Susan's Place Transgender Resources

So I sent my letter and medical history to Dr. Brassard, and I was given January 19, 2011!  I'm not sure what to think yet.  I don't think it's really sank in fully.  You have to realize, I've been waiting SO LONG for this (or what I think is so long).

So the subject of the post, did you pay the entire amount up front?  I plan on it, but it's very strange to think of writing one, single check that big for something that I've been wanting for so long, when my mindset for years has been, "Save, save, save."  Like I said, I'll pay it, but it's strange.

I was in Montreal about ten times between 1999 & 2003 and after Paris it has always been my favorite city to visit.  My Mom and I have always planned to go a few days early to enjoy the city some before surgery, but now that my date is in the dead of winter I'm not so sure??  I mean, it's going to be cold.

Surgery, surgery, surgery!!! I have to come up with a reason to tell work that I need to take off for two weeks in the middle of winter.  It' hard, because they all know I'm a work-a-holic.

Amy

Amy, well it's broken up in 3 payments. I payed my first deposit of 2000 after i got my confirmation package. The second deposit of 2500 is due 2 months before my surgery, then the final balance of 13500 is due 1 month before my surgery date. so its not really all at once. Hope this helps

Quote from: amy2003 on July 08, 2010, 09:17:09 PM


I was in Montreal about ten times between 1999 & 2003 and after Paris it has always been my favorite city to visit.  My Mom and I have always planned to go a few days early to enjoy the city some before surgery, but now that my date is in the dead of winter I'm not so sure??  I mean, it's going to be cold.

Surgery, surgery, surgery!!! I have to come up with a reason to tell work that I need to take off for two weeks in the middle of winter.  It' hard, because they all know I'm a work-a-holic.

Yes, Montreal is a beautiful city--my fave Canadian city as well.  I had my consult in Jan 2010 and, yes, it was cold.  Those last few days of Jan 2010 were the coldest that Quebec and Ontario had seen in many years.  Fortunately, it is not always like that.  Montreal, however, does get a lot of snow.  Temps seem to fluctuate between bearable and unbearable.

BTW, you'll be needing more than two weeks--more like 6-8 

I didn't use Dr. Brassard though he was on my list. 

I paid a deposit of 10% to my surgeon and he wanted the rest in cash the day before surgery.  I ended up paying a mix of dollars and Euros.  Would have been nice if it could have been check or bank transfer.

Jay

amy quote
Surgery, surgery, surgery!!! I have to come up with a reason to tell work that I need to take off for two weeks in the middle of winter.  It' hard, because they all know I'm a work-a-holic.

How about I'm going for a skiing holiday.  And later Ooops I had an accident and had to have surgery and then convalesce for another six weeks.
:laugh:
Cindy

In the dead of winter the Underground City (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_City,_Montreal) can be a haven for the shopaholic.

Quote from: CindyJames on July 09, 2010, 03:28:47 AM
amy quote
Surgery, surgery, surgery!!! I have to come up with a reason to tell work that I need to take off for two weeks in the middle of winter.  It' hard, because they all know I'm a work-a-holic.

How about I'm going for a skiing holiday.  And later Ooops I had an accident and had to have surgery and then convalesce for another six weeks.
:laugh:
Cindy

LOL I almost did just that, Cindy!  I had a nice vacation then oops I fell off the roof, put my back out.

In the end I didn't tell them what surgery, just that I was having surgery.  Though it's kinda sorta a vacation.  More like fodder for a novel.  Serbia is very nice.  Wish I could enjoy it!!

Jay

I too had my Consult in Jan of 2010. It was very cold at that time. but it was so nice in Montreal, I really like that place. the people I found were very nice and friendly :).


There's a lot of Brassard Girls from Susan's having surgery. It must be a record for a forum for one surgeon.

I paid my surgeon, anesthesiologist, and the hospital separately. I sent the surgeon's and anesthesiologist's checks about 30 days in advance, but didn't pay the hospital until the day I checked in. BTW, my surgeon's fee included a full extra night in the hospital, as well as the blood transfusion I ended up needing at no extra cost to me. Dr. McGinn has 2 rooms reserved especially for her patients at the hospital, and all the nurses and staff there were excellent. I couldn't have received better care.

