I am a breast cancer survivor who found myself with two completely different size breast following my lumpectomy and radiation treatment. Being an F cup in my larger breast, my oncology team suggested I have a bilateral breast reduction. I consulted with 4 surgeons and went with Dr. K. Roxanne Grawe, partially on my own feelings and partially from the glowing recommendation from my radiation oncologist. She appeared to understand what I was going through.in our consultation she asked what were my expectations of the outcome of this surgery. I told her I was expecting my breasts to be similarly sized and the nipples pointing in the same direction. She laughed and said, "We can do that!"
Five months post-op, I can tell you no she could NOT! Within 2 months after surgery I began noticing large hematomas. The beginning of September, I went to see Dr. Grawe and she aspirated 140CCs of blood from one of the larger deposits. I was told to use hot compresses to soften the remaining ones and to return in 2 weeks. When I returned, she was no longer with the practice. We had received no information regarding her leaving, nor was there a continuity of care plan presented to us. Dr. Shah was very curt with me and said he would not be aspirating, but he was going to insert a drainage tube into my breast. He made an incision in the right breast and allowed the blood to drain for approximately 15 minutes before inserting a simple rubber tube into my breast. It was open on the end, so I asked to where was this going to drain. He told me to "put a maxi pad" in my bra. Needless to say, I developed a breast infection. When I returned to him, he was upset, as if it was my fault the infection occurred. He said there was nothing more he could do. I was sent to Interventional Radiology at a local hospital for an ultrasound. At this time, a catheter and drain tube were inserted into my breast with an ostomy bag to catch the drainage. I had to leave this bag attached to my breast for the following week while the infection drained. The odor was noticeable and the bag was quite cumbersome.
I left the practice and am receiving my follow-ups from another plastic surgeon. I am now almost 6 months post-op. My right breast, the one that received radiation, is smaller, sits higher on my chest, and the nipple points to the outside of my body. The breasts aren't equal in size, in "latitude", or in nipple placement. What a slap in the face to have survived cancer and the subsequent treatments, only to have the event that was supposed to make me feel better about myself be the most traumatic.
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