51. Healing After Mastectomy: Natalie Ditri's Story of Breast Cancer and Recovery

Preparing for breast cancer surgery was all-consuming once I found out I had an invasive ductal carcinoma in my left breast. I never stopped to think about what might be part of recovery from the nipple-sparing and skin-sparing mastectomy until I was in the recovery room. Then I learned the skin on my left breast was potentially going to be at risk for impaired healing or tissue death. My plastic surgeon had a solution for mitigating this at-risk situation.  In this episode, I am sharing how I spent the hours and days after the mastectomy, leading up to hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This is a series that goes through the process of this (aggressive) wound care approach to "save my flap".  Spoiler alert: The skin healed mostly beautifully and and quickly, but not without a few side-effects I was not expecting.  The content of this podcast is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a healthcare professional regarding your healthcare questions and concerns.  This podcast contains opinions of the host.  If you'd like to be the first to receive updates and exclusive content from the upcoming Breast Cancer Life newsletter, please email me at [email protected]. I'd love to have you on the list! LET'S CONNECT: [email protected]  Follow us on Pinterest