Thoughts

* it feels weird to feel hair on my head. I keep wanting to touch it.

* I know I said i was done with Humana, but something occurred tome. Even if they hadn't gotten the paperwork, I get 63 days between my old and new policies, where I don't have to have insurance. I get 63 days to find insurance, I guess? At any rate, even if I had not been on COBRA I would have only been without for 61 days! So they didn't even need the paperwork - they are just either idiots or assholes (or both)! I feel vindicated. :)

* The breast clinic is not in my network. Of course! In fact, they are in no networks. I can't say I blame them. This way they can avoid the BS and drama - at least somewhat. They are sending me a financial aid form. They said they could possibly get my share down to $2000 between that and what my insurance does pay. That would be 50% - but it's 50% of what THEY consider reasonable, which is not going to be the actual amount, I can tell you right now. The total cost of a mastectomy, reconstruction (including the tummy tuck) and "nipple tattoos" (?????? What the!? I hadn't even thought of this.) is $15K. So assume the insurance considers "reasonable" to be about $10K. They will pay $5K and I will owe $10K.

They do break it down into 3 separate procedures which I *think* are as follows: 1. mastectomy
2. reconstruction
3. tattoos

I assumed mastectomy and reconstruction could be done at the same time, because they were going to do that if I had chosen reconstruction at the time of my first surgery. I need to clarify this. But if it's separate it's because with the tummy tuck it is so major.

What I am thinking is this: do the mastectomy with a network surgeon. Meanwhile I can be researching network guys to do the rest, but honestly, I had already pretty much decided against reconstruction before I decided on the other mastectomy. I felt I could not justify a cosmetic procedure. Even when I wanted to, it was the "free" tummy tuck that I really wanted, LOL! Now, I definitely want the mastectomy, but if I can't do them together I will take my time to decide on the rest. Maybe something will change with the insurance in the meantime. If I don't get it right away I will get the prosthetics. I have plenty of time 9the rest of my life) to think about having the rest. I can always decide to do it, but I can never go back on my decision if I do it and something goes wrong. I can justify neither the cost nor the risk at this point in my life.

And for the record, the "nipple tattoos" are only $300, if anyone is interested. personally, I think I would pass on those!

While I am going to still look into it, I am completely at peace with this option.