With the opening of both its new Breast Center and IVF Lab, Westside Surgical Hospital continues to bring new and innovative care to its patients.

The breast center will feature the most advanced reconstructive surgery techniques available today, along with imaging options that include:• 3-D mammography• 3-D ultrasound• Stereotactic breast biopsies• Bone-density testing

“Westside Surgical Hospital has always had a special focus on breast health, but with this new center we will be able to care for women from diagnosis through treatment using state of the art microsurgical techniques and the most advanced breast-imaging technology,” says Dr. Jay Shenaq, a plastic and

reconstructive surgeon who is the executive director of the Breast Center at Westside Surgical Hospital.

Early detection is always the best defense against breast cancer, and the new breast center will be deploying a wide arsenal of technology and tech-niques to catch problems early.

“Three-D mammograms have been shown, in the right hands, to reduce false positive studies by 37 percent and increase the detection of early tumors by over 50 percent,” says Dr. Stephen Rose, director of the Breast Imaging Program.

IVF CENTER GIVES PATIENTS MORE OPTIONS

A new IVF lab will provide pre-im-plantation genetic diagnosis as well as fertility preservation. This makes it the first of its kind in the Houston area, and will give cancer patients a convenient post-treatment family planning option.

“Westside Surgical is known for offering exceptional services for women,” says Dr. Michael Heard, the reproductive endocrinologist spear-heading the fertility program. “The new IVF services will certainly match that, with a state-of-the-art lab and a commitment to patient service. It’s something our city needs and deserves.”

COMMITMENT TO CAREChief Administrative Officer Jim Witt

sees the services as part of the hospital’s dedication to meeting patient needs in the area.

Winter 2015

OUTSTANDING SERVICE, OUTSTANDING RESULTS

Continued on back

Breast Center & IVF Lab Opens New services offer advanced treatment options

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and the staff and physicians at Westside Surgical Hospital made it a priority to get involved in as many local events as possible.

BRA Day at Dillard’s supported Recon-struction of a Survivor, a group that is dedicated to improving the lives of women impacted by breast cancer. Dr. Jay Shenaq, plastic and reconstructive surgeon, offered a presentation to attendees on reconstructive surgery. Great Day Houston’s Deborah Duncan served as emcee.

Brave Faces Patient Celebration took place at WSH, with staff and former breast surgery patients coming together for a celebration of recovery.

A Month to Remember

Brave Faces Patient Celebration

BRA Day at Dillard’s

Continued on back

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As classic as legwarmers and Jane Fonda workout videos is the adage, “No pain, no gain.” But how do you know if you’re making progress or courting trouble?

The most common form of pain we associate with physical activity is delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. You’ll usually feel this soreness a day or two after beginning an exercise regimen, increasing the intensity of an existing routine or

targeting a fresh set of muscles. Normal soreness means your body is

adapting and reshaping in response to the activity. Your muscles may feel tender to the touch, have a slight burn during exercise, or ache slightly when at rest. DOMS should only last two or three days and may feel better with stretching or light movement.

When you’re pushing yourself within a healthy threshold you’ll likely feel muscle fatigue and some strain during a workout. But pay attention — your body will give you warning signals if trouble lies ahead. It’s up to you to honor that signal, and back off before something pops.

That warning during exercise is likely to feel like acute, stabbing or sudden pain in

your muscles, joints or connective tissues. You may need to simply correct your form with the help of a trainer, build up strength around problem areas or give yourself more time to recover before exercising. Sharp pain associated with injury will likely not resolve as quickly as normal muscle soreness.

Consult a physical therapist or other medical practitioner if the pain worsens with further activity or doesn’t resolve in a week to 10 days. In the meantime, be sure to ice it (20 minutes on, 20 minutes off is recommended) and rest the affected area.

You don’t have to push yourself to the point of injury to get in great shape. Remember that other classic adage: Slow and steady wins the race.

No pain, no gain: Oh, really? Heed your body’s warning signals to avoid injury

FACTSHEET

If you’re a man over age 45 or a woman over age 55, or if you have an existing medical condition, check with your doctor before starting any new workout regimen.

