NOLA in September?
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Sally, they do work with people. I've known people broke from cancer treatments, and the amount is lower. I would pursue it until you get to an amount you can pay. The other option is as Anne says, Dr. Massey seems to take more insurance.
KC, you are right! I did use betadine swab! rather than alchohol!
Sandy, what are you doing to those poor nips now?
I hope you are okay. I could use the booty pop! if you sell them wholesale, LET ME KNOW. I wouldn't mind trying them out. KC, I was not as thin as Minn, but LouAnn I think was on the thin side, and she also had the 4 flaps. Basically, they are just removing some loose flesh and putting it into your boobs. Your skin and flesh is very tight at the site initially, very very tight, but then, over time, it just loosens back to normal. Sort of amazing really.
Sandy and Holt, I added your MAY dates! We are up to late May!! And this started last JUNE!!! My GOODNESS!!!
May 21 - Sandy - Tweak with Dr. D, NOLA
May 21 - Holtbolt - Stage 2, Dr. D., NOLA
Spring
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Has anybody heard from Caroylnn, or have her contact info?? Carolyn, I am thinking of you and hope all went well this time... hang in there....
Feb 11 - Carolynn (iamc) Stage 2 (second time) NOLA, Dr. S.
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Already Sandy what are you getting done ?? I know you are paving the way for the rest of us having the perfect nips
I hope everything else is well Spring~ I am so glad that your lump is a fat necrosis
I forgot to put that in there. Okay ladies my dermablast works wonderful. It is a spray that numbs the area, is an antibotic and just all around made my day (after I got the okay) so much better. So I wanted to tell anyone else who has problems and give you something else that can be used.
I bought my plane tickets yesterday.....ouch.... I had to pay 2 different prices for plane tickets BUT I was able to get a non- stop this time. I also had to add another day to my stay or else I had to pay $367/each for one way home.... So if anyone is in NOLA and wants to meet up send me a PM and I will send you my cell number
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Glad the Dermablast helped!.
Thats not a bad price Jaimieh. My State must be the state to want to get away from.LOL
I had to turn down a surgery date because the tickets (Not 1st class) were $1100 each! The next day they went up to $1300! I was so bummed. (2 Stops were even $800)
Im lucky to get tickets for $450....Right now my Surgery date tickets are $500...Any flying experts out there? Do you think the price will go down on Monday?
Pam
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Okay Pam I will go back in my hole.....WOW!!! We can normally get some place for under $250 so I guess we are spoiled. We always have the get away tickets for $39/ each way....
I had frequent flier miles thru US airways but they wanted 60,000 miles for a ticket when my last surgery was 25,000 miles. So I will be holding on to them for stage 3
I might even be able to get my DH to go with me then 0 -
Sally, Drs. Allen and Levine are in NY and Dr. Allen pioneered the microsurgery flap technique! You may want to consider speaking with them since they are much closer to you than NOLA. Also, Drs. Kline and Craigie here in Charleston are former NOLA docs that moved after Katrina and stayed here to open their own site. They also assist Dr. Allen and Dr. Massey when they travel to Charleston to perform flap surgery. So you have options to check into and hopefully your insurance will accept these docs. Any of these guys can give you excellent results.
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Dejaboo! - So they got back to you with dates! I'm so glad! Bummer, tho, about the airfare. I'm assuming it's our newly merged, probably too-big-to-fail airline of Northwest and Delta. Great.
Just another thought to you gals comparing insurance, docs, etc. There are a lot of docs saying they pioneered the DIEP. I don't get it, other than I think a lot of these surgeons WERE in on the early work that was done in the U.S. on this techniques, so they ARE all pioneers in that sense. - tho I think the flaps were actually first done in Japan. Anyway, I think they are all very good surgeons and have more experience than surgeons in other places. Also, I think they share a common thread of having worked, at one time or another, with each other, and I think the thread always runs thru New Orleans. There have been refinements of techniques since the early ones were done -different types and combinations of flaps. I think the stacked DIEPs were first done in New Orleans, and that may have been while Allen was still there and some of these guys were still practicing together - but I don't know that for sure. Also, there are departures when it comes to what is done in succeeding stages. The best thing is to look at photos of the finished products.
Another thought is that it seems as tho different docs are handling insurance differently, including whether you have to wait for insurance to come thru each time in order to proceed with the next stage. That would probably be a good question to ask, as it can really hold things up.
