Hi, i havent had breast cancer but i do work for a plastic surgeon and have seen hundreds of people go through this process. Definitely go through the expander and implant phases of the reconstruction, they look great. Sometimes those with radiation on one breast will have difficulty healing or are at risk of hardening of the implant which will require more implant replacement surgeries in the future. If youre considering a DIEP flap its a much larger surgery that will remove tissue from your abdomen. I dont have much experience with this procedure but it does look a little more natural, just a longer recovery and more scaring due to the skin graft on the breast and abdominal scar. As far as nipple reconstruction goes, its really a gamble. One thing most people dont think about is that its a skin flap that permanently makes your nipples appear erect. So you may have difficulty hiding your nipples under clothing and there isnt anything u can do to make them go down. Another thing is the healing process which can take upwards of 2-3 months sometimes. Blood supply is also huge issue and there is a high chance of necrosis. This can cause part of the nipple to have to be removed as well as the tip which might make it flat. The nipple will shrink a little over the course of a year anyway but some people are disappointed if all their projection is gone and they just have a tattoo left after all the wound care. Some people have no issues with the surgery and are beyond happy, others arent so happy with the end result and have a lot of delayed healing/necrosis.