewhat unexpected! Tell us where you were and how you sold your first Grill Charms™.

Oh yes! My most memorable sale to date! I was in the office for my final “procedure,” if you will. I was in The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction office for my nice pinkish brown tattoo. As you can imagine, I have known all the folks at Dr. Craigie’s office  for over a year by then (and  pretty intimately I must say), so in an effort to help me think about anything other than what she was doing, the nurse asked about how my brand new business was going. Her distraction technique worked! I instantly forgot the discomfort and gave her the complete rundown of Grill Charms™, ending with: “I have a set to show you in my purse over there!”

By the time the nurse was done waving her buzzing magic wand all over my reconstructed girl parts, she said “I need 5!”  I immediately jumped off the table (still half dressed), showed her the set out of my purse, and right then and there, with my cell phone calculator (yep, still topless) I totaled up everything plus tax and she wrote the check on the spot. After our business transaction was done, she helped me with the bandage / pad etc. and I put my clothes back on. I can’t imagine any other sale being quite as “interesting” as this one. Obviously I’m not opposed to be doing business topless, but thankfully I have not had to resort to that since!

 

Grill Charms pink collection

Grill Charms Pink Collection

5. How did you decide which type of breast reconstruction surgery you wanted?

Because of my family history, I feel like I was at an “advantage” (if you can call it that!). I have had YEARS to consider and decide how I would handle a breast cancer diagnosis. Back when my mother had her treatment and reconstruction, there were very few options and she pretty much did what she was told (mastectomy and implant).

I saw what 20 years had done to her reconstruction and had always wanted better for myself. I didn’t like the idea of an implant being in me for all eternity and also knew that I wanted “symmetry” for the rest of my life, so both boobs would HAVE TO GO! The fact that my “baby pooch” would be used to make my new breasts and the fact that I’d have the stomach I used to have in my 20’s, was a BONUS!

Oh, another little story about the surgery (**For those of you who know me, you know I’m the queen of TMI, so you’ll have to excuse my “frankness” when it comes to what some might view as sensitive topics. I apologize if my candor and tone offends anyone.).  Okay… so when the decision was made and we knew that “natural breast reconstruction” was the way to go, and that “belly fat” was where my new breasts were going to come from, I talked to my husband about “size.”  He said “porn star, please” and I said “NO WAY,” but I did want something to show off.  I really wanted to make sure that Dr. Craigie had enough “material” to work with, so I went on an 8-week eating FRENZY!

My family would watch me getting 2nds and 3rds of my favorite food, STEAK! They’d say “Leslie . . . slow down there girl!” and my reply was always the same, “Shut up! I’M MAKING BOOBIES!” For those 8 weeks, food and I had a magical relationship! Ahhh…. I miss those days!

Now what I DID NOT take into account with natural breast reconstruction was how my breasts would look after the surgery. With my tummy flat and my new natural breasts a fabulous B+ maybe C, I wanted do right by my “second chance” and  eat right and exercise to keep it. I have never been more fit in all my life! BUT, because the new breasts are “all natural,” when I started to lose all that “boobie making weight” and toned everything up, my new breasts acted exactly like my old ones. There was a little shrinkage factor! So now I’m more like an A+ to a B-, but I have never been happier with my body and I have never been more in shape in my entire life! Just look how awesome they are! THANKS Dr. Baron for saving my life and thanks Dr.Craigie for making me look and feel better than ever!

6. What would you tell women who have had a mastectomy or are planning on undergoing one about natural breast reconstruction?

You owe it to yourself to at least learn about natural breast reconstruction and fully understand this option. Knowledge is power and you will never regret finding out about what you don’t know. There has not been a single SECOND that I wish that I had done things any differently. Natural breast reconstruction was the absolute best option for me, NO QUESTION!

About Leslie Haywood and Grill Charms™:

Leslie Haywood is founder and President of Charmed Life Products, LLC, and inventor of Grill Charms™. Leslie was a stay-at-home mom when a very spicy light bulb moment thrust her into the entrepreneurial ring. During the start up phase of her company, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, but still managed to launch her product on store shelves within 18 months and is now sold in over 400 stores internationally. She has been featured numerous times on CNBC, various local and regional news programs, as well as ABC’s prime time reality TV show Shark Tank seasons I and II. Her story and product have publicized in such magazines as Everyday with Rachael Ray, Parenting magazine, Health magazine, Inventors Digest, and was also featured on The Today Show. All the while she is mindful of “the cause,” whether it’s giving back through “The Pink Collection” of her gift and grilling accessory Grill Charms™, or her work as Honorary Chair for The Race for the Cure .

