NOLA in September?
Comments
-
Hi. I had dr. D. It'd been such a short time since out of surgery it's would be too early to judge. So far so good. Today is the first day I feel tired - honestly I tnk I am tired because I am not moving around like I usually do. Personally I don't think I would turn down lipo.
. But there are,quite a few,studies on it - I have read them all. My first plastic surgeon offered that. I had a return appt. W. My breast care surgeon and asked her thoughts. My bs and the np were very blunt with me and told me my ps back then had little experience with it and she got a lot of patients w. Fat necrosis where they had to biopsy to distinguish what it was. After that I did a lit search and read read read. IF YOU GET someone like nola to do it- the experts I would Not be worried at all.... easy breezy... . What type of scars do you get... ? PM me0 -
it's amazing how these wonderful physicians at nola have dedicated their life to helping women. All that schooling training and building a reconstruction center to help us....
.0 -
I have talked to a few ladies around my area that have had less than ideal tattoos.
One lady said hers was quite a different color- and others were not happy with shape etc.
My tattoo was one of those. . I wondered- WHY do these surgeons
get all the way through the process and then try to
be a tattoo artist when they know patients would be better off
if they were referred elsewhere-perhaps out of state
I finally figured it out. - Possibly one reason why some surgeons don't
refer patients to tattoo artisists is because then Patients would hear about
physicians not in their area that do wonderful work- which would increase competition.
0 -
I had a complication with my SGAP. I requested a consultation with a local PS who does flap reconstruction. When they found out that I went to NOLA, his staff said that he did not want to see me, that he does not fix other surgeon's messes, and they hung up on me. Yes, they are pretty intimidated by surgeons that actually know what they are doing.
0 -
thanks for adding LAstar. For others - I had plenty of failed surgeries in net work. I went to NOLA and time will tell if it worked
I too told a surgeon/opinion I went out of network/ out of state for a consult. He was in Grand Rapids, MI and very well known. He got
rude and condescending when I told him I went out of state for a consult
0 -
They are like when you were in high school and you told a guy you were not dating about a guy you were and all he did was bad mouth the guy. So mature.
0 -
Money is likely equally or more important. If i told 4 people I had great results somewhere out of the area where I live that would spread with women like wild fire. Its about competition. No physician wants to hear people are going out of state for care.
When they sent me in for a preop test (which came back fine) which had nothing to do with my reconstruction- the two ladys that were older than I were asking me all types of questions re reconstruction: how implants feel compared to before hand and what I can and cannot do And, quite a few more questions. After I left I felt like I should have told them to touch them- they feel normal- there was only fat in there before ==="now I am more expensive" lol. The MOST important point of this- if I would have told those ladys I went out of the area for surgery and had excellent results (not sure if i will yet- but hoping) that would have spread -word of mouth - like wild fire at that hospital.
More importantly I believe that reconstruction should be portrayed to the general population as a process of breast cancer and not a cosmetic procedure. Do we consider non life threatening hernias as a cosmetic procedures? Some hernias are extremely hard to fix and fail often. Insurance companies jobs should be to care for the client physically and psychologically by supplying the client with superb physicians that can fix reconstruction problems . If they cannot fix them - then they should be allowed to go out of network for care under a "special circumstance". After all, the majority of us do pay into our insurance.
0 -
I just got back from NoLa and, just two weeks from my surgery date, I am very happy so far.
I had to drive all the way from NYC, but it was worth it. The wonderful NoLa Breast Center surgeon fixed the mess that my original surgeon at Sloan Kettering caused, and I am on the road to feeling normal again.
I just wanted to add an important tip for anyone traveling to New Orleans:
Do NOT stay at Hotel Monteleone.
This might be fun for one night - if you are not getting surgery - but this is a terrible option for anyone recovering from surgery. We simply didn't know any better, and maybe the only mistake that the Breast center made was recommending this as a luxury hotel that would make the trip special. It's not right for any surgical visit.
1) Monteleone is an old hotel with TINY rooms. We found it claustrophobic. There is not enough room to even put away luggage. We tripped over everything every day. The sinks are so small, you will have no counter top room to manage your drains.
2) It is NOISY because it's in the heart of the French quarter. Not helpful after surgery. We did not know that there were quieter options in New Orleans - that there are quieter parts of the city and not all of New Orleans is one giant, loud tourist area.
3) Worst of all - an A/C system badly in need of upgrading: ice cold air blasts two speeds - high and higher... right over your bed. If turned off, the room becomes an oven, so there is no good choice here.
We checked out early and found a quieter hotel in the garden district - Hotel Indigo. There, we had a huge spacious room, huge spacious shower and quiet, modern properly working A/C.
For stage II, I am not yet sure where we will stay, probably Indigo or garden district again... or maybe even a house/apt. rental.
0 -
I agree with you about the Monteleone. I like it but the bathrooms are tiny. I went for Stage 2B a month ago and stayed there pre op. I was unable to adjust the AC and it was like a meat locker in my room. The maintenance man was sent up and he finally admitted that a big part of the hotel was on one system and you had no ability to adjust the temperature in the rooms. He kept offering to close the vent (which would have achieved the opposite effect with no air flow in the room at all). They moved me to a nice suite but it's just better not to have to deal with that kind of thing, especially post op.
0 -
I'm home after having SGAP in NOLA. The doctors, nurses, and staff were amazing. We stayed in an AirBnb and found it to be almost like home. I have to schedule stage 2 soon, but and happy with the results so far.
My hardest things are dealing with nerve pain in my right leg, which came from a toomtight girdle. Still trying to find something that works. The Center gave me bigger girdles but I still had the pain at night. I've tried spanx and it was a little better. Any suggestions?
