A routine mammogram set off a chain of decisions Erin Hagen never expected to make at 40. What the radiology report called DCIS felt both urgent and confusing, and the days that followed were a blur of consults, terminology and timelines. We sit down with Erin and Dr. Christina Canzoneri from Centra’s plastic and reconstructive surgery team to unpack how you move from a diagnosis to a plan you can live with.
We walk through choosing a bilateral mastectomy, weighing immediate versus delayed reconstruction and confronting the fear of anesthesia and drains more than the incisions themselves. Dr. Canzoneri breaks down what breast reconstruction really involves, tissue expanders, fills, implants, healing windows, and addresses the biggest misconceptions, including insurance coverage that’s federally required after mastectomy, symmetry procedures on the other breast, and why “elective” doesn’t mean “cosmetic.”
Erin shares the practical wins that eased the hardest days: a nurse navigator who translated options, local appointments five minutes from home, and a surgical team that showed up with skill and small kindnesses, even holding her hand as the anesthesia set in.
If you’re navigating DCIS, early breast cancer, or simply deciding when to book your first mammogram, this conversation offers clear guidance and grounded hope. You’ll hear how to ask better questions, what to expect from recovery, how follow-ups with expanders work and how to coordinate care across surgery, oncology, radiation, genetics and imaging. Most of all, you’ll hear why proximity, transparency and trust can transform a scary season into a path back to normal life.
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