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Charleston Girl - I thought Kline and Craigie were already in Charleston at the time of Katrina, and Allen moved there to practice with them after Katrina (I think maybe both those guys trained with Allen in New Orleans at one time, however). But I could be wrong about any of this - the history is totally incestuous! Not sure how Massey fits in here, tho I know she worked with Allen for a while, but now with DellaCroce and Sullivan.
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Pam, you might want to ask LouAnn, but prices drop on Tuesdays. My frequent flier friend suggests checking Priceline.com and Fly.com for sale prices. She usually gets great deals.
Spring, when I had my pre-op with Dr. D in November, he said it might take two steps to achieve what I was hoping for, and it will. Due to the way my first surgeon did my flaps, I'm very flat in the areola area, especially on my right side. I've been hoping for some cone shape there through the last 2-3 surgeries, and I think it's finally come down to requiring Alloderm to bump up the shape. Since Dr. D hollowed out these new nips and stuffed them with fat grafts, he couldn't use the Alloderm at the same time or it would have jeopardized the grafts. Hopefully, this will be the very last tweak, and then I can have my tattoos re-done maybe in the fall. I'm so grateful that Dr. D is a perfectionist and has allowed me to take things this far in pursuit of perfection---at least as close as is possible given that I made the mistake of starting my DIEP elsewhere.
Stephanie has only had stage I, and she was telling us last night over dinner that she really was on the fence about having stage II, because things are so close to perfect after just the one surgery. I'm hearing more and more that the NOLA docs are doing such a beautiful job with the first surgery that stage II isn't really necessary. So amazing, and their photos prove that they are really creating the very best results in the world. My friend who started her DIEP with a very prominent surgeon on the East Coast has had two surgeries with Dr. D to fix things up, and she is ecstatic with her results now, but she got off to a very rough start as did I.
I'm going to have the privilege of accompanying an amazing lady to NOLA soon. She's had her colon removed, is deaf, and is BRCA+, and will be taking her service dog along. She's had fifteen surgeries and is hesitant to proceed with prophylactic surgery, but is 47 and knows that her risk is very high. She asked me to help her get to NOLA and introduce her to Dr. D, which I am so honored to do. We're hoping to go during the week that Stephanie is there for stage II, and I'm waiting to see if Dr. D is available for a consult that week.
Holtbolt, yes, we will meet finally!!!
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I'm heading off to Palm Springs this weekend for a HUGE 50th surprise B-day party I'm throwing for my hubby. It has taken me 6 months to organize and it's all coming to fruition this weekend. That should take my mind off of heading for NOLA on Tuesday morning! I have to say it's been a crazy month with getting this party pulled together, being deathly sick and trying to make sure all the ducks are lined up for NOLA.
This thread has certainly kept me grounded, and such a help to remind me of things I had to do for MYSELF! Thank you to all my fellow NOLA gals
See you on the other side next week!0 -
Dr Allen is originally from SC . If you ever speak to Dr Allen - you will be clear that he pioneered the DIEP in 1992 . He will give you a interesting but long story about his passion for breast cancer and how he developed it... He is humble and not full of ego at all.
Minn- There is not much to "get "if you go to Dr Allen web site and speak to him in person. I had a personal referral from the Doctor that started BCO to meet with Dr Allen. She is the one that told me he pioneered DIEP. I am not sure why you continue to choose to minimize Dr Allen's talent and do not give him credit for pioneering the Diep. He did work with the NOLA Docs- He TRAINED them. I would think you would be grateful to such a Doctor that takes time to train other Doctors to help benefit you and us all. Could it be because he is not dr delicious?
His experience would be hard to match, considering he is older (maybe all of 60 yrs old).
Sally, Dr Allen is not only in new Orleans , but also in NYC and Charleston. So he is easily accessible for you. He is Amazingly talented and kind , as I am certain are the NOLA Doctors!
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Sally- I am currently working with Dr Massey's office to have DIEP surgery in the fall. Her office told me she is Out of Network for all insurance companies. I spoke to my ins. co (BCBS). and also found there is no in-network provider that does DIEP within 30 miles ( the requirement for them ). So they sent me an Out of Network Exception Form. This is filled out by Dr. Massey and submitted with all my records. If approved, BCBS would pay in network rates to Dr. Massey. Now, if the surgery is done in Charleston, they would accept the in network rate as payment in full. If it is done in NOLA, they might want the difference between the actual charge and the discounted rate. Also, at NOLA they want a pre-surgical fee up front ( I was told ) and at Charleston they bill after the procedure, if there is anything due.