How To Avoid Pain and Injury • Warm up and cool down before and after your workouts to prevent injuries. • Start slowly. Build up the intensity, duration and frequency of your workouts gradually over time. • Mix it up. Alternate types of exercise to target different muscle groups. • Allow rest and recovery. Go too fast, too hard, too often and you’ll reach a point of diminishing returns. • Know your limits. If you have previous injuries, arthritis or other weak spots, make adjustments and build up your strength slowly.

Medicine plays a key part in treating health issues, but once medications are no longer needed, people often forget to dispose of them properly. Most medicine can simply be thrown away, however some can be harmful – or even fatal – if they fall into the wrong hands. The

FDA offers this advice for drug disposal:READ THE LABEL Most poten-tially harmful medicines have detailed

instructions for disposal printed on the label. While many can simply be flushed down the toilet, don’t flush medicine unless the label specifically instructs you to do so. You can visit bit.ly/flushmeds for a list of medications that can be safely flushed.

FIND A DRUG TAKE-BACK PROGRAM. Community drug take-

back programs allow you to bring unused drugs to a central location for proper disposal. You can find information on a program near you by calling your city or county’s trash and recycling office, or by searching for programs online.

MIX AND SEAL If no disposal instructions are provided, remove the

medication from its original container and mix it with an undesirable substance like coffee grounds, kitty litter or ash from a fireplace. That will make the drug unappealing to any child, pet or person. Place the mixture in a sealed bag or container to prevent it from leak-ing out of a garbage bag.

PROTECT YOUR PRIVACY Before throwing out a pill bottle or

container, black out all identifying information on the label to protect your identity and health privacy.

DON’T SHARE MEDICATIONSIf a friend or family member appears

to be suffering from something you’ve gone through in the past, it can be tempting to share leftover medication. But a medicine that worked for you could be ineffective or even dangerous to someone else, so encourage friends or family to see a doctor for a proper diagnosis.

5 Tips for Safe Drug Disposal

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“The doctor needs to talk to you.”The first time Yami Mora heard these words,

she knew it was bad news. The 36-year-old surgical tech called to get her mammogram results, and was asked to return for “another look.” After an ultrasound, the radiology tech came in visibly concerned. “The doctor needs to talk to you,” she said. Yami knew that technologists delivered good news. Doctors delivered bad news.

Yami is proud to work alongside some of the finest surgeons in Houston at Westside Surgical Hospital, a multi-specialty hospital near southwest freeway and Weslayan, with a special focus on breast health. She enjoys the teamwork of surgery, and has a sense of satisfaction when she learns that the patient is recovering well – and she played a role in that.

DELAYED RESPONSEYami noticed pain in her breast in June of

last year, and realized the likely cause while doing her job.

“The doctor performed a mastectomy of a patient’s cancerous breast, and I asked if I could feel the tissue of the breast just removed. As soon as I felt the swollen tissue and saw the enlarged blood vessel, I recognized the feeling from my own breast self exam,” she recalls.

Yami told herself to just ignore it. As a hardworking mother of two boys — Bryan, age 13 and Alan, age 10, — she and her husband stay

busy with their jobs and family.

“I didn’t have time to deal with it,” she says. “Breast cancer was not in my plan.”

She scheduled her well woman exam, and was given an order for a routine diagnostic mammogram. “I didn’t tell my doctor about the pain I was experiencing, so he didn’t urge me to schedule it

right away,” she says.Yami went home and placed the order on her

bedside table, thinking she would get to it when she had time. And that may have been a while, if not for Bryan’s volleyball injury. When he needed to see a plastic surgeon for his hand surgery, Yami scheduled her mammogram for the same day as his surgical consult.

“I figured, since I was already taking time off work for his doctor visit, that it was a good time to get my mammogram,” she says.

Three days later, Yami got the call to come back in. She had a 3D ultrasound and a biopsy, then waited for the results.

GETTING THE DIAGNOSISWhen she called her doctor’s office, she

heard those dreaded words again. The doctor needs

to talk to you.Yami scheduled

an appointment for the next day. “I knew. I knew it was bad news. You don’t schedule an appointment to get test results when

everything is fine.” Yami’s worst fears were confirmed. She had

a 2 cm stage 1 mass in her right breast. She needed surgery as soon as possible, and she could think of no one better suited for the job than the excellent surgeon she assisted at Westside Surgical Hospital. She worked the rest of her shift with strength and courage. As she walked out of the hospital, tears streamed

down her cheeks. She cried the whole way home, and walked into her house.

