Kristi – Breast Reconstruction Patient

KRISTI: I came to Dr. Hardy because I needed reconstructive surgery after breast cancer. It was definitely a panic moment. It was January 1 of 2009, and the process started quite immediately after that with a double mastectomy. I consulted with Dr. Hardy almost immediately because I had come to know him through a breast augmentation surgery years prior. And I went through chemotherapy, reconstructive surgery and then radiation. I had complete trust in Dr. Hardy because of the breast augmentation procedure. I knew he'd be involved in the reconstructive part of things. Had I not gone to him before, I probably wouldn't have thought about visiting him so early on. But because of the confidence I had in him from the prior surgery, I really wanted him to be a part of the process from the get-go. And as it turns out, he came to be really the most instrumental person in the whole team of doctors, who really helped me to understand the process in its entirety and not just his little segment of it. I think he understood from a surgeon's perspective what the mastectomy would be. I know a family member of his had gone through cancer, and so he could relate from that perspective. He sees a lot of breast cancer patients, so I think he takes a very broad perspective and has seen it from start to finish for so many people that he gets the big picture. I came to look forward to seeing Dr. Hardy because I know that he really truly cares about his patients, and he conveys that. He's incredibly busy, but he always took the time that was necessary to answer all my questions, always engaged my husband in the whole process. He really just cares about his patients, and it shows, and you feel it. Fantastic. It's great. It's an incredibly life-changing experience. There is a huge upside to having gone through breast cancer. And the reconstruction is a huge part of it. I feel completely back to normal for the most part. I'm very active. My health is probably better now than it was before, so yeah, everything is fantastic. I think the type of person he is, and I was just telling him that what I think he should include in his web site is his work with cleft pallet patients because once I knew that about him, I knew he had a heart, and that he loves his family. He always talks about his wife and children, and so I think the thing that sets him apart is just what a warm and caring person he is. I would recommend Dr. Hardy because of his skill set, no doubt, but more importantly, having gone through this, just the incredibly warm and loving manner that he has treated me, and I know he treats all his other patients.