I think this has to do with Dr Massey's charges only, not sure about the facilities where the surgery is done.
I also requested a Courtesy Review be done by BCBS. I have been sent that form as well and Dr Massey will fill it out.
Hope this info helps...keep fighting for what you want, and don't hestitate to ask questions.
Joni
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Happy, nobody is minimizing Dr. A. Each woman goes through a process to find who is the best and most comfortable for them. It was nice to hear the personal side of Dr. A from you. I have not met him, but have met Dr. D. Dr. S. Dr. M. He sounds nice.
I had also heard that Dr. A trained the two NOLA docs in (I think) it was Texas years ago. They do all seem to know each other and switch around... must be a "small world" in breast recon micro-surgery.
It is a complicated "recipe" to find the right surgeon - the one you feel at peace with. There are so many factors. Insurance and money and distance and results photos, and I think in the end it all boils down to your gut. The end result may be different for all the women here, but as long as it's the right person for you, then viola! Success!
I have CIGNA insurance and that is "in-network" for NOLA, so I personally can't help with all the insurance rig-a-ma-roll, but there are lots of women here who have been through this. I am glad you are all helping each other!!
Sandy, I see. You are trying to get the point/projection in the boobs. I get it. I hope you are able to get this.
Have a GREAT Party TAMMY!!!!
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Jacee, I am hoping for a fall DIEP surgery also, and have started the process with both NOLA and Dr Massey's office. I also have BCBS and learned that with the right form they will pay 100% of the in network provider's fees. BUt due to the HUGE difference between what is charged and what the fees are, I found out yesterday from Lanita in NOLA that my out of pocket fees there will be about $26,000. So, to clarify what you are saying about Dr Massey--does she accept the in network payment even though she is out of network. I just reread your post and think that is what you said but just wanted to be sure!
Amy
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Minnesota, I had been told by my BS that Katrina chased Dr. K. up here, but I checked his bio, and he opened his center here in 2000 and Katrina was 2005, so you are right! He was at NOLA from '89 until he left for Charleston. It was Dr. Allen who came up to Charleston after Katrina! Sorry about that! I will fire my BS for his inaccuracies - oh, wait a minute, I did that already, before my BMx!!!
I read that the history of perforator flaps (for other reconstruction efforts) preceeds 1992, when its use in DIEP reconstruction of breasts was apparently developed. Maybe that's where some of the confusion comes in. Who knows, I sure don't. Dr. Allen was obviously at the top of this effort but nobody works alone these days (now, in Dr. Frankenstein's time it was different... but I digress - lol) What I do know is there are PS's that do flap surgery all over the country and they are certainly not all created equal! I would trust the NOLA docs without a doubt. The NOLA web site has the most beautiful flap reconstruction pictures that I've seen anywhere. I had the choice of 3 docs here, Allen, Massey & Kline/Craigie. I chose Dr. Kline because I live here and he and his partner, Dr. Craigie, don't travel. But the most important aspect was that they have a lot of experience on their own and also working as assists to Allen and Massey when they are in town. Plus their flap failure rate is down to about 1%. I have good results and very responsive docs, so I feel blessed.
I think the most important thing to take away from this, Sally, is that if you can get to the NOLA docs, that's great. If you can't, though, there are certainly other extremely qualified docs to handle your case who are hopefully covered by your insurance. It sounds like you have time to do the research to figure out how to get your insurance to make an exception or to find another leading PS who is covered. Good luck in your search! As you can see we are pretty passionate about our docs and equally passionate that you don't make a mistake with lesser qualified PSs. We want the best for you!
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Sally - I think what you are most concerned about with going to NOLA is the money issue - and this is not a small thing, for sure. The Center tries its best to work with you, but I do know that because my insurance changed for the year - that there are some things they just can't fix because of the way your insurance dictates. However, there are other places to save $$, to help with the overall costs. Have you considered staying at the Hope Lodge? In NOLA it is available to breast reconstruction patients that are having surgery at the Center (and maybe with the other docs too??). This would save you $$ on hotel and also, since you can cook your food there, you would save money on going out to eat. Also, my friend flew free for her reconstruction... I am going to try to find the website for you...Mercy Medical Airlifts... http:mercymedical.org You can call them for more info, but I believe they will provide round trip airfare for one flight per year for you and a caretaker for distant site medical care. Good luck with every thing... you will work it out!
Everyone have a great weekend!