I didn't go to Brassard, but I paid a small deposit when I asked for a surgery date and then paid the full amount two weeks before surgery.  There were two certified checks - one to Bowers and one to the hospital.

And Montreal is a wonderful city any time of year. :)

- Kate

I went to Menard, Brassard's predecessor in Montreal.  There was a mixup with the price due to change in the exchange rate between when they sent the letter and when I paid the remaining amount upon arrival.  They said I owed several hundred more dollars, and I didn't have it.  So I showed them the letter, and they said it was lucky I had the letter or I would be going home with no surgery.  But everyone else got pain pills afterward during their stay.  I got Tylenol.  That was just a ridiculous amount of pain to endure on Tylenol, especially the plane ride home with the stent.  I still resent it.

Well, &^%#@^*~!!!!!!!!!  What do you mean more than two weeks?  Surely that is negotiable?  There is absolutely no way I can be out for 6-8 weeks and keep my job!!

I feel sick to my stomach.

Quote from: amy2003 on July 09, 2010, 08:45:32 PM
Well, &^%#@^*~!!!!!!!!!  What do you mean more than two weeks?  Surely that is negotiable?  There is absolutely no way I can be out for 6-8 weeks and keep my job!!

I feel sick to my stomach.

Honey, you need time to heal.  Do you really want to go through all that crap only to end up with complications?  If you're going to Montreal, you'll be spending ten days there.  Do you really think following a major surgery you will be raring to go in 14 days?  How about dilating?  Are you going to do that at work two maybe three times a day?  If your boss will fire you over taking time to recoup from a surgery, he's guaranteed to fire you for running off to the washroom to dilate a couple of times per day.  Talk things out with your ->-bleeped-<- boss or get another job

I was no where close to being ready to go back to work at 2 weeks. At 5 weeks, I wanted to but did not have the stamina to do it. I took 8 weeks off, and, for me, that was perfect. After my first week back though I am exhausted!! And of course I still have to work on Saturday. If I tried to go back before four weeks, I would not have made it, there was no way. I do know of people who have, but doing so risks complications, anything from tearing stitches to bleeding or poor healing. You need to be relaxing, not working after two weeks.

Quote from: Kristyn on July 09, 2010, 09:00:35 PM
Honey, you need time to heal.  Do you really want to go through all that crap only to end up with complications?  If you're going to Montreal, you'll be spending ten days there.  Do you really think following a major surgery you will be raring to go in 14 days?  How about dilating?  Are you going to do that at work two maybe three times a day?  If your boss will fire you over taking time to recoup from a surgery, he's guaranteed to fire you for running off to the washroom to dilate a couple of times per day.  Talk things out with your ->-bleeped-<- boss or get another job

He's not a ->-bleeped-<- boss.  He's actually a fantastic boss.  But no one at work will know I'm having surgery unless I make up some other surgery I need to have, and then half the office will want to visit me in the hospital.  I am a work-a-holic, and the people at work no pretty much every single detail about me, except for the fact that I am trans.  The thought of coming up with an excuse for two weeks was exhausting, and I hadn't even figured that out yet.

Quote from: amy2003 on July 09, 2010, 09:31:18 PM
He's not a ->-bleeped-<- boss.  He's actually a fantastic boss.  But no one at work will know I'm having surgery unless I make up some other surgery I need to have, and then half the office will want to visit me in the hospital.  I am a work-a-holic, and the people at work no pretty much every single detail about me, except for the fact that I am trans.  The thought of coming up with an excuse for two weeks was exhausting, and I hadn't even figured that out yet.

