I saw a patient of mine a few weeks ago who remarked, “Up until I received my diagnosis of breast cancer, I felt in control in life, able to make decisions about life, family, and work…. Now, I have been through treatment, surgery, and treatment now following surgery…. my reconstruction is the only thing I feel I have control over….”
While, indeed, issues of health often have seemingly unknown paths and future, our job as plastic and reconstructive surgeons is to first and foremost educate, in this case regarding breast reconstruction…. The consultation for breast reconstruction should be educational, and may be a process in order to provide as much information as possible about all the options… At the end of the day, the choice for reconstruction is one that everyone is one same page about…..