“I have cancer,” she told her husband. He reached out his arms and held her, saying nothing and just letting her cry.

SUPPORT AND TREATMENTThe next morning at work, Yami scrubbed

in, and Dr. Elizabeth Bonefas walked in to prepare for a breast surgery.

“I took one look at her, and said. “Dr. Bonefas, I have cancer. Can you please treat me?” says Yami.

Dr. Bonefas placed her gentle gloved hands on Yami’s tender frightened face, and said, “Don’t worry, dear. I will take care of you.”

Yami instantly felt relieved. She elected to have a double mastectomy with Dr. Bonefas, and breast reconstruction with Dr. Abdel Fustok at Westside Surgical Hospital. When her co-workers learned of Yami’s diagnosis and upcoming surgery, they walked alongside her at that year’s Komen Race for the Cure as part of the Westside Surgical Hospital team.

After surgery, Yami awoke to find her room flooded with flowers and cards from her friends at the hospital. Later she learned that her co-workers had started a collection to help with the cost of her treatments. Their support and love gave Yami the strength she needed to face this scary battle toward survivorship.

Now, one year later, Yami can hardly believe the roller coaster her life has taken. She has undergone two surgeries, chemotherapy, Herceptin and multiple consults for side effects she is experiencing, such as numbness in her hands. Every day is a struggle, but Yami is stronger than ever before.

She approaches work with a new perspec-tive. “I tell patients to pray. Get peace in their hearts when they think they are at the lowest point. Now I understand.

“I hope that by telling my story, I can affect at least one woman who knows something is wrong, but chooses to ignore it, like I did,” says Yami. “Please don’t let it go. Please act on your concerns. If the doctor needs to talk to you, it may seem bad at first, but knowing the bad news is the first step to taking action.”

TAKECARE

Yami’s Story A surgical technician faces her own battle with breast cancer

Yami Mora

The 2014 Komen Race for the Cure

Sources: No Pain, No Gain: Oh Really?: American Physical Therapy Association; American College of Sports Medicine

WSH_Winter15_x.indd 3 12/19/14 3:29 PM

“Our hospital has very successfully positioned itself as a leading provider of breast surgery in the Houston market, and now we are moving into the imaging space as well,” he says. “We want to provide as many services as possible around breast care, and Dr. Shenaq is making sure that our new center does just that.”

The IVF services expansion also shows a willingness to bring new services to the area, he adds, noting that bringing these two major additions online at once has been a challenge.

“We noticed that IVF referrals often are generated by women who are facing cancer treatment, and so they want to make sure they preserve their fertility,” Witt says. “We want to have both of these areas operating right away, because we believe that we can not only help women through any breast-cancer experience they may be having, but can

also help them with options regarding their fertility post-treatment.”

Westside Surgical Hospital4200 Twelve OaksHouston, TX 77027

Breast CenterContinued from frontOur Dynamic Services

Westside Surgical Hospital is a multi-specialty surgical hospital created to serve all people through exemplary healthcare, education and community service. We provide the highest quality services in a safe, welcoming and comfortable environment. Our highly skilled physicians, nurses, administrators and health care providers bring years of experience and a genuine passion for patient care.

At Westside Surgical Hospital, technology, compassion and the best medical minds of the nation come together to provide specialized care and to rebuild futures.

Services offered include:

Westside Surgical Hospital4200 Twelve OaksHouston, TX 77027Phone: 713-621-5010 WestsideSurgical.netQuestions related to Westside Surgical Hospital’s The Pulse newsletter? Please contact Director of Public Relations and Corporate Communications Mika Rao at 713-532-7311.

• Breast Surgery (Mastectomy, Lumpectomy and Reconstructive)

• Orthopedics and Spine• General Surgery • Plastic Surgery• ENT

• Pain Management• Gastroenterology• Gynecology• 3D Mammogram• Stereotactic Biopsy• In Vitro Fertilization

• Bone Density Treatment

Houston Komen Race for the Cure Staff and former patients helped raise funds and awareness for breast cancer.

Breast Health Collaborative of TX webinar, about reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy, was led by Dr. Sean Boutros. In November the hospital was also a champion sponsor of the annual summit.

A Month to RememberContinued from front

Komen Race for the Cure

BHC of TX webinar

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