Reviews of Pomperaug Plastic Surgery (Plastic Surgery)

Amber Upson

My first breast cancer diagnosis came at the age of 22. I underwent two lumpectomies, chemotherapy, and radiation. For the next 15 years, I lived with a mangled breast. (Surgeons who specialized in breast tissue were not available to me back then.) I had a sizeable scar on my breast and it was roughly half the size of my other breast. At the age of 37, I received my second breast cancer diagnosis. I opted for a double mastectomy with reconstruction surgery. My breast surgeon referred me to Dr. Waitze for the reconstruction. TL;DR: I enthusiastically recommend Dr. Waitze to anyone facing breast reconstruction surgery! Dr. Waitze is brilliant and capable, yet blessedly human. She was sensitive to the fact that I was a bit scattered due to my diagnosis, and she showed endless patience and understanding. We decided on the latissimus dorsi reconstruction and Dr. Waitze explained everything that I should expect. She did not sugar coat anything and she made sure that my expectations were based in reality. I must stress that she did this with compassion and humanity. She was not cold or brusque in any way. I appreciated her approach, despite being a bit fearful of how my new breasts would appear. Let me explain: Having lived my life prior to this surgery with very small breasts and being reluctant to go bigger, I was crushed when Dr. Waitze told me that the smallest size available to me would be much bigger than what I was accustomed to. However, she assured me that the size would not look ridiculous on my frame and that the placement would identical to where my existing breasts were situated on my body. A few weeks before the surgery, Kaitlin, Dr. Waitze’s PA, sat with me and my family and spent a good deal of time reviewing the entire post-surgery process, from how long I could expect to be in the hospital, to the prescriptions I would be on, to the visits I would be receiving from physical and occupational therapists once home, to how long my entire recovery would take. All of my questions were answered with patience. Fast forward to the day of the surgery: Dr. Waitze and Kaitlin came to my room after the surgery to check on me and to remind me of some of my post-op instructions. They were so warm and encouraging, praising me for how well I did (even though they did all of the work!) and showing me so much compassion. As time has passed since that first surgery (it was just over a year ago), I have gotten used to my new breasts and my new body. I am very happy with the appearance of my new breasts, especially considering what little Dr. Waitze had to work with. She is truly an artist and did everything she could to help me retain a feminine silhouette despite the loss of my natural breasts. She stressed that point several times leading up to the surgery, how important it was to her to help me retain my feminine shape. I am so grateful for Dr. Waitze, for Kaitlin, and for the entire office staff at Pomperaug Plastic Surgery. Every one of them has always made me feel like a person, not just a patient. I am confident that I got the best possible outcome for my specific situation.