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FLATworks
เข้าร่วมเมื่อ 5 พ.ย. 2010
FLATworks promotes the flat option after mastectomy surgery and provides support to people navigating this process.
My choice to go flat, with Lisa Konstadt
Flat as a Pancake author, Lisa Konstadt, shares about the very personal process she went through to choose a flat closure years before the flat movement was underway.
มุมมอง: 242
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"What are your priorities?" An interview with Tracy Cushing, MD MPH
มุมมอง 314ปีที่แล้ว
Physician, patient advocate, and breast cancer survivor Tracy Cushing reflects on her experiences going flat, including being doubted by her medical team and navigating this decision with her husband. Dr. Cushing urges women to know their priorities when making reconstructive decisions. She also calls on providers to ask patients about priorities, fully inform patients about the risks of recons...
Dating After Going Flat: An interview with Marquita Bass
มุมมอง 564ปีที่แล้ว
Marquita Bass, author of the book, Orange is the Pink: My Battle with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer, reflects on her experiences explanting breast implants and going flat. In this inspiring conversation, Marquita shares about making a paradigm shift to value herself and not letting cancer or breast loss define the terms of her worth, her sexiness, and what she has to offer potential partners. I...
FLAT-ish: I wish I knew about Aesthetic Flat Closure before my double mastectomy
มุมมอง 6Kปีที่แล้ว
In this interview, breast cancer survivor Sarah Clark shares about waking up with unwanted extra skin on her chest when she wanted to be flat after her double mastectomy. The extra skin has impacted her body image and complicated her adjustment to being flat. Sarah also talks about dating after going flat and meeting her now-wife.
They Need to Hear Us
มุมมอง 242ปีที่แล้ว
Breast cancer survivor Kimberly Bowles talks about her experience of Flat Denial and starting her international nonprofit organization, Not Putting on a Shirt, where she advocates for optimal outcomes for women choosing to go flat after mastectomy surgery. Kim also talks about adjusting to being flat, how the FLAT movement has grown, and the importance of being a strong self-advocate. And, she ...
Christy Avila: It takes a thousand voices
มุมมอง 416ปีที่แล้ว
Christy Avila reflects on starting her 10k-member Fierce, FLAT, Forward Facebook support group, International FLAT Day, and a legacy of activism in a movement she has devoted herself to advancing.
My wife went FLAT after breast cancer
มุมมอง 1.3Kปีที่แล้ว
What I wish I'd known when my wife had breast cancer and went flat.
I never want breasts cancer ♋️ or vaginal cancer ever 😢
None of us want it but we are not given a choice!
I never want cancer ♋️ and if it ever comes i will do prothesis and breasts implants
By all means, do what you must do. But if you have Inflammatory Breast Cancer reconstruction is much more difficult than just adding silicone! Actually, you can't have regular implants.
Going flat why
Going flat is not good
Not beautiful without boobs 😢
Going flat is the worse idea 5:50
No, it isn't.
Going flat is the worse thing 😫 any woman does
No, it isn't!
Thanks for such an honest and generous discussion ❤
The terminology around flat closure didn't exist when I got my surgery but my surgeons still knew damn well that I didn't want the hard, ugly, uncomfortable silicone implants they made me have. I remember saying "can I not just be free, can I not just be me?" I don't think it should be on the patient to know the exact words to use - the options should just all be presented to us openly so we can choose our preferred outcome.
Thanks for sharing a male partner's perspective. Tbh I never really considered my husband in the decision - as a previvor it had stalked my family since before I'd known him so I'd always been desperate for risk reducing double mastectomy. The surgeons who initially forced me to consent to unwanted implants in order to get my surgery were entirely focused on what others might think of my appearance, at the expense of my wishes, comfort and muscle function. Having someone who has your back and can advocate for you when you are vulnerable is so important.
I love this , thank you for sharing ❤
Thank you for sharing. I appreciate it.
Love it!!! Thanks for this.