Spring, thank you so much for keeping up on this so well - and giving the rest of us a cheat sheet!
Holtbolt, HellofromCT and TrainerTam - Deep Breaths! It won't be long now!!! Woooohoooo!!!
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Amy- If I understood correctly, Dr. Massey would accept the in network rate as payment in full in Charleston, but possibly not in NOLA. I've been talking with Jenny at Dr. Massey's office. You can get her contact info from the website, if you don't have it. www.drmarga.com
I told Jenny once I'm approved by BCBS, I'd like a breakdown of the charges for both locations so I can make a decision. She said no problem.
And like I said, still unsure about how the hospitals charge, or if there is an all inclusive price for the Dr and the facility. I'm sure the other ladies who have already been through this can weigh in on this, as they've already been through it.
Joni
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Jacee, in my insurance billing, everything was separate. Anesthesiologist, surgeon, hospital, doc office visit, hospital supplies, etc. All separate.
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How long do you have to stay in Nola for stage two? My stage two pre-op is 4/29 with surgery on 4/30 which is on a Friday, with Dr. S. Will I have a post-op appt and have to stay thru the weekend? Trying to get some idea what expenses will be and figure out any options. Also wondering if I will maybe feel up to getting out and about while down there.
Also, talked to Celeste today and I am 3 weeks out from stage one and she told me to pull the hip drains. They were putting out between 25 and 30 cc. Still have to stay in the "oh so fun" girdle contraption for another week she said. WOO HOO, DRAIN FREE!! I did take the drains out myself and is really was no big deal, was prepared for some pain but is was actually pain free and fairly easy to do myself. Have to admit I am feeling pretty "tough" now after doing it.
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Awesome news Tough Brenda
I will be in the OR on the 29th but i was told that I needed to stay in town thru Monday May 3 BUT I am leaving on the 4th. The extra day was going to cost me $600 in plane tickets so the extra day isn't going to hurt. 0 -
Thanks so much for the advise. I am checking into Dr Massey I appreciate the web site Sally
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Jaimieh - oh, bummer, was hoping to be able to have a quick turn around for stage two and not have stay very long at nola. Do you have a post-op visit after stage 2? I know that it is just an overnight stay at the hospital. Do you know where you will be staying while down there in April?
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Brenda - Woo-Hoo! Congrat's on being drain free!! I am not quite there yet - hopefully soon!!
PAM - I wish I could be more help regarding airfares in and out of NOLA. Prior to Katrina, the fares were pretty reasonable because there were so many. Although I don't know the exact number of departures and arrivals each day now - there are still far fewer flights per day now then there used to be. With fewer flights, and less capacity, the airlines are able to charge higher fares. I'm not sure where you are coming in from, but when I checked SWA today I could get a RT from Phoenix for a little over $500. Good luck!!
Have a great weekend ladies!
LouAnn
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Pam...airfares.....when i used to tarvel more....sites like travelocity, etc seemed to have the lowest rates wed and thurs...just an observation.
Sally....I'm single, self supported w/ mortgage #1 and #2. But I pay my bills so have a good credit score and truly have the mindset of "I am the one who has to live in this body the rest of my life". BRCA negative BUT 2 issues in 3 yrs starting on first screening mamo at age 41. I live in DFW area -plenty of resources. I researched and Nola was an easy trip for me(1 hr in the air) and the photos and accolades seemed unbeatable. Had I lived in another part of the country I probably would have looked around more. Nola has been great about working w/ me. Feel free to pm me. I have United choice plus BUT Nola is out of network for me and almost everyone else. My responsibility...I paid almost half as downpayment(pre stage 1) then arranged a payment schedule. My local PS who is more than willing to help out and Did post stage 1. He did ask info about how Nola did x or Y or z....He's a nice guy, I trust his judgement, but I was on Lortab at the time so I was babbling probably... he probably would have been 'in network' for me, BUT he said It was a "great deal" when we were discussing out of pocket responsibilities etc....His wife works at my hospital and I do trust this guy as a friend colleague, he is good and I believe has a VERY bright future but mostly he's just honest and sincere.
I believe I learned perforators were developed in Japan initially.
Brenda stage 2 is very different for each woman.