Just tell them you have some disorder that only a team of Viennese surgeons can cure--that ought to pull their noses out of your butt for a while.  In regards to flowers and cards, tell them you will be kept in an isolation chamber for 4-6 weeks where you must have absolutely no contact with the outside world.  They can throw you a party upon your return in about 8 weeks.  If they ask what is wrong, and they will, tell them you are too distraught to talk about it and walk away.  Who knows you may even get twelve weeks off .  Remember!  It's not a lie if you truly believe it  ;)

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Post Merge: July 09, 2010, 09:44:24 PM

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Quote from: katgirl74 on July 09, 2010, 09:25:21 PM
I was no where close to being ready to go back to work at 2 weeks. At 5 weeks, I wanted to but did not have the stamina to do it. I took 8 weeks off, and, for me, that was perfect. After my first week back though I am exhausted!! And of course I still have to work on Saturday. If I tried to go back before four weeks, I would not have made it, there was no way. I do know of people who have, but doing so risks complications, anything from tearing stitches to bleeding or poor healing. You need to be relaxing, not working after two weeks.

Did Dr Mcginn give you wings?   ;D

Amy, this is a great question since you are going to Montreal for surgery.  Now, assuming you are not from Canada, you should watch the exchange rate and try to buy Canadian dollars when your country's currency is stronger.  The nice thing about Montreal, as the others have mentioned, is they don't require all the money right away.  So, if the exchange rate is doing really badly, and there is speculation your currency may become stronger in the future, you might want to hold off on making a full payment until the time you think it will be at the most advantageous.  On the flipside, if you wait, you also might end up paying more if your currency becomes weaker.

For example, here are some sample exchange rates for USD/CAD and what it would cost you for $18,000 CAD:

$18,000 / 0.95 = $18,947
$18,000 / 1.00 = $18,000
$18,000 / 1.03 = $17,476 (today's closing rate)
$18,000 / 1.10 = $16,346
$18,000 / 1.25 = $14,440

You get the idea, the higher the USD/CAD exchange rate, the less money it will cost you.  Of course, people have full-time jobs speculating currency, and no one really knows where the rate is heading at any given time.  http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=USDCAD=X (http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=USDCAD=X)  Please note, the bank that does the exchange will typically have a lower exchange rate than the one quoted on the yahoo website.

If you are from Canada, disregard what I said because you are paying with Canadian dollars anyways so it's 1-1.  If you are from another country besides the US, use the exchange rate for your country. 

To answer your question:  no, I didn't pay the entire amount up front.  I saved a few hundred dollars by doing so, but also had I made the exchange a few months earlier, I would have saved over $1,000.  The dollar was very volatile at the time.

(Disclaimer: this is solely my view and opinion and not intended as financial advice, please consult a financial advisor before making any financial decisions.)

Thanks BlackMamba! I didn't even give this too much thought but i will be watching the exchange rate more closely. At least it appears that i lucked out on my first deposit i payed on May 25.

Amy, I'm retired and considerably older, but there was no way that I could have made it through a work day after only two weeks.  I wasn't comfortable doing anything for very long - even sitting - and couldn't have kept my mind on anything. 

If you are a workaholic, then you need to take at least a month off - doctor's orders - and maybe six weeks so that you don't burn yourself out within the next five years.  You are going to a retreat so that you can learn to balance your home life and your work life better and do a better job without stressing yourself out so much, blah blah blah.  And of course part of the retreat is that you don't have contact with your work folk, so no cards or emails, etc.  (And, in a way, this is all true. ;))

- Kate

The problem of going back to work after surgery is dependent on three factors:

• Time considerations of having to dilate
• Difficulty/discomfort of sitting
• The enormous assault on your body of the surgery and its effect on your stamina.
  Don't underestimate this one. Sleep, naps, good diet, exercise and time are the only cure.

It's considered major surgery.  It's invasive.  Your body does not like to be cut open.  It takes time to heal, and if you don't work on healing right, you can really mess yourself up permanently.

As for work, the only easy way is for them is to know the truth.  I'd have a hard time with someone taking a couple months off, most places would.  Because the weird deal going on right now is that even though we have a buttload of people OUT of work, those that are still working are working even more than they used to.  And 2 months is a bit of a stretch to have to go without one of your key players.

