Charleston Bound, part 2

Fearless, if you're looking for SGAP, you'll need to find the surgeons who work in TEAMS. Bilateral SGAP takes two surgeons if you're going to complete it in one surgery. When I was looking two years ago, no one did SGAPs as teams except Massey with Craigie and Kline, and the NOLA guys (and probably Dr. Allen.) Things may be different now, as more have jumped on the band wagon.

Liz, CofC is a really good school, from what I hear. And what's not to love about Charleston, except maybe July and August, and hurricane season?

Anne, I think you are right about that.   I am not sure if I can't have DIEP.   The local DIEP docs said I couldn't be a B cup, but when I look at NOLA photos, some of the women look to be my size...

$25000.00 is the average cost of a new car which most people finance over 4 to 5 years. I think I would sell mine and get new breasts that will last the rest of my life even if I had to finance it.

Snobird, if you could make the payments.   It's not so easy for everyone.    I wish it was - I would have taken 6 weeks off work, gone to NOLA and been done and never had my expanders.  

Jacee, that is fantastic!  

Diag 9/09, 1.97 cm Grade 2/stage IIA 2/16 node +/lumpectomy/chemo/rads - mammo did not detect tumor - self exam did. Hyster/Ooph 1/12/11; PBLM 4/5/11.

FL ladies,  my experience is pretty much the same as Joni's; experience and expense wise. I went to Roper because Nola was just not in my budget.  I paid nothing up-font.  I had my surgery towards the end of the year (2009), so I would have a lot of my out of pocket max, deductibles, etc. satisfied. For stage I you will have a 4 day hospital stay and about a 6 day hotel stay. Your DH can stay with you in the hospital.  You can apply to Hope Lodge, but you won't find out if they accept you until about 1 week to a few days before, so you have to have a back up. Many hotels have special medical fares and the hospital (Roper) can give you a list.  Also, many of us from this thread can fill you in too.  There are flights through the American Cancer Society and Mercy Medical that you can apply for.  They use Frequent Flier points that people donate to fly people with a medical need. You have to call the American Cancer Society and get an ID # from them.  I can't remember exactly how it all works, but then when you call Mercy Medical they will require the ID# and you to fill out some paper work.  Again, some of the ladies from this thread have done it and can give you the information.  you can also call each organization to find out how to go about it.  I think you can't apply for the flights until 3-4 weeks prior to when you need it, but it doesn't hurt to find out ahead of time how it all works.  I would like to reiterate what these other experienced graduates have already said......Don't sell yourself short.  Do your homework and don't settle for a Dr. just because they are close to where you live.   Linda

Kimber, YAY!!! Sounds like you're right on track!! Allow the emotions--they're healthy and help you heal. I always get the weepies after surgery, and I didn't have chemo! I think it's all a little post-traumatic stress!

Anne

Kimber, So good to hear from you and know things are going well.  I'm sure just being home with your son is good medicine.  sounds like you are right on track with everything.  Yeah, aren't the shots awful......but necessary.  Keep in touch when you can.  Stay well.

 Fearless,  You definitely can't be alone.  Don't you have a family member or friend that can go with you?  You do need to see if Roper is in net-work with your insurance.  Ashley from Dr. Massey's office can do that for you or you can check yourself.  If it is and probably will be then the anesthesiologist will be too!  You could also check Fairway near NOLA too.

Fearless One, if you can wait till November we can be room buddies and my husband will take care of both of us.  I have to warn you up front though that he talks a LOT!!!!!  If you just smile and nod once in a while it will be fine though.  LOL!!!!

Seriously, if you can wait till closer to the end of the year we can do it together and he really will take care of both of us. 

I have to say I just want two fairly symetrical boobs.  I don't care what they look like or feel like and I especially long for cleavage again.  Having a nice flat tummy is also a big plus for me.

GO KIMBER!!!!!  You are doing fabulous.  If I could get a written guarantee that I would be where you are after two weeks I would go through surgery tomorrow!

I know I have asked so much of you ladies already but I want to contact Dr. Massey again.  When I talked to Ashley last week she really wasn't very helpful as far as telling me about insurance.  She basically said that whatever NOLA told me would be the same for Dr. Massey.  Who would you recommend I call to talk specifically about my insurance and Dr. Massey's payment?

Susan

Thanks Journey.  Maybe I caught her at a bad time.  I will try again.

Susan

NOLA or Charleston ladies,

What percentage out-of-pocket did you end up paying (if any)?     

Did you have to pay it up front?

I am guessing those surgeries run around 100K?

Fearless - Someone tried to give me a roundabout $ number for the cost before my surgery because I have never gone out of network and was really worried about the cost.  Everyone except Dr. M was in network for me.  She said insurance plans are all so different, but generally speaking, if you add your out of network out of pocket max plus your deductible, that's going to be close to your cost.  I haven't gotten my bills yet, but I'll happily let you know if that holds true.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to owe more than that, but I'm sure it will be a few more weeks before my super slow insurance company gets everything processed.  Plus I've got close to $170 in spanx at this point, and at least $100 in prescription copays that won't help my out of pocket. 

There is no way on this Earth I could have managed without help those first few days after getting out of the hospital.  I definitely could not have driven.  I just found out this morning that my family and I walked right past Tina and her husband in the lobby of Dr. M's office building and I didn't even see her!  We were both there for our 1 week post op appointments.  I was OUT of it.

Susan - Most insurance companies have online search functions to tell you if a doctor or hospital is in network.  I would still confirm later, but that might be a place to start.  Just search for hospitals in a 25 mile radius of zip code 29401.  That should cover Roper and East Cooper and all of the surgeons here.

So wish I could have caught lunch with Liz while she was in town!  I'm hoping to be cleared to drive at my appointment tomorrow, too.

Jeskachi, doesn't sound mean at all.    But Kimber is right - I don't think I would be able to do that alone, with the travel, etc.   I thought I could handle all this alone - I did chemo and all my other surgeries alone, but not this.    It sucks being alone.    You really do need someone.

Craigie and Kline are BCBS providers.  I have already had my insurance verified through them and now it shows it on their website.  When I first started looking into the surgery, it was not on the website.

Susan

I see 3 negatives to the DIEP:

1) travel = several weeks off work + lodging $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$  (Hope Lodge may be possible)

2) Possible insurance issues = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$  (don't know this yet)

3) Might not have enough belly for it

4) I would be alone - no one to go with me

Upside:

1) No painful expanders!    Hate these things!

1) No replacing of implants years from now

1) More natural look and feel

Anne's right. Dr. Massey said they were a little crazy right now with Jenny gone. Ashley was so helpful and even contacted my insurance to confirm what they had told me. I was told Dr. Massey was out of network for BCBS. Maybe it was just my BCBS plan, but I could swear Ashley said she wasn't in network for any BCBS.



Another plus, whether in Charleston or NOLA, is having the top tier doctors in this kind of surgery. I know I sound like a broken record. Oh, and definitely check out the Roper/St. Francis hospital site. I got the hospital rate for all the days I had to pay. Dr. Massey provides a letter to make sure you get the rate. A good friend gave me six nights from her points, which was a huge help. We stayed at the Residence inn, which is on the other side of the Ashley River. There was a tennis event happening so a lot of places were booked by the time we looked. I recommend staying in town since it's much easier to get out and walk around. We had been before, wanted a suite, and since my friend was using her points we were sort if locked into the Marriott.