Another operation

Thank you Teresa, I'm happy  that you have been receiving a very good care within public! I'm in Sydney and the public hospital I've just moved in is a huge one. I filled out admission form for 8/10 mastectomy operation last week. From that point I was transferred to public system, I hadn't discussed through the matter with my doctor ( who works both private and public). It seems to be super difficult to get an appointment with her now.  and the plastic surgeon I met when I was a private patient (who works both private and public) informed me that he could not even supervise my operation on 8/10.  But I believe it'll work out. I hear many positive comments about private hospital!  

Thank you!!

I have been using the public system since early 2010 and have been very happy and so very grateful. The care has been wonderful and the same surgeon has been in charge, so they really know my case well. With each diagnosis though my surgeon has been unavailable and i have been given the results by the registrars instead, but I can't complain. It may be because it is a slightly smaller hospital? They really have been great and I don't believe the care I would get as a private patient would be any better.

I am sending you love and hugs....

 

Teresa xx

 

Also girls if you mainly go to the same pharmacy and have spent a fortune on prescriptions you may be elegible for a reduction in the cost of your scripts.  I am now paying $5.80 per script instead of the full amount until the end of this year.  I have spent a fortune on scripts and over the counter products to eleviate some of the chemo side effects.  I think it is approx. $1380.00 I had spent to be eligible for the discount,  This is only a portion of the overall cost I have paid for my scripts.   

If you haven't already looked in to this it is well worth chatting with your pharmacy.

Mich xo

When I went to my breast surgeon(2 lumpectomy then mastectomy) He said to not do the reconstruction until after chemo and radiotherapy.  Some surgeons differ on this, but you may not need to make an immediate reconstruction choice.

Julia

Hi, Mich x . You are a big help for me! I wrote about MRI yesterday on another blog post. It's my diary. I was asked to under go MRI all in sudden (i got to know 15 min before app for MRI, it's diffficult to get app they said) . my doctors group had a meeting and they thought MRI would give more info. They don't want to miss any cancer lump after the 2nd operation. I maybe should be happy that I have breast surgeon who operate me and found extra cancer which did not show in Image. I guess even public system most of the time patients get breast specialist but there is no guarantee or patients cannot choose? Any way my doctor works in public as well and operate public patient. At MRI I was told, it cost $700 and Medicare does not cover in my case at reception. Shocked but I had no choice any way. I must change to public after 2nd operation then after I understand that I'll see different doctor each time. Maybe that is the different between pub and pri. It is a negative side but paying endless extra cost make me worry and depressed on top of cancer.

Wow cannot believe how many there are of us out there suffering this horrid bc. I had my first surgery on 9 August and I went thru as a public patient although I have private cover also I had heard that it might not be covered. I didn't have to wait have a great lady surgeon. They also told me bc surgery was fully covered in public so it is great peace of mind not waiting for bills to come in. I had lumpectomy and like you need more surgery. It is a hard decision to choose what to do and it might only be one more surgery or might be two. Then we have to put our bodies thru chemo or radiation or both. Good luck with your decision, I will be watching to see how you go. Hugs wend xox

Thank you for your comment, I'll mention my doctor that I want to get treatment as public patient after the operation. The 2nd operation will be done as private as I started it. I'm in Sydney and I learned that things are different in different places. I believe that public is also very good. Many of the preminant doctor works both private and public . I feel unconfortable asking deep detail about cost when dealing with life threatening disease. But any way no one can tell me what to expect as bills come from at least 4 to 5 places, surgeon, pathologist, anaesthetist, imaging, some lab for blood/ heart test, hospital, MRI, all separate bill. And private fund , mines medibank never can tell how much they cover without exact item number. And most of the fee are well above scheduled fee so out of pocket is a lot. I know how it is in Scandinavian countries and Japan. Australian system is unfortunately very confusing to understand and deal with.

Hi sorry to hear you have to have another opp.

I went public and i got the best surgeon oncologist and even had a room to myself.I couldnt fault the public system at all.I only waited 7 days from diagnosis to operation.The only time i was out of pocket was for chemo medications and 400 for radiation,as i went public patient in a private hospital.

I dont know if others have had a good experience through public.But i sure did.I couldnt imagine worrying about the cost as well as everything else.

Goodluck with everything

Anniexx

Hi sorry to hear you have to have another opp.

I went public and i got the best surgeon oncologist and even had a room to myself.I couldnt fault the public system at all.I only waited 7 days from diagnosis to operation.The only time i was out of pocket was for chemo medications and 400 for radiation,as i went public patient in a private hospital.

I dont know if others have had a good experience through public.But i sure did.I couldnt imagine worrying about the cost as well as everything else.

Goodluck with everything

Anniexx