Garramone's path tests are $380.  For ->-bleeped-<-s and giggles I sent the path lab my insurance information after I got their bill in the mail and my insurance ended up paying $200 of it.  I was surprised.  I see that two weeks after I had my surgery with Garramone, his site says you have to pay for your labs directly to his office.  I am thinking the pathology group maybe weren't getting paid.

Quote from: Simon on December 30, 2013, 07:48:52 PM
Just remembered I can't put my down payment in this Summer until I get back from Maryland though. I have kidney scans coming up next Summer/Fall. If they say I am due another kidney operation it would take priority over top surgery...always something, lol.

Ugh. I hope it doesn't come to that.

Quote from: Simon on December 30, 2013, 07:48:52 PM
I dunno, I've wondered that too. I remember a few years ago when most were around $5200 to $5700 across the board. Garramone is now $6900 total after everything is said and done (fine print on his site alludes to that). I'm leaning towards him. Just wish it wasn't so far away but then I think of people like Jay who went cross country to get to him and NC doesn't seem so far from FL. I'm a planner, always have been so I'll be focused on this for a good while. Just remembered I can't put my down payment in this Summer until I get back from Maryland though. I have kidney scans coming up next Summer/Fall. If they say I am due another kidney operation it would take priority over top surgery...always something, lol.

It sounds so dramatic when you say "cross country". It was from New Mexico to Florida. The "to" trip isn't so bad, but it wasn't much fun to fly after surgery. I feel it was all worth it. I am only about 7 weeks post-op and I have almost forgotten all the unpleasant stuff. 

--Jay

Quote from: aleon515 on January 01, 2014, 02:14:08 AM
It sounds so dramatic when you say "cross country". It was from New Mexico to Florida. The "to" trip isn't so bad, but it wasn't much fun to fly after surgery. I feel it was all worth it. I am only about 7 weeks post-op and I have almost forgotten all the unpleasant stuff. 

--Jay

Wasn't trying to be dramatic, just saying if someone can make even more effort than I will to get to Florida then I can't complain. If I decide to go to Garramone my wife and I plan on driving to save cash. It's an 11 hour or so trip from my house so maybe that's why I feel like it's so far. You flew so it probably didn't seem like such a stretch.

Quote from: Simon on January 01, 2014, 02:30:43 AM
Wasn't trying to be dramatic, just saying if someone can make even more effort than I will to get to Florida then I can't complain. If I decide to go to Garramone my wife and I plan on driving to save cash. It's an 11 hour or so trip from my house so maybe that's why I feel like it's so far. You flew so it probably didn't seem like such a stretch.

Switch drivers at the 5 or 6 hour mark. Driving for 5 or 6 hours feels the same as driving for 2, to be honest. Being the passenger is the worst part, IMO. Source: Loads of long road trips.

Quote from: DCQ on January 01, 2014, 02:40:02 AM
Switch drivers at the 5 or 6 hour mark. Driving for 5 or 6 hours feels the same as driving for 2, to be honest. Being the passenger is the worst part, IMO. Source: Loads of long road trips.

I plan on driving all the way down since she would have to drive all the way back after surgery. I agree, time drags when you're riding and it will suck since the map I have shows I'll be taking I-95 almost the whole way down. Just one long boring highway, lol.

Quote from: Simon on January 01, 2014, 02:30:43 AM
Wasn't trying to be dramatic, just saying if someone can make even more effort than I will to get to Florida then I can't complain. If I decide to go to Garramone my wife and I plan on driving to save cash. It's an 11 hour or so trip from my house so maybe that's why I feel like it's so far. You flew so it probably didn't seem like such a stretch.

Flying if you think about it these days, you go to the airport and get to security. You get there an hour and half or two hours early. Then you wait as you are too early, then your plane comes and you wait in the plane. It probably takes a long time these days by plane and almost none of it is in actually flying. If you change planes, you wait some more (which I did flying to FL).  I think that's why people hate flying so much these days, plus all the silly little things that I don't think actually keep you safe that they say "keeps you safe". But maybe that's just me, always was kind of cynic.

