Here Goes

The Oncology business in Albury is private, they are installed at the CC. If you need chemo, which we hope you won't, you will need to pay for your specialist appointments but the chemo itself has no charge as you are admitted to the hospital for that procedure. You do have to pay for any drugs you take home (don't buy them at the hospital pharmacy, they are cheaper at a discount chemist) It's worth making noises about equity of access to cut the specialist oncologist fees if you can't afford them, but good luck with that. I ended up using the public oncology service in Shep last year, but that is a long story which I probably can't tell here. Suffice to say, one experience  with private oncologists in 2006 was enough for me. Mind you, I can be a raving pain in the arse, so the feeling was probably mutual :)

Radiotherapy is at the Centre which opened in 2016. The company is also private, but there is a cross border government initiative where the gap between the medicare rebate and the fees are covered. That is a huge bonus as previously it was stump up about 6 grand, go without or relocate to Melbourne for the duration, The people there are lovely and it is a modern facility with all the bells and whistles and things generally run very smoothly. They seem very accommodating with people who are juggling work and treatment. Once you get going you are only in the machine for a few minutes so planning for a bit less than an hour per treatment is about right unless there are technical problems but they will keep you well informed about that

Check your super and see if you have income protection insurance--it's a default with many policies and will pay (usually) 75% of what ever wage you were on when you set up the policy unless you have increased it over the years; most of us forget to do that. There is usually a 90 day withholding period, but depending on your treatment this nonsense can take 12 months. Hopefully you will not need that either, but you are not the only one who has the rat wheel spinning when anything new that needs worrying about rears it's head.

Once you get the hang of things and start keeping good files, much of the uncertainty diminishes. The real problems come up in the early stages when the goal posts can move very quickly. You case, like very one else's,  is unique and all anyone can really help you with is the navigation once you know what course you are sailing.

@kmakm I could tell she was being a gatekeeper. She said she would call me back after talking to surgeon about my  inplannon rod. Thankfully I made contact with the other BCN and she is working at the Surgeons Office on Wednesday. She is going to ask about the rod on my behalf. She is also going to make contact with me on the day of my surgery next week.

@kiwi_angel I think I've cried enough tears for now. I keep a pretty private life because of my anxiety with work being my only real contact with the outside world. I felt guilty for not going to work, then the worry about finances become overwhelming but I know I just have to take things one day at a time.

@soldiercrab Ive emailed my super company to see if they can give me any information on accessing my income protection. Its not a lot of money only $950 a month as I only work part time, but it would be a relief to know I can access it if I do get too sick with treatment.

@zoffiel Thank you for the information about the Cancer Centre in Albury. I had no idea it was totally private. A relief that radiotherapy is bulk billed. My surgeon is a Breast Cancer surgeon as well as bowel cancer. Speaking with colleagues who have dealt with him they were all very impressed. Just a query. Is the radiation therapy done at the CC or in another part of the Albury Base? My Surgeon is treating me as a public patient and doing so has still managed to get me into surgery within 2 weeks of seeing him. Is the oncology team only from the Cancer Centre?  These are questions I will probably ask my BCN. Its the fear of the unknown that leaves me shaking. I am one of those people who will drive somewhere the day before just so there are no surprises when I attend the next day. This insane need to know every step in advance is my enemy in everyday life and will be now too. I am even sitting down now working out budgets if I am unable to work at some stage.

@iserbrown Thank you for those links. Am reading as much as I can but struggling to focus the past couple of days. My usual escape is burying my nose in the Outlander Novels. I think I have read the last 2 pages 3 times. Which isn't all bad as those who know the Outlander Series, you can never get too much of Jamie Fraser ;P

@kezmusic Thank you so much for your kind words. I have to try and keep calm until the results from my surgery are back. I expected everything to following suit within days, eg radiotherapy etc. I have this feeling that I want this thing growing in me out now and zapped now! But I forget its probably been there awhile and when I didn't know what it was I was calm.

So I got online on the weekend and site in Australia called Plus Sized Bras and decided to spoil Thelma and Louise. Hoping the size I ordered fits. Thelma and Louise are so big I have never really had good fitting bras and I have permanent dents in my shoulders. I wont ever be getting wired bras again and have found some lovely non wired, front opening bras. I got an email to say they were dispatched today.

We've decided to call my lump Brad Pitt (or Brad Titt?). Brad will only have a week now snuggled with Louise then he is being evicted!

Thank you all for your support and advice

Don't let the door person get in your way. You have an absolute right to those records, tell her you want them. From now on ask for copies of everything--make it a matter of course

Costs for you might be an issue in Albury Wodonga. The cancer centre is very pretty, but it is not a public facility. You can get your radiotherapy bulk billed there now--which is a significant saving--oncology services, should you require them, are something else altogether. There are options for that if you get into trouble financially but they require a bit of running around.

If you require more extensive surgery, consider going to Melbourne for it. It would be worth asking your surgeon if they are a qualified breast surgeon or a general surgeon with an 'interest' in breast surgery. There is a difference and it is an important question if you end up wanting reconstructive surgery. Hopefully you won't, but from my personal experience of BC in Northeast Victoria and Southern NSW, you need to ask a lot of questions as you do not always get the full picture or get offered the same services that you can access in the metro areas. Sentinel node tracking is an example of this--there are very much more sophisticated ways of doing that than running a hand held Geiger-counter over your armpit.

Sorry, not trying to frighten you, but start with the questions very early and consider any snootiness about delivering answers as a huge red flag.