that I went to a hospital and met a doctor who told me I could get chest surgery and pay for it by working as a cleaner there.
If only.
That sounds like a nice dream...i'd do anything to get around the big cash needed for chest surgery....
It bums me out. I can't imagine how I'm going to save that much money. I can't even save for a car. However I feel more motivated about this than driving! Especially since I'm going to binding in summer eventually, ugh.
But a good dream. With some other scary elements.
That's a lovely dream, I'd love to be able to trade/barter to get surgery.
It took me about four years of scrimping, selling, and a dedicated savings account to get enough money together, and I'll still barely make it. I'm going to be pretty strapped for a while but nothing else is this important to me. But I do recommend it, if you can either get a savings account that is specifically for your surgery fund, or get a special sub-account (some banks do this, not all do).
Just from my personal experience, when I had money in my regular accounts, I would spend it. If I immediately tucked some away in an account that was not connected to a spending account, it slowly accrued.
Quote from: M.Grimm on June 07, 2010, 10:00:19 PM
It took me about four years of scrimping, selling, and a dedicated savings account....
My surgery's in about a week's time, now. I took a loan out from the credit union that I will be... Paying off. For a long. Long time to come.
/Weeps inwardly/
I wouldn't mind doing janitorial work as a trade for it. In fact, I think the bartering system is under-appreciated and could be put to good use like this. I should have volunteered some idea like that to my surgeon, Elvistears.
I don't know how I will save enough for top surgery. Thinking about a loan. Don't know if I'd qualify. But man, I really really would love to get the surgery done.
Quote from: jmaxley on June 07, 2010, 10:52:32 PM
I don't know how I will save enough for top surgery. Thinking about a loan. Don't know if I'd qualify. But man, I really really would love to get the surgery done.
If, like me, you had no credit, or bad credit, you'd have to take out the loan conjointly with a co-signer. You can always qualify somehow. It's going to be a pain in the ass, but worth it to breathe, right?
Hm. I have considered taking out a small loan, even though I now have enough for my top surgery costs. It's just that it will take almost every penny and I don't want to be left with no money if an emergency crops up. I think I'll look into this, before I go under the knife.
Quote from: M.Grimm on June 07, 2010, 11:09:55 PM
Hm. I have considered taking out a small loan, even though I now have enough for my top surgery costs. It's just that it will take almost every penny and I don't want to be left with no money if an emergency crops up. I think I'll look into this, before I go under the knife.
Oh, sure. Be responsible. Fine.
How long would you have to clean for?
Lol.
My friend &I were talking about the costs the other day, she asked me about how much it would cost for top surgery... then she was trying to think up ways to raise/save money for it.
Selling an egg was a throw out there...
that'd be mint!
how much is chest surgery anyways? :/
ccc: FOREVER! hmm maybe i could sell my "virginity". But no.
rex: not sure exactly, but heaps! more than I can imagine in my bank account. hey, you look super cute in that dog hat!!
thanks elvis! ^ ^ i especially like how the ears were crooked in different directions! X3
and i wish you could 'know' chest surgeons like you do tattoo artists: if you're good friends with them you can get it done at someone's house for cheap or free and its just as good as a tattoo/surgery you'd regularly get!
Don't leave that hat laying about... I will steal it
-sticks tongue out and holds hat down on head-
never!
-runs away-
Top surgery is around $4k to $6k.
Quote from: elvistears on June 09, 2010, 12:27:21 AM
ccc: FOREVER! hmm maybe i could sell my "virginity". But no.
Forever is a long time.
:/
Ahhh, did you hear about that girl who sold her virginity... crazy stuff...
Post Merge: June 09, 2010, 01:37:02 AM
Quote from: rexgsd on June 09, 2010, 01:07:12 AM
and i wish you could 'know' chest surgeons like you do tattoo artists: if you're good friends with them you can get it done at someone's house for cheap or free and its just as good as a tattoo/surgery you'd regularly get!
That'd be cool, but there aren't enough out there.
:/
&
4-6k isn't that bad actually...
yeah 4-5k, that like less than double what my cadillac cost!
is there a certain age or criteria? or can i just walk in and say 'take these horrible mutations off my chest please'?
Some require a therapists letter, some will do it with informed consent, some will be kind enough to code it for insurance coverage and still do a good job with the reconstruction part. It pays to check and ask. Do your research kind of deal.
Heh I was looking around at loans, today. It would just make things so much nicer and easier for me.
Anyway as far as cost goes, 4k-6k is correct for the surgery itself. But that doesn't necessarily count the other costs:
facility fee, anesthesia fee, pathology fee (tissue testing). Prescription medications, travel expenses, lodging, post-op care if you need an attendant for a couple days. So the full cost can end up being from 8k-10k. It's tough to get around the facility and anesthesia fees, but you might be able to arrange something better for travel/lodging.
It seems like there aren't many experienced ftm surgeons here in NZ. I'm thinking, since I was already planning to save for a trip to the US in a couple of years, that I might kill two birds and get surgery there. I'll get a loan if I have to. I have friends I could stay with too, for the recovery. I'm thinking I'd like to go to Dr Brownstein since he's being doing it forever. Since it's such a major important thing for my body, I only want the best I can afford.