But you really need the time.  How much depends on age, physical condition, how really healthy (diet and exercise) you were going into it.  But 'complications from surgery' is a frequent reason people die from the whole surgery deal, and the problems in not healing correctly after the operation are probably far more common than problems during the operation itself.

I agree with Tekla.

The surgeon has the easy part, he shuffles around your innards for a few hours then kicks you out on the street.
It's your job to take a bad imitation Picasso and turn it into a beautiful nude.
In the beginning it is a full-time job.

Quote from: amy2003 on July 09, 2010, 08:45:32 PM
Well, &^%#@^*~!!!!!!!!!  What do you mean more than two weeks?  Surely that is negotiable?  There is absolutely no way I can be out for 6-8 weeks and keep my job!!

I feel sick to my stomach.

I live in a fairly liberal part of the US, so it might be different how other places interpret it, but check out FMLA if you're in the US. 

Where I work, it covers any medical leave that's needed.  It's unpaid (they will absorb your sick days and make them paydays where I work), but they they consider it a leave of absense.   8 weeks is a long time, but it keeps your job safe.

I was covered with MSP in regards to the cost of the surgery itself. I will pay for the other costs (BA, and the cost of aftercare etc) or the downpayment at least in the next few days.

I actually had a medical loan to pay for a majority of my treatments, however they did pay the surgeon up front.  :laugh:

Still paying for these loans, and expect to be for a long time.

Quote from: blondwidowspider on July 15, 2010, 05:37:11 PM
I actually had a medical loan to pay for a majority of my treatments, however they did pay the surgeon up front.  :laugh:

Still paying for these loans, and expect to be for a long time.

You're post srs?  Who did your surgery?  What else have you had done, if you don't mind my asking, and by whom?  :)

Quote from: Kristyn on July 15, 2010, 07:02:32 PM
You're post srs?  Who did your surgery?  What else have you had done, if you don't mind my asking, and by whom?  :)

Response in PM.  :)

Quote from: amy2003 on July 09, 2010, 08:45:32 PM
Well, &^%#@^*~!!!!!!!!!  What do you mean more than two weeks?  Surely that is negotiable?  There is absolutely no way I can be out for 6-8 weeks and keep my job!!

I feel sick to my stomach.

where do you live/work?

I find it pretty hard to believe that there's not legal protection for one's job if one is recuperating from a major medical procedure - hell you can take off for months to take care of someone else who has a medical issue...surely you can take off for your own condition?

Probably unpaid leave but still

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Post Merge: July 15, 2010, 08:06:13 PM

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Quote from: amy2003 on July 09, 2010, 09:31:18 PM
He's not a ->-bleeped-<- boss.  He's actually a fantastic boss.  But no one at work will know I'm having surgery unless I make up some other surgery I need to have, and then half the office will want to visit me in the hospital.  I am a work-a-holic, and the people at work no pretty much every single detail about me, except for the fact that I am trans.  The thought of coming up with an excuse for two weeks was exhausting, and I hadn't even figured that out yet.

the sking trip/accident story actually is a really good idea.

alternately...trip to distant place (visit relative who's ill?) >> rental car accident >> surgery >> excuse.

in fact, if you are creative enough  you can even claim a sort of surgery that might explain something that might otherwise be odd (for instance, the internal injury necessitated a full hysterectomy, which is why you are infertile and don't have periods and have to take hormones)

That is, of course, if you are fully committed to keeping the secret.

the sking trip/accident story actually is a really good idea.

Lying to your boss is NEVER a good idea, unless you concept of being happy includes being fired without unemployment bennies.  Any 'skiing' accident that would take you six-eight weeks to recover from, and needed a hospital visit is going to be pretty apparent for years to come.

Every boss I've ever had would fire you for that kind of antics.  If it were me, I'd fire you, I can not have anyone on the deck who I can't trust to tell me the truth.

Quote from: tekla on July 15, 2010, 09:08:06 PM
the sking trip/accident story actually is a really good idea.

Any 'skiing' accident that would take you six-eight weeks to recover from, and needed a hospital visit is going to be pretty apparent for years to come.

