Got myself on the Public Hospital waiting list!

[Fighter13]

Your so right Ruth! I really only have two surgeons to choose from as they are the only two that work with my breast surgeon (who will be doing the Mastectomy) and at the same public hospital and I am very fortunate that they are both amazing and talented at what they do and I am even luckier that the one I clicked with who had no problem with me going public seems to do diep as a first choice and said he would try and get me diep for both and I know that he will do the best he can. My breast care nurse said he's work is amazing and he is very kind compassionate and loves to do difficult and challenging work! Apparently he does one reconstruction every fortnight through the public system so I may even have the operation within the 12months. I was told by him that if I went private and he said the only difference for me between private & public was time of surgery and place of surgery e.g.. having the operation now and in a private hospital vs waiting and having it in a public hospital everything else is the same. He also said I would spend most of the recovery in the plastics unit which is really good. Bets paying over $23,000.00 to go private!

[ruth1]

you need to quell that anxiety and ask away - remember they see all sorts of people from all demographics and although they prefer private I'm sure they're seeing public more often these days as economic necessity dictates. I was told when I asked about Diep that it would be almost impossible to have it done on public as only a few surgeons would do it at all let alone on public and the wait would be huge. Because this is a big decision and you need it to last so a good surgeon is imperative, don't skimp on asking anything. The worst they can say is no. Also remember, its not like this is a decision of vanity and cosmetic surgery - you didn't sign up to have cancer and you didn't sign up to have your breasts removed because of it.

[Fighter13]

Typo in that last post....should have been I told his secretary that I wanted to go public not private!

[Fighter13]

Yes Ruth I know it will be a tough surgery, the other Plastic Surgeon I saw gave me two options the first one was a Latissimus Dorsi reconstruction with implants and the second option was Tram with small implants as he thinks I wouldn't be happy with the results without implants (too small he said) he was very good and experienced I was just scared of asking him stuff, I was even too scared to tell him I wanted to go public as he just assumed I was going private although I did tell his secretary that I wanted to go private I don't think she passed this important info on to him. Sounds like you have had a bit of a rough time too with your eyes and fat necrosis, I hope thinks are working out for you now! Trula

[ruth1]

hahaha good to see the benefits of a chocolate diet!!! I knew it was good stuff. Well, that all sounds good for you Trula. Twelve months flies past these days. Cant believe we're halfway through this year already. ts very important to have confidence in your Surgeon so good you've found one you click with. Not easy surgery though from what Ive read but outcomes can be fantastic.

[Fighter13]

Hi all, Well I have been busy of late, I have had a couple of appointments with 2 plastic surgeons about doing my breast reconstruction. I have had a mastectomy on my right breast and I am wanting to have a prophylactic mastectomy with immediate reconstruction on the other side. I would really like to have the diep procedure initially I was told by my breast surgeon that she didn't think I had enough fat to do one let alone two breast but since then I have been on a bit of a eating binge haha eating lots of chocolate I know its bad but I have since put on 7kgs and guess what? One of the plastic surgeons said he could get me B possibly C cups! I had a CT Angiogram last week to see if I have the correct vessels for this procedure and I went to see him today with the results and he said I definitely have the correct vessels on one side of my stomach but it didn't look so good on the other side so I may end up with a diep on one side and a tram on the other, he said he wouldn't know for sure until he cuts me open and has a good look around.He said he would try for diep on both sides but he would do what was safe for me and if that means diep on only one side its better that nothing. He told me I shouldn't have to wait longer than 12mths which suits me fine. I was told that he would contact me about 6 weeks before the surgery and that I will need to stop taking Tamoxifen for 4 weeks before the surgery as Tamoxifen increases the risk of clots. I really connected with this surgeon and feel super excited about it. Hopefully the time will fly! Trula