How do I tell you about a bad Dr

Let me thank you, Breast Cancer Community Friends, for helping me get to where I can speak.

9/16/2016, we (always my husband) were diagnosed with breast cancer, a different cancer in each breast, and we were told we needed a double mastectomy, I actually felt lucky, because of the diagnoses, we were immediately given a team of the best Dr.s at the hospital. After meeting each Dr., my husband understood my feelings. We trusted everyone. Options were not an option. We did what we were told when we were told.

10/19/2016 double mastectomy, nipple sparing, immediate reconstruction with expanders. But when I woke up after surgery, I was not in pain, I was in agony. We did not comprehend at the time, but my Plastic Surgeon, Dr. D.B., had filled each expander with 100’s of cc’s of saline and the weight was crushing. I was begging my husband for help, he was begging the nurse and the nurse was begging Dr. D.B. to take out the saline... he said no. This should have been our first sign. Thank God, the nurse was relentless and never stopped begging Dr. D.B., to come back and to please reconsider. Finally, begrudgingly, yes he let us know he was not happy, he returned and withdrew 100’s of cc’s. I wept.

2/02/2017, bilateral exchange of expanders to implants. We had had a few discussions prior to surgery with Dr. D.B about an appropriate implant size because I had never wanted to be a hooker grandma, but Dr. D.B. said I was a big girl (5’6” & 180lbs.) and he would make the final decision. Within days after surgery, Dr. D.B., in his office, would open my incision, drain and re-stitch my right breast. Those painful procedures went on constantly for a month, then he said, I have an infection and would need another surgery.

3/09/2017, right implant replaced. We did ask prior to surgery that smaller implants be put in (yes I was willing to have additional surgery) because I had been so uncomfortable and unhappy, but Dr. D.B said that would not be good. This should have been another sign. After surgery I needed a full course of I.V. (Pic Line) and P.O. Vancomycin, which did not work.

4/06/2017, right implant removed again.

Also because of how Vancomycin kills not only the infection but your system on

6/01/2017, I had a fecal transplant.

Over the next several months, we had many questions for Dr. D.B. about what direction we should go in, because I was always in pain and we were very unhappy. We had been seeing him for countless, in office, procedures and he decided that I should have a Latissimus Dorsi procedure in November. We asked if we could significantly downsize the implants or even go without, could we avoid such such a drastic procedure, he said no. Why wasn’t this another sign?

11/02/2017, bilateral implants with Latissimus Dorsi. Soon after we were back to months of the, in office, painful follow up procedures and on

2/09/2018, he took my nipple, while doing yet another in office procedure. He told me it was a temporary procedure, due to infection, but not to worry, it would pop back up, like a flower shortly. Another course of I.V. and P.O. Vancomycin followed, along with many visits to the Gastroenterologist (whom we still see to this day). We asked Dr. D.B., for months, at each follow up visit, what the next plan of action needed to be and we asked about my nipple popping back and what it would take to get out of pain between my back and the heavy implants and on

8/01/2018 Dr. D.B., said I needed to see a Physiatrist. He told us, my expectations were unrealistic, I was depressed, I was fat (yes he really did say that) and I was ungrateful.

I apologized. I even wrote a letter, apologizing, and asked what it would take for all of us to do better to get better.

I, we, never heard another word from Dr. D.B., in P.Bch.County.

It took us many months, but thank God, we found the most exceptional Surgeon, who listens, and hears and together we make decisions. He removed the heavy overdone implants and we are on our way to wellness.