Before anyone has any reconstruction, they must realize that with any surgery, things can go drastically wrong. I first had a lumpectomy in 2001 on my left breast for Stage 1 cancer and I just needed radiation (no chemo). However, the radiation apparently was too strong for my breast and it made the breast so tight and painful from scar tissue that I was forced to have it removed and so I opted for reconstruction in 2004. I had a tummy tuck -- which basically removed the tummy and made it into my new breast. I would never do it again. I suffered a near-death infection on the "breast" as part of the new "breast" would not close and I was in the ICU for nearly 5 weeks. The surgeon said it was due to the fact that this area was still a radiated area and thus was infection-prone. A hole twice the size of a quarter would not close for 6 more months. Now the reconstructed left breast has also tightened and is not only much smaller than the right normal breast but I must wear a prosthesis so it matches the right breast (but the left one still has no nipple) and is painful and many times mimics a heart attack. I probably will never know if I do have a heart attack as I am so used to the frequent shooting pain in my left breast. Once I was even admitted as a heart patient until they discovered it was just the reconstructed breast which also is filled with scar tissue. All I know is that if I had known then what I know now, I would never have had reconstruction after the removal of my breast. Now, after all I've been through, I am facing removal (again) of the "new" breast.