Amazing video! Thank your husband for me. This is so amazing to hear his story. ❤
I am sorry for your experience. I'm a board certified plastic surgeon taking care of cancer patients and sadly you are not alone Sarah. I meet patients like you more often than I should. I think there is increasing awareness now on esthetic flat closure and I will be doing a short video on this soon on my patient educational channel. I had one patient I made flat 6 years ago and changed her mind and she was able to get delayed reconstruction. There are always options. As surgeons we are rarely 'offended' when you get a second opinion; most of us just want you to feel comfortable and have the result you desire with a surgeon you trust. I keep brochures on flat closure in my consultation room, along with breast implants. No one size fits all for patients.
Thank you. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in April and will have my double mastectomy in a week. I’m choosing aesthetic flat closure thanks to Kim’s website and information.
What a great video from a male perspective. I just had a double mastectomy but I am now considering going flat. Ive always been small breasted and not missing much. Really, I just don’t care anymore. Really don’t want anymore surgeries. Besides, the prosthesis looks great! I can take them in and can take them out whenever I want lol.
what brand did you purchase?
@@donnatalbot1670 I used the Amoena Brand. Love it. Luckily, my insurance paid for eight nice bras and I got a set of regular prostheses and then another set for the water.
I had a terrible experience
I tried reconstructing directly after mastectomy, nearly died, the expanders were a pain out of this world, had to be removed which I ended up with an infection. So now I wear prosthesis and have a lot of scar tissue which hurts from time to time. I don’t ever want reconstruction
I've just had mastectomy with expanders. The surgery was yesterday and the pain has been incredible but it's the weekend so nobody has been available to help or advise. When I woke I was expecting full implants and appreciated that if there was trouble with them during radiotherapy then I would have them removed but at least Id known I'd given it a go. I wouldn't have gone for expanders knowing I'd need a further surgery down the line. They are very good at glossing over words and you feel almost like you don't have much choice. They just say removing the cancer is more important than anything. How awful that they never listened or clarified with either of us. Bless her. Heartbreaking to hear that she's having to have further surgery. I'm pleased she's going elsewhere. Thank you for sharing xx
I try to avoid tissue expanders whenever I can; direct-to-implant is always the top choice if possible.
@elinabalt7716 I’m glad you got the surgery you are happy with! It’s important your surgeon discusses the possible complications of any procedure. I posted a TH-cam short on my channel with a very happy flat closure patient. She wanted nipples and I performed free nipple grafting.
@elinabalt7716I am coming up on my mastectomy surgery likely early March. At first I thought the thing to do was get reconstruction with expanders and implants. Then I was given paperwork to sign regarding the implants. I took a copy of it home to read line by line. Why would anyone sign up for such great potential for complications and further disease. 😢 Thanks for sharing. It is comments like yours that let me know I am on the right track.
I think no matter which option we choose as women, we all want symmetry, comfort and the most attractive results possible. We shouldn’t have to struggle with body image issues after the fact on top of a cancer diagnosis and treatment. We need more honest conversations and pictures out in the open. Now it’s too hidden in shame and embarrassment.
I’m seeing my surgeon on Friday. I now know exactly what to say. Thank you
I love this video! I have breast cancer stage 1 and will be going flat on June 7th. It makes perfect sense to me. I am older and don’t have a partner so that is not an issue for me. The love your husband has for you is wonderful and just emanates from him at times. You are a lucky woman. 💕
I am older and flat. My husband is glad I opted for flat. Breasts do not define a woman.
It so important that doctors and surgeons - who know more about the details of breast surgery and mastectomy - to FULLY inform patients of ALL of their options with respect to any level of reconstruction. In other words, they should carefully outline what flat closure is/can be, and to educate patients about the “lingo” needed to communicate what the patient desires. It’s shocking to me that a plastic surgeon would not automatically focus upon flat closure options for someone who indicated that that’s what her desire was. To ignore the patient’s desires for an aesthetic flat closure - even if they don’t use those words - seems to be gross negligence / malpractice.
