Category Archives: flat denial

Advocating for Women Who Choose to Go Flat After Mastectomy

The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) just published our guest post about aesthetic flat closure! Many thanks to the good people at NCCS for helping spread the word about aesthetic flat closure! Every woman facing mastectomy deserves full and fair disclosure of all of her reconstructive options, and for her choice to be respected.Continue reading “Advocating for Women Who Choose to Go Flat After Mastectomy”

My Body, My Choice: Aesthetic Flat Closure After Mastectomy

Our Bodies Ourselves published our guest post about aesthetic flat closure! Thanks to Our Bodies Ourselves for helping spread the word about aesthetic flat closure! This pioneering organization has worked to promote women’s health and bodily autonomy for decades. Every woman facing mastectomy deserves full and fair disclosure of all of her reconstructive options, andContinue reading “My Body, My Choice: Aesthetic Flat Closure After Mastectomy”

What if I want to go flat, but my surgeon wants to do “skin sparing”?

Tell your surgeon you want an “aesthetic flat closure” as defined by the National Cancer Institute – and make sure it’s recorded in your medical record. It’s a positive thing that your surgeon is using the term “skin sparing” with you. This means that they are doing the right thing in being clear and honestContinue reading “What if I want to go flat, but my surgeon wants to do “skin sparing”?”

Informed Consent: The Difference Between Medical Care, and Battery

The difference between medical care and battery is informed consent – the patient MUST agree to the treatment being performed ahead of time.

“Flat Denial”:  Stand Up, Speak Out, and Protect Patients

I have struggled to come up with a label for the malpractice of leaving extra tissue on a mastectomy patient’s chest against her consent.  Labels matter – it’s hard to speak about an experience if you don’t have verbiage to describe it.  My friend Amanda has a dark sense of humor, and calls the awfulContinue reading ““Flat Denial”:  Stand Up, Speak Out, and Protect Patients”