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Breast Cancer Sucks, Love Amy: January 5, 2023: FRUSTRATION

FRUSTRATION


Talked to Emily (Plastic Surgery).  Finally, she calls me back!  No date set, although she says that she has been in talks with the general surgeon's scheduler (Julie) and expects something soon.


She asked if I had had genetic testing done, and I said yes, although I was of the understanding the it wasn't compulsory.  She then said that we would have to await the results from genetic testing before initiating the insurance approval application process.  She went on to say that approval by insurance would take at least 2 weeks.  So that the soonest that I might expect to have my initial procedure as early February.  This flies in the face of all of my consults with the general surgeons who told me that I fit the requirements for being a candidate for a bi-lateral mastectomy.  One would think that would be that reconstruction insurance coverage should also follow just as easily.  But we will see.


So then I asked her about options.  Can I just get the one cancerous side done: mastectomy to reconstruction - like can I get that done with more immediacy?  (Theoretically this should be required by the 1998 Women's Healthcare and Cancer Rights Act - which was in the back of my mind but that I didn't mention.)  Nope, that won't make it any faster.  Can I get the double mastectomy first, then get the reconstruction surgery?  Yes.  (But we still don't know about insurance coverage.)  


So in summary, there are some complications or rather, my expectations for speed of treatment aren't being met.  I'm frustrated.  But I'll keep making phone calls and educating myself.  I am awaiting my genetic test results with more anxiety now.  And there is going to be a lot more stress with insurance!

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