I'm also still working on adjusting to sleeping upright. This will ease over time as I establish a new normal.
0 -
FLBuckeye93, who was your surgeon at NOLA. I am scheduled for Oct 3 with Dr Wise for SGAP. Can you also let me know which airbnb you stayed at. I am a bit nervous about all the logistics etc. Was this your first reconstruction or did you have implants prior? I would love to hear more about your post surgery etc! Thanks!
0 -
Olaf: Are you aware of the private FB group about NOLA? You can get your questions answered much easier there. Let me know if you are interested in joining.
0 -
Trvlr, yes I am part of that group. Thanks
0 -
Olaf: Ok, good.
0 -
has anyone stayed at the wynham garden hotel in barrone plaza New Orleans?
0 -
Hotel .not 4 me.
0 -
Can someone PM me re: tattooing at NOLA. thanks
0 -
hello all. I received a bill from the center for st charles surgical hospital with tons of charges on it over what we agreeed on. Please PM me if anyone else got similar. Thank you
0 -
Yep, lots of us got HUGE bills. They only make you pay what was agreed upon.
0 -
Hi everyone. NOLA held up to their word with the huge bill I just got. I only owe what we agreed on, and not the huge bill.
I love those people. And, Cappy is wonderful.
Back home here it seems like all the healthcare professionals are angry- they seem so nice at NOLA
0 -
Hello ladies, I'm in California and have decided to have my surgery done in NOLA. However, I just heard back from the billing department and my insurance will not cover their facility. It is considered out of network and the surgeries (initial and follow up) will cost me somewhere around $55K!!!! They did say that I could have the surgery done at St. Tammeny Parish Hospital which would limit me to three doctors - Dr. Wise, Dr. Trahan and Dr. Blum.
Did anyone have their surgery at that hospital? If so, how was your post op/experiences. Should I schedule with a particular doctor? I am, most likely, having the upper hip tissue SGAP? surgery.
Should I consider taking a loan to have the procedures done at their facility?
Any help and feedback would be so much appreciated! Thank you in advance!
0 -
Wow -- so expensive!!! If you are willing to travel, have you checked with Dr. Marga Massey who operates out of North Carolina? She did some amazing work for me. She operates out of Roper Hospital which wasn't fancy like St Charles, but her work was so good that I never went back for Stage II. She is a lovely warm caring person too. Maybe she's in-network for you? She was for me.
0 -
That is very expensive. I would find out how the nurses are trained at that hospital. Is there a special unit? My guess is they have a specially trained staff- but i do not know. You could call the hospital and talk with the nurse manager and get others opinions on here. On another perspective, I don't think that the founders of SCSH would have anyone working with them that is sub standard- regarding: which physician to pick. The physician that go to that hospital are very nice to go out of their surgical area to help someone out. They seem truly special. I would think about that too while you get other peoples opinions of the surgeons/hospital.
As LA star said, Marga Massey is also an option
0 -
the benefits (as I see them) at st Charles surgical hospital are that the only patients there are ones who’ve had breast recon surgery (no guy with pneumonia down the hall, the lady with MRSA next door and the guy on the next hall-they don’t even know what he has!), the nurse to patient ratio is like 2:1 maybe 3:1 in a pinch, training of the nursing staff for recon and these particular doctor’s standards, private room, Murphy bed in your room & meals for your companion and proximity to the clinic (right next door). With all that being said, the sheer artistry these docs produce on a daily basis is amazing and that’s what you’re going for. It sounds like it’s the hospital charges that are the issue. I’d do either hospital as long as I had one of the NOLA docs working on me. Yes St Charles is nice with its benefits but it wouldn’t be the deal breaker for me.
So I just asked my husband his thoughts on this and his response was: St Charles Hospital if you can afford it. Is it worth losing your house over? No. But if it’s the difference in putting off buying a new car a couple-few years longer than you’re used to (or downgrading the new car), then yes it’s worth it.
Hope this helps
0 -
I would not spend 55 grand. that is crazy. I would find out about the other hospital and how well they are trained- staff. Some hospitals have special wings for those reconstrutive patients. I would find that out- and others who have been there, get their opinion. . What if there is a complication that requires another surgery? That 55 grand can increase quickly. There is no way I would spend that much money. I would get some facts about the other facility. Secondly, I woud check with Dr. Marga Massey.
Complications can happen no matter how great the physician is and how meticulous they are- its just a fact of life.
0 -
Dr. Massey is in Charleston SC not NC. She is using a new hospital and has all of her patients in the ICU while there. That gives you your own personal nurse. She is also known for working hard with insurance companies. She has done a fabulous job on my reconstruction. SGAP and stacked DIEP. She was a surgeon in NOLA at one time so she has the same experience. You can can reach her on her personal cell that is given on her website.
0 -
SCGirl50, is Dr. Massey no longer at Roper? That would be great news. She told me she was opening a place in Raleigh/Durham, but it sounds like that didn't happen. Charleston is a great place to visit, so I'm glad she is staying there. She is an amazing surgeon and caregiver, and she does great work. She did my DIEP after failed SGAP, and I hear you on the scar collection (from your other post)! I tell people that I had a terrible accident as a magician's assistant. The scars have faded quite a bit now.
0 -
LAStar-I’m going to have to steal that magician assistant line from you!!! It’s great!
0 -
I stole it too! There are some hilarious women on this board that keep us afloat.
0 -
LAstar she has moved to a new Roper hospital in Mt. Pleasant. She calls it her "little honey pot". She has better and newer everything and as you know she has all of the ICU nurses trained on monitoring flaps. She makes all of her patients feel special at a very difficult and vulnerable time in their lives.
0
