Suzanne’s Story
"I thought it was a thing of the past that people lacked access to that surgical care. I was really surprised, so this is important to me. At this point in time, most people should have that access, because it’s out there, and they don’t need to experience that trauma.”
Procedures:
When Suzanne was diagnosed with breast cancer, she said she felt like a deer in headlights.
“I was scheduled for a breast reduction in January of 2024. I went to see my plastic surgeon in September, we had everything scheduled for January. When the time was coming close to the surgery, I was due for my mammogram in March. The breast reduction surgery was only nine months after my last mammogram, but I said I may as well go and have it just to be doubly safe, and so I went, and sure enough they found a mass,” Suzanne explained.
A biopsy confirmed Stage 1A invasive ductal carcinoma in Suzanne’s breast. Her initial plan was to undergo a breast reduction and a lumpectomy. That plan changed when an MRI showed a second tumor in her left breast, another in her right breast, and an area of atypical cells in her right breast.
Suzanne’s husband is an anesthesiologist, which gave her contact with trusted practitioners and surgeons. A nurse herself, Suzanne had also spent time working on a critical care floor with patients who underwent mastectomies. When she first found the area in her breast, her husband had asked whether she wanted to undergo bilateral mastectomies with DIEP flap breast reconstruction for peace of mind. At that time, she said, “Absolutely not. I am not going to put my body through that.” Faced with multiple areas of malignancy, Suzanne assembled a team. Together, they chose bilateral mastectomies with DIEP flap breast reconstruction after all.
“The con with the DIEP flap was the time on the operating table, and that I think is where the trust of the anesthesia team and the surgeons really played into my decision. It seemed like the best surgery for me, because there are no foreign bodies involved, and once you’re done and done with the tweaking you’re done. There’s no maintenance involved.”
Suzanne leaned into the trust she felt with her surgical team and reassurance from her husband. She underwent bilateral mastectomies with DIEP flap breast reconstruction in February of 2024. The procedure went well and she recovered without complications. She credits her smooth recovery to a combination of world-class care, extraordinary community support, and a relentless focus on moving forward.
“I had the most incredible support from my community. All of the mothers [of my children’s classmates] sent me dinner for me and my family for a couple of months. I had incredible family support, and that was huge, that made me feel really good. There are milestones; you have to focus on them. You have your surgery. You go back and have a couple of drains taken out, and then you go back and have the rest of the drains taken out. You can’t be a hero. You have to medicate yourself if that’s something that feels right for you. You have to keep yourself comfortable, and you have to proactively prepare.”
For Suzanne, proactivity and preparation looked like setting up rides for her two, adolescent children’s activities ahead of time, communicating with family and friends, ensuring that she had proper self care lined up at home, and going to physical therapy. Her smooth recovery set her up for a successful revision procedure in May of the same year. She continues to work on range of motion and some lymphatic cording alongside ongoing care for neurological concerns, but otherwise, she said she feels fantastic.
“I don’t have grief for my old body. As much as I valued it, I feel great about my body now. To me, the scars are symbols of strength and resilience and good fortune. I was able to have the surgery, save my life, and heal up and move on, and so I’m kind of proud of them.”
As she reflected on her experience, Suzanne said that her positive attitude was, in many ways, a product of gratitude.
“I didn’t know how lucky I was until my surgeon told me that only fifty percent of women have reconstructive surgery. I was really shocked by that statistic, because I remember when I was a nurse and when I worked on a general surgery floor when I cared for people who had mastectomies and they just had a flat chest and two staple marks and it was really traumatic for them. I didn’t have to experience that trauma and that grief. I woke up with this brand new, beautiful body. I thought it was a thing of the past that people lacked access to that surgical care. I was really surprised, so this is important to me. At this point in time, most people should have that access, because it’s out there, and they don’t need to experience that trauma.”