Leslie’s Special Offer:

***Put “natural” in the coupon code of www.grillcharms.com for 10% off!***

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What is Capsular Contracture?

July 15, 2011 by

breast reconstruction

The below question is answered by The Center For Natural Breast Reconstruction team:

I’m considering implant-based breast reconstruction. My surgeon mentioned a “risk of capsular contracture.” What exactly is that?

Capsular contracture is an abnormal response of the immune system to foreign materials in the human body. Medically, it occurs mostly in context of the complications from breast implants and artificial joint prosthetics.
The occurrence of capsular contraction follows the formation of capsules of tightly-woven collagen fibers, created by the immune response to the presence of foreign objects surgically installed to the human body, e.g. breast implants, artificial pacemakers, orthopedic prostheses; biological protection by isolation and toleration. Capsular contracture occurs when the collagen-fiber capsule tightens and squeezes the breast implant; as such, it is a medical complication that can be very painful and discomforting, and might distort the aesthetics of the breast implant and the breast.

Although the cause of capsular contracture is unknown, factors common to its incidence include bacterial contamination, rupture of the breast-implant shell, leakage of the silicone-gel filling, and hematoma.
Moreover, because capsular contracture is a consequence of the immune system defending the patient’s bodily integrity and health, it might reoccur, even after the requisite corrective surgery for the initial incidence.

The degree of an incidence of capsular contracture is graded using the four-grade Baker scale:

• Grade I — the breast is normally soft and appears natural in size and shape
• Grade II — the breast is a little firm, but appears normal
• Grade III — the breast is firm and appears abnormal
• Grade IV — the breast is hard, painful to the touch, and appears abnormal

–The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction team

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Step Two in Quitting Smoking: Pick a Time to Stop

June 27, 2011 by

quit smokingIf you’ve read the First Step in Quitting Smoking post, (link to first smoking post) you know why you want to quit. Now it’s time to take that step and do it.

Have you decided how you want to quit? You have several options, including pharmaceutical aids such as nicotine replacement therapy or Chantix, hypnotherapy, laser therapy, a telephone quitline, and cold turkey. Any of these methods can work, but only you know what is likely to work for you, based on your previous quit attempts. If you’re not sure which way you want to go, call your state’s quitline, or talk to your doctor.

Once you’ve decided how and why you want to do it, when are you going to do it? If you wait for the perfect time, it may never come. On the other hand, most smokers can remember a time when their minds or bodies were screaming it was time to quit, and they ignored those signals. If a signal comes to you in the middle of the night or while you’re driving home, get rid of those cigarettes immediately, and let that signal be the first moment of your quit.

There’s a reason your mind and body are telling you to quit at that moment—don’t ignore it.

Should you set a quit date?

If you call a quitline, they will ask you to set a quit date so you’ll commit to quitting. Some people question whether that is a good idea. The answer to that is, “it depends.” For some people, having a date is the first goal of their quit plan. They have time to prepare themselves and others for their quit. They can rid the house and car of all smoking paraphernalia, buy any pharmaceutical aids they need, and decide beforehand how to avoid and deal with cravings.

Some ex-smokers swear that picking a quit date wouldn’t have worked for them because it would have added even more stress to the process of quitting. Some people feel a sense of failure if they miss the quit date. Others use the quit date as an excuse to avoid quitting. They’ll set a quit date two weeks away, then as the date approaches, they move it back another two weeks. They tell themselves they need more time to plan, when they need to take action instead.

In the end, you have to decide what will work for you. In the end, it doesn’t matter if you quit on the first or the fifth of the month—you need to quit, and the time is now. If planning your life typically makes you more successful, pick a quit date, but don’t stretch it out more than two weeks. If setting a quit date will make you put off quitting, or if you feel motivated to do it now, seize the moment and get rid of the cigarettes.

Has setting a quit date ever worked for you? Why or why not?

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