Private or Public?
Hi everyone, I'm a newly diagnosed in my late 30's. my cancer is invasive grade 1 in one breast. I have private health insurance but the out of pocket costs of the plastic surgeon and aneastetic wo...
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Check out Breast recon 101 series in insta , about a dozen interviews, different topics. I am sure you will find stuff about public vs private. Learn wide, so then you can narrow down what is important for you. https://www.instagram.com/luanlawriewoods/ ;
Grade one sounds like no hurry, but your oncologist should help you decide that,
Yes go public if you don't have a spare 10K lying around. Often there is ongoing balancing and adjustments and more costs .It rarely ends up just one surgery. Do learn about risks and complications so your mentally prepared if something does happen.
Do read up, especially if after surgery new pathology shows any more tiny tumors and they decide you need radiation that can change things, every surgeon has different methods and all based on your body, so you have to talk to lots different women and experiences , then make your own decisions. Learn about contracture and capsultaion, scar therapy & compression for good healing .
There is a recon group within BCNA you should join, and there are aussie fb ones too.Its a big world, so many women go through it but its not a decision to rush into.
Do also start with the great webinar by BCNA all about recon, its a great start to learning the lingo, so then when you get to talk to a surgeon you understand it a bit better. Informed choice is hard, but important you have no regrets.
Also good if you go to a local support group, meet others face to face, learn various surgeons names, but remember everyones opinions take with a grian of salt- they get emotional so can be over exadurated, step back, try and get facts not feelings.
( I haven't had recon, i happily stayed half flat 18 years no regrets, i run a BC support group all that time , so i have seen and heard many tales and experiences of other women and i know its not easy decision.Listen to your doctors carefully.) Best wishes.