Think Wide World Of Sports

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4n3z7QmMNU# (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4n3z7QmMNU#)

this is a very interesting topic............

Quote from: Suigeniris on July 16, 2010, 12:55:26 AM
this is a very interesting topic............

Which, paying in full up front, or the length of time and excuse needed for surgery?  Both, I would say.

My initial question has fallen by the wayside with the realization that I will need more than two weeks off from work.  Everyone, thank you for your responses, and also thank you for your concern.  Rest assured, I would never risk permanent injury and complications by going back to work too early.  But it IS a dilemma what to tell work. Let me make sure everyone is aware that I am stealth.  Lots of people have insinuated that it shouldn't be a problem, but I guess I am the only one who would truly know.  Trust me, it's going to take some very careful planning.

I saw my MD yesterday, and she said she has seen MANY through the months leading up to and following surgery, and it was her opionion that, considering my age and health that I shouldn't have any problem going back after four weeks.Right now I am considering either a trip far way with a relative, or possibly a surgery.  I might actually use an old friend's current problem of cysts growing on the ovaries and a hysteroectomy.  My MD said the typical revocery time for that would also be about 4 weeks.

Time for bed.

amy

If you're young, 4 weeks sounds doable, but I think it might depend on the type of surgery.  I had my original penile inversion surgery on my 26th birthday, and then a colon graft revision more than ten years later.  I recovered very quickly from the penile inversion, and if it weren't for the need to dilate every two hours, I think going to work only two weeks later would have been doable.  When I had the revision, I only took two weeks off, but it turned out to be a much more difficult recovery than the original one.  I regretted going back to work after only two weeks. That one took a lot longer to recover from. 

So if you feel up to it, maybe you can return to work early, and wear a stent and sit on one of those inflatable donuts.  You should take one of those with you anyway on your trip, especially for the trip home.

CONGRATS!!!  I have my surgery the same week :D. 

[qfour weeks.Right now I am considering either a trip far way with a relative, or possibly a surgery.  I might actually use an old friend's current problem of cysts growing on the ovaries and a hysteroectomy.  My MD said the typical revocery time for that would also be about 4 weeks.amy
[/quote]
Big surgery will affect people differently so it entirely possibel that you'll feel like working after just a few weeks but doing an 8 hour day plus travel might be so hard that you aren't performing as well as you should.
I had a five hour operation this time last year and was home and feeling fine two days later. Two months ago I had a one hour op and was home the next day and feeling fine.
Two years ago I had boob job and two days later felt fine enough to go home but couldn't do any lifting  or carrying .
I'm most likely a lot older than you too.
Is there any way you can work from home for a few weeks? 
You could lie in bed dilator inserted and work on your comp or phone...

I haven't paid yet except a $500 deposit to Marci to reserve my date. I imagine when the date gets closer, I'll get something in the mail explaining that stuff though.

As for recovery, I should be able to work from home a bunch when I get back as I'll only have about 3-4 weeks of vacation saved tops.

Recovery is going to be interesting for that I don't have a job right now due to layoffs at my previous position and my employment insurance runs out the day of my surgery. I should be good for 2 months but after month one of recovery it's time to get going finding some employment fast :) I saved enough to be comfortable for 2 months and pay my bills etc but after that it may get hectic. We shall see! I'm considering other possibilities right now as well. We shall see!

Still kind of scary though. I want to be sure I'm able to dilate religiously and not worry about time constraints but money has to be comig in somehow.

Quote from: Jerica on July 26, 2010, 05:11:33 PM
I haven't paid yet except a $500 deposit to Marci to reserve my date. I imagine when the date gets closer, I'll get something in the mail explaining that stuff though.

As for recovery, I should be able to work from home a bunch when I get back as I'll only have about 3-4 weeks of vacation saved tops.

Be aware, too, that you  may be physically exhausted, and pain meds may make it harder to pay attention.  I, too, thought I could work from home.  I did, up until the day of surgery, but it took me two full weeks before I could even focus on work.  Then again, you are a lot younger than I am, so that may change things.  Just be aware that it may be hard to focus on work.


Jay