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Sally - when I was determining where to go for my DIEP, I talked with with both Allen/Levine in NYC and NOLA. I ended up at NOLA, but it was looking like I'd go to NYC at first. It seems that each group has different ways of working with various insurances (or not). Hope Lodge is a very helpful option for cutting down the expense of lodging, and that's available in New Orleans, as well as NYC. People who have worked with Allen/Levine in NYC speak very highly of them. There is another group in Charleston, which has been mentioned, and then yet another one with good results, short surgery times, and a high success rate in San Antonio. I understand that they work with many insurances, so maybe it's worth looking into - - http://www.prma-enhance.com/index.cfm/PageID/1542
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Flights and hotel - we recently were able to do very well by using Priceline. This is a site in which you bid what you would be willing to pay, and they either accept your offer or reject it. For example, we arrived in New Orleans a couple days early for Stage 1, just to have some time to ourselves. We'd been quoted hotel prices near NOLA in the range of about $100/night, but we wanted to stay a bit closer to the French Quarter. On a whim, my dh entered a bid of $100/night, requesting a 4 star hotel in the French Quarter. We totally did not think there would be any offer, but we were wrong. We ended up at the Westin for $100/night!! At that time, those rooms were going for about $250/night, so we got an amazing deal. Very similar story with flights. Prior to this, we'd not used Priceline at all, so we were new at it. For Stage 2, nothing turned up at all. We found out that there in a huge jazz festival in the area at the time, so lodging is harder to find, and rooms are not leftover to find in the same way. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't
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Thanks for all the flight tips! I am going to check out prices on Tues.
kcshreve...I remembered seeing you had stayed at the Westin...When I was lookign at hotels yesterday...As I am looking for one with a Nice view of the River...And was thining...But thats an Expensive hotel.
Neat- How you did priceline. The only thing that worries me about that is You cant cancel. Did you make your reservations pretty far in advance?
I have already had 2 of my Stage 2 Surgery dates changed & cancled the hotels...And Im stuck with airline tickets that dont transfer well to NO.
My Stage 2 is the Thursday before the FQ festival- So I do need to figure out where to stay for the weekend pretty fast...Several Hotels I have looked at are already full.
Yippee Brenda! Drain free!
Pam
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On that note- re travel expenses...SALLY......sounds as if you too are prophylactic? But trying to beat any impending issues? I was TOO! I DO know I went for consult.....because I am the type who NEEDED to meet w/ the people who'd be doing the biggest surgery I'd ever had....and I DID have the luxury of time-waiting at least 6 mos post rads and I coordinated dates based on my work low times plus was trying to deal w/ FMLA times-one year to the next, etc. Ugg! When I first spoke w/ Liz....end of last May.......I KNEW I wanted a mid to end of sept date. If you have dates in mind -share them when you speak and are in the info gathering stage. They'll say yay or nay if it's possible....and I set my stage 2 date almost as soon as I had stage one trying to get all in the same year- out of pocket expenses met. The dates are place holders, not permanent obligations.
My consult was in August- OK, NOT a pleasant time weatherwise for NOLA-can you say hot and steamy? I was happy for change of scenery tho and there are plenty of indoor attractions right? Regardless- VERY reasonable! I got a wkend air AND hotel thru travelocity or AA for about 200....sat and sunday nights at Intercontinental plus RT air. Sept was equally affordable....probably because technically I believe that would be hurricane season?(altho the locals told me in august their biggest hurricane worries were EARLY sept-maybe because that was katrina? ? dunno...Dr. D made a point to tell me my sept 22 date would probably be past the hurricane worry time)....BUT YA KNOW those are all things we can't control anyways! Those air and hotel I booked sepatrately using points and the hotel....you can see when their peak and low times are even using CRBS 'where to stay' section. I was fortunate enough that rates were still low when I had stage 2 in Dec but I am almost sure rates went UP for the holidays the day we left.
Hope lodge is nice. You are responsible for more- and if you have a reliable caretaker this shouldn't be a problem. As it turned out I didn't have that luxury and I was happy to be in a hotel nearer French quarter and everytthing in wallking distance. When I went for consult in August this wonderful lady (Alaina) whom I met thru these boards and lives outside NOLA was nice enough to send me local Catholic church mass times, info and we went to lunch. Then she helped out and showed me where Hope lodge was in relation to NOLA, etc. We had the best time visiting, talking, etc. It is SO much fun to meet our virtual friends in person! Anyhoo I made the decision based on location and thinking of caretaker and what I'd want after stage one as to where to stay. YES, it was more expense but in the grand scheme it was worth it to me.
Priceline is a good thing too. For those people who don't have active BC and can choose dates DO look into august/sept...maybe Oct? To save $.
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