Upcoming Surgery (and background information)
As many of you know, I have been struggling with insurance over covering a medically necessary total hysterectomy due to medical complications. These complications started over a year ago - where my testosterone levels skyrocketed as well as my estrogen did, causing abnormal uterine bleeding as well as severe mood swings. After discovering a strange, constant pain in the right side of my lower abdomen last January, I had an ultrasound reveal a small cyst on my right ovary (the one that always hurts.) This pain was only controlled by a type of birth control that, as a side effect, gave me terrible anxiety attacks, so I had to stop - the pain has resumed and worsened over the course of the year, to the point where it is unbearable some days. Many doctors this past summer said that the cyst itself should not be causing such severe pain, and with the cause being unknown, knew that opening me up and having a hysterectomy will be the only thing to reveal it/solve it. Similarly, the only way to lower my estrogen levels (after trying many other, unsuccessful options) is to have a hysterectomy, which my endocrinologist recommended and strongly encouraged. After visiting a gynecologist and the current surgeon I will be going to, he believes that I may actually have endometriosis, which can only be determined for sure by having surgery. Three doctors have said that a hysterectomy is vital, so that's where I'm at with this problem that has been occurring for almost a year.
I also want to clarify that having a hysterectomy is not something I consider a part of my medical transition to living as male in society. I felt that continued hormones and top surgery were my successful medical transition, and had no intention of getting a hysterectomy until it was medically recommended to do so. The organ was dormant, in my mind, and did not impact my identity and ability to live as male up until all of this occurred.. :/
I originally had a surgery date in July, but insurance denied the claim a week before that date, and I was unable to afford the total prices at a hospital in Boston (over $30,000 total). Insurance denied this based on two factors, 1. My mom's company's plan specifically excludes "Sex Change Operations". As I said before, I do not consider this to be a sex change operation. But, had my mother's company not excluded it, it would have been covered by my health insurance. 2. Since because being recognized as transgender was no longer an option, and they still consider me female, they said that instead of having a hysterectomy, their medical recommendation would be for me to stop the testosterone therapy and start on estrogen based birth control. My endocrinologist wrote in and said the physical and psychological effects of doing so would be detrimental to me, but lo and behold, we never heard back from insurance on that, and they continued to deny it.
Therefore, I spent my summer getting recommendations from doctors trying to figure out how to be able to afford the hysterectomy in the case that insurance will not be able to cover it. I found a local hospital, right down the road from where I live, where a really trans friendly surgeon has supposed that the overall estimates, hospital and anesthesia included, will be roughly between $15-18,000. After having a consultation with him in July, I got a surgery date of January 9, 2012, at 7:30 in the morning, so as to not have to spend the night at the hospital (cutting costs, thankfully.)
Unfortunately, insurance is now telling us that they won't let us know if it is covered until after surgery, when we file the claim. They said because it is now outpatient (previous surgery date in July I would have spent the night at the hospital, which is why we got to find out they denied it), you cannot file a claim beforehand and can only file it after. Of course, this seems absolutely absurd to go into an expensive surgery not knowing if one can afford it, but they would not give us any inclination of whether or not they would cover it.
Having paid the total cost out of pocket for my top surgery in December of 2009 (roughly $7,500), and being an undergraduate college student, there is no chance of me being able to afford the total cost of the hysterectomy without insurance covering most, if not all, of it. Therefore, instead of going into this with my fingers crossed even knowing they denied it once and likely may again, I am trying to raise some funds in order to supplement the costs that insurance won't cover or to pay for it entirely.
$16,000 is a high goal and I don't expect to get anywhere close to that, but any little bit helps. Even if I only raise 100-200$, that will cover one or two of the pre or post op appointments, which is fantastic.
For those that feel like they can give, thank you infinitely. And for those who can't, I am infinitely thankful for the support you have given me through either youtube or in person, and for the positive vibes and encouragement as I go into this scary, but necessary procedure. :]
Here are some videos where I talk about the hysterectomy/insurance (in chronological order):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDXNfhqDosQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pJ6OovLbsk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlP1EL8vT5s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Jbu63-dCY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WYlZtdF5pw
and the video talking about asking for donations:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNJmWdctFaE
As well as my music site (3 new tracks! all tracks bought/donations made will go towards the hysterectomy as well):
lentilsanddirt.bandcamp.com
Thanks again,
Skylark
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