[Margaret Eleanor]

I had bilateral DIEP reconstruction about 7 weeks ago. I would do it all over again without hesitation...but only with the right surgeon. I had my DIEP surgery six months after MRM. I wouldn't call it a surgical complication, but I did end up getting shingles about a week after I had surgery which has slowed down my recovery.

I do want to caution you about one thing though...listen VERY carefully to the options presented by the plastic surgeon that you choose. You only have the option to get what your surgeon offers. I met with a total of four plastic surgeons before I finally decided who to go with. All four performed DIEP, but two of them would not consider a DIEP for me. They would only offer a muscle sparing free TRAM flap...which is still a TRAM flap...to me based on a CT scan of my pelvis and abdomen. These two particular surgeons are in the same practice, assist each other and otherwise work very closely together. These same two surgeons had originally offered implants as an option for me only to pull them off the table with the DIEP at the last minute. I had to let these two guys go. I felt like they couldn't make up their minds and I just I could not stand the thought of either one of them touching me asleep or awake. I need a more confident surgeon. The third surgeon would not do a DIEP reconstruction for one year after radiation.

The fourth surgeon, who I drove six hours to meet, said he never takes away the DIEP option until he sees the veins and arteries and measures the blood flow. He did prepare me that once I was asleep he could end up doing a muscle sparing free tram flap on me, but it was a very small chance. He was confident and caring. I chose him to do my DIEP...which ended up a true DIEP.

Good Luck to you! I hope you love your new girls as much as I'm loving mine (we named them Chrissy, in honor of my plastic surgeon, and Shea, in honor of the location of my cancer treatment center; I thought they deserved more than just left and right).