Thanks.
And FWIW, I think despite the political changes we'll continue to see insurances starting to cover these procedures so that more people can access them. So don't think it'll never be an option for you!
I've got all my fingers crossed that this will work out exactly like I was told it would. I'm really hoping that either there was a miscommunication somewhere along the line or that Dr. BL will say to go ahead with the vaginectomy here locally. I just don't want to get stuck again waiting around for another surgeon's office. I've lost a full year already due to my experience with Dr. Schechter.
I think knowing that my first stage with Dr. BL will be a meta has gotten me back to thinking more about that as the better option for what I want. The more I think about the logistics of standing to pee as well - everything I want to do with it doesn't really require length. I don't care about using a urinal. It's mostly for convenience on road trips or while camping. And of course if I were ever hospitalized and they needed to give me a catheter.
I've spent the day thinking about what would need to change in my life for me to want something more sizeable, and being mildly asexual I can't think of anything. When you cut sexual function out of the equation, it really just comes down to the functionality I care about (peeing) and aesthetics. So with that in mind, I've identified 5 different options, some of which I've already started to pursue:
- Dr. McGinn: I sent off her intake forms and a request for a ring meta consultation today. I know she's already booked up through July, but that's still sooner than 2018. The downsides would be that I'd need to get a vaginectomy done elsewhere after the fact, and that I'd have to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed by my insurance.
- Dr. Meltzer: I also sent a request to Meltzer's office for a meta consultation. No idea what his schedule looks like, but it doesn't hurt to ask. He could do everything I want, potentially in a single session but most likely two. I have a cousin out there I could stay with, so even though it'd be outside of my usual willing-to-travel-to radius, it wouldn't necessarily be a more expensive option. He also accepts single case agreements from some insurers, so I may not have to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed.
- Dr. Leis: Leis doesn't do UL with his ab phallos but will do everything else. I could have UL done by another surgeon after the fact. I've heard awful things about his personality, but his work is aesthetically attractive and he schedules people quickly. He would also take a single case agreement from my insurance. I haven't taken any steps to move forward with this idea yet. It is probably my least favorite out of all of the ones listed here just because I'm not a huge fan of the things I've heard about Leis's personality.
- Dr. Berli or Dr. Dugi: They're the new team at OHSU in Portland and could do a meta or ab phallo, both with everything I want. They both trained with surgeons I respect and I've heard great things from folks that have already been to them. I'm sure I could get my insurance to play ball. Downside would be that it's on the exact other side of the country and would likely require 3+ trips back and forth, which is not cheap. Apparently they are willing to do Skype consults though, so depending on the outcome of this situation with Dr. BL, it would be pretty quick to at least set that up.
- Dr. Miro: I initially had planned to go to Dr. Miro before getting insurance. With my out of pocket maximum increasing this year, getting what I want here might be around the same price as getting a meta done in Belgrade. I am planning to send him an email asking about his meta prices currently. His phallo prices were super affordable, so I don't think I'll be in for any sticker shock. I'd just have to do a comparison between what I'd pay here versus what I'd pay there plus flights.
Ultimately, I'm still holding out for good news from Dr. BL's office. My friend got a call from her scheduler asking if she could "put him on the books for January", but didn't specify a year and he hasn't had a chance to call her back yet. I am planning to send her an email if I haven't heard from her by next Friday. I do think I want to have a follow up consult with her at NYU before scheduling just to lock down everything and confirm that I'd be getting exactly what I want. I'm still not feeling great about any of this, but spending the day laying out all my different options has made me feel a bit better.