Bless you, the doctor should have listened to you. You were the person paying the doctor for a job that you wanted. Do not feel bad for getting what you want. It’s your life and your happiness. I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 37 and I chose reconstruction and 16 years later, I chose flat closure. I am happy I did and it’s a very personal choice either way. May your next surgery be beautiful and successful. ❤
Did you have reconstruction complications ?? I’m going to have to make a decision in a few months and I’m really nervous
@@Amethyst12thheaven Did your revision surgery go well?
@@lisagreer9282 still waiting- it’s supposed to happen this month. I decided on uni-mastectomy with DTI. Thank you for asking 😊
Thank you for a fabulous conversation. It was extremely helpful.
Thank you for sharing your story!
Great interview and an amazing story about overcoming and growth! Lots of informative and inspirational information provided. A wonderful video that serves as a tool made available to the masses. This story serves useful to those in or outside the cancer communities. Overcoming is triumphant!
Love it!!! ❤️ love your energetic personality. This is more than cancer. It is teaching women to know that we are enough
This was an enlightening conversation. Kudos to you both. Self love is imperative for everyone to sustain a healthy relationship. You must love yourself before anyone else can love you. Especially the way you deserve to be loved. I feel I’ve watched Marquita transform. She went from sadness at the diagnosis to the validation of “I am enough.” Your honesty and transparency is refreshing. Confidence attracts the confident. You my dear have confidence and I pray that it’s never lost again. Great conversation ladies.
Great interview! Thank you Sarah for sharing your story!
So proud of you Sarah! Thank you for bringing awareness about this!
Thank you ❤
Really really great interview. Well done!
Thank you so much for interviewing me!
Sarah, I just seen your interview video. I went to my surgeon with pictures, he did flat although he took out my drain tubes within a week because I was starting to get infection which gave me seromas that he didn't want to drain he did drain the right side a little bit the left side of my chest. I now have extra tissue and a lump at the bottom on the left side and he removed fascia at the top so it is really stuck down and painful. I am scheduled to have revision surgery they canceled once on me because I had infection in another surgery site from an inguinal hernia which I've been fighting for two and a half years amazingly it went away in October right before I found the lump. I wasn't diagnosed till December then infection came back after the process of going through mastectomy. I'm scheduled for revision October 31st although I'm very worried as is my plastic surgeon that I can get infection in my chest from having infection in the hernia scar. I'm going to have to call the surgeon tomorrow and see about getting the infection drained and tested to make sure it's not MRSA again definitely don't want to have surgery if I have that again. There's more to my story, I have myofascial extreme tightness, cording that has not gone away. I also have lymphedema a little bit, enough that I have to wear double layer compression tank. I was just curious if you had any of these things? I didn't know if flat closure caused any of the things I have. How did your revision go and did you only get it on one side? My cancer was hormonal. My oncologist wants me to be on hormone blockers although it will make a lot of my pre-existing autoimmune disease get worse and I heard it will make sleeping a thing of the past which I've already lived with for 12 years. I chose against taking it curious to know was your cancer hormonal and did you have to take the hormone blockers. I really hope you are doing well and healthy. I'm very happy for you that you found love and a wife that loves you for you and is there for you. I'm married although my 24 year old son is who has been there for me and goes with me to my appointments. After being diagnosed my only other family my aunt told me there was nothing happy to talk with me about anymore and hasn't spoken with me since and friends (so I thought) haven't even bothered to keep in touch with me. My son had surgery on his both his lungs during COVID, not due to COVID, so I understand how scary it was for you to go through this during that time. We've been keeping the doctors pockets full of $. Would love to talk with you a little more privately. Thank you for doing this video, to help others. Hope to hear from you. Lisa
Well done and an important discussion to have…from a fellow flattie with an amazing husband too!
Thank you Lonnie, I'm happy to hear that you also have an amazing husband. They are out there!
This is great!!
Thank you, Sara!