Anyway it's a LONG drive what you describe. For me it was actually in the air 5-6 hours. But it turns into a whole day thing. So maybe you can think about it that way. The car will be VERY useful there if you don't stay at New Beginnings, even if you did it would be nice.

Anyway, I survived. I don't even think about it now except to write a post like that.


--Jay

Simon, are you planning on staying at New Beginnings?  It really will save you some cash.  Even if you did bring your car, if there is room in the van, you could still ride with them to surgery.  I actually found that my time in the van with Leland (one of the owners), back and forth to appointments and the surgi center was the most useful time.  He gives you so much information on what to expect, tips for recovery, etc.  He opened their group home after he had his own surgery with Garramone.

If you aren't planning to stay at New Beginnings, driving really is a good idea.  You won't have to rent a car then.  The airport is a bit away from Garramone's office.  I don't know where the surgi center is in comparison to Garramone's office, but I suppose that since you drive to Garramone's office twice and the surgi center only once, you will choose to stay near his office.

It actually is good that you will be driving along I-95 if you think about it.  Smooth road with no sharp curves.  I was trying to think what my ride was like back from the airport when I got home from surgery, and it really wasn't bad.  We took one large suitcase (we shared), because I wouldn't be able to handle a carry on.  Instead I just looked like a douche who wouldn't help my girl drag along our suitcase and laptop!

Quote from: Brett on January 01, 2014, 01:00:29 PM
Simon, are you planning on staying at New Beginnings?

Right now we're not considering it. I've been on Kayak's site and have found some decent hotels with kitchenettes for around $80 a night (near the beach). It would be nice to stay there but I've had previous surgeries in the past so I don't really see any advantages if I'm driving, except for the social aspect. I figure with the extra money I'd save with staying elsewhere my wife and I could afford to eat a lot better meals. Plus I have to kennel my dog when I'm gone and that's a big extra cost. If anyone is at New Beginnings while I'm down there I'd be down to meet up and go grab a bite or whatever but I can't see myself paying so much extra just to do this around other transguys.

Quote from: Simon on January 01, 2014, 03:05:33 PM
Right now we're not considering it. I've been on Kayak's site and have found some decent hotels with kitchenettes for around $80 a night (near the beach). It would be nice to stay there but I've had previous surgeries in the past so I don't really see any advantages if I'm driving, except for the social aspect. I figure with the extra money I'd save with staying elsewhere my wife and I could afford to eat a lot better meals. Plus I have to kennel my dog when I'm gone and that's a big extra cost. If anyone is at New Beginnings while I'm down there I'd be down to meet up and go grab a bite or whatever but I can't see myself paying so much extra just to do this around other transguys.

With finding such good deals, along with having a car, staying at a hotel with kitchenette does make more sense.  Can you find a hotel that takes dogs?

Simon, have you checked for any Red Roof Inn hotels around there? Almost all of them are very pet-friendly. We always stay at that chain when we're on a trip.

Quote from: DCQ on January 01, 2014, 08:16:52 PM
Simon, have you checked for any Red Roof Inn hotels around there? Almost all of them are very pet-friendly. We always stay at that chain when we're on a trip.

I thought about it but with just the two of us going I don't know how the pooch would be alone when I'm getting surgery. She is typically ok by herself at home but in a strange place I'm afraid she'd bark her head off when nobody was in the room. She's a pit mix so her bark is loud.

Quote from: Simon on January 01, 2014, 10:25:06 PM
I thought about it but with just the two of us going I don't know how the pooch would be alone when I'm getting surgery. She is typically ok by herself at home but in a strange place I'm afraid she'd bark her head off when nobody was in the room. She's a pit mix so her bark is loud.

Every time I've been to a Red Roof, dogs are barking nonstop. You can't really hear them through the walls though, just when you're outside. You could always call and find out if it would be a problem. It's not really an issue from my experience as long as it's not at night. You could also kennel her just for that day, it'd be much cheaper; I'm sure you've thought of it, though.

And pits are awesome!