“Yes these are fake, my real ones tried to kill me!” This is a t-shirt slogan that really speaks to me. Seven years ago plastic surgery was something that was not even on my radar. I never thought of myself as a plastic surgery kind of girl. However, sometimes life gives us challenges that we weren’t planning for and for me that challenge was a diagnosis of breast cancer. Over the past seven years the term “boob job” has taken on a whole new meaning.
In early 2006 I had a mastectomy followed by several months of chemotherapy and radiation. In the initial days of that process I was referred to Dr. Jeremy Williams to see what my options were in the area of breast reconstruction. From the first appointment with Dr. Jeremy I felt I had an advocate in negotiating the frightening situation I found myself in. Over the last seven years that feeling of having an advocate has only gotten stronger. Dr. Jeremy has been a constant source of encouragement and “possibility thinking” as I have gone through the various stages of treatment. I have never been made to feel like I was just another number in a long line of patients, never felt like Dr. Jeremy was speaking to me with his hand on the doorknob of the exam room trying to get me to hurry up so he could move on to the next person.
Over the years I have had more revisions than a high school term paper! I originally had an implant and many surgeries were done to try to remove scar tissue that continued to form around it. Dr. Jeremy talked to me about his new partner, Dr. Chris Williams and their extensive training for a new type of surgery called DIEP flap. He explained how this would be a good option for me and would give me my best shot at not needing any more surgeries to achieve the type of appearance I was hoping for. I wanted to be the first one in Colorado to have the surgery! However, it took time for my schedule to match with the doctor’s schedules and I had the surgery in 2010. I had a mastectomy on the other side at the same time as the DIEP flap surgery and I have never regretted the decision for a minute. I love going to Mexico as often as possible and I love that I can wear a two-piece swim suit and be happy about the way I look.
My experience with Park Meadows Cosmetic Surgery has definitely been great! I am so glad I chose to go to this particular practice. The doctors are kind and skilled. The office staff and nursing staff are the best of any doctor’s office I have been to. I walk in feeling like I am their favorite and leave having had some fun conversations. I am so thankful that women with breast cancer can have surgeries for reconstruction paid for by insurance and I am very thankful for the folks at Park Meadows.