Sent an email to set up my phone consultation with Dr. Garramone.

[Zerro]

I just sent an email to set up the consult, but does anyone who's had surgery with him have any advice to offer? After my next paycheck, I'll have enough for the surgery itself, but plan on saving up to $8000 altogether to pay for the trip/lodgings/etc. Will $8000 be enough? I was hoping to schedule for the beginning or middle of October, so I'd not be missed too much at work. I'd like to stay at New Beginnings, but if that might be too much money, does anyone have a good hotel suggestion? I feel like despite the years of planning, I'm at a loss. I've never had any sort of major surgery before, and I feel a bit nervous and excited. It's a big change. It's a big event. Just...any advice you lot can offer me would be great.


Thanks.

[Adio]

It depends on how much travel (flight/gas, hotel, etc) will cost you and how much you plan to spend while there (food, etc).  I spent around $7k when I had top surgery with Garramone last summer.  The hotel I choose was Staybridge Suites Ft. Lauderdale-Plantation.  It was about halfway between both his office and the surgical center, and it also had a Publix (grocery store/pharmacy) within walking distance. 

So as not to repeat myself further, I wrote a decent bit of advice on these two threads that should help you out:

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php?topic=121872.0
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php?topic=101427.0

ETA:  Besides the reasons above, I opted to stay at an extended stay hotel to save on food money and eat healthier during my stay.

[Daniel006]

I just got back on August 1st from surgery with Garramone.  I stayed at New Beginnings and I HIGHLY recommend it.  The quality of my experience definitely made up for any difference in price compared with staying at a hotel.  Leland and Bonnie take care of getting you to and from your pre and post op appointments, as well as surgery.  They have it down to a science.  It was also great meeting other guys that were staying there.  If my boyfriend and I had stayed at a hotel, it would have been a long, boring week.  Instead, we had the option of going downstairs and spending time with other people if we wanted to.  We had a great time, and it was a disappointment to finally go home.  It was like a vacation as well as recovering from surgery.  I cannot sing their praises highly enough.  We also did not need to rent a car or eat out for every meal, which was pretty big savings in itself.  If you would like to talk more in detail about my time at New Beginnings or with top surgery in general, feel free to send me a PM.

$8000 sounds like it should be enough to cover both surgery and travel/housing.  I'm not sure where you would be coming from, but my flight from California was a bit under $400 round trip.  Seven nights at New Beginnings was between $900 and $1000 before splitting it with my boyfriend (again, definitely worth the difference compared to a hotel).

[DRAIN]

I spent something like $8500, but that included eating out some, a bit of sightseeing,  and paying for a friend's gas to meet me. I stayed at the homestead suites in plantation - it was decent and close to his office and surgery center. It was $65/night.

Other recommendations? Dry shampoo, baby wipes, and straws