Arwen's breast reduction fund

Hi! I'm Arwen. Let's talk about my breasts for a minute. I've had them for as long as I can remember, pretty much. I started getting them somewhere around middle school or so; not particularly early, but they were definitely there by high school. In my teenage years I was incredibly self-conscious of them, mostly because they were very asymmetrical. I would pad the smaller side and wear a minimizing bra with a sports bra on top. I avoided bathing suits and any sort of skimpier clothing under which I couldn't wear bra-armor and get away with it. I was also very much in denial about my bra size, wearing sizes that were way too small for me, and it wasn't until visiting a bra shop in my early 20s that I learned that I was not even a D or a DD, but a whopping G cup. I've gained some weight since then, but my breasts haven't gotten much bigger; those bras still fit. Sort of. My right breast is about 2 cup sizes bigger (roughly about 400cc of volume) than my left one, so it's complicated.

Some people might think that having big breasts is the bee's knees. I'm here to tell you that it's not all it's cracked up to be. Over the years I've developed some scoliosis in my upper spine, which gives me a bit of a hunchback and also makes me look like I have no neck. I regularly have pain in my neck, back, and my chest. Any sort of cardio that's any more rigorous than brisk walking is all but impossible for me, causing me to gain weight over the years. Clothes don't fit properly. Bras in this size are hard to find and also very expensive and never cute. On top of it all, I have terrible self-image, despite mostly liking the rest of my body and being a very body-positive person, and these lumps of flesh have caused me a lot of mental strife.

For many years, I've pined for breast reduction. I've tried all manners of chest-targeted exercise (and thanks to genetics from both sides, it doesn't work), I've been distracted by life happening, and I've convinced myself that I'm too scared of surgery to go through with it. I'm now at a point where I'm no longer afraid of surgery and recovery, and knowing that if I never do this, I'm going to regret it later in life.

I met with a plastic surgeon for a consultation. She was a lovely person who sat with me and explained every detail of the surgery from pre-op bloodwork to the post-op 6 month checkup, went over my medical history, and assured me that I'm the perfect candidate for this surgery.

So what's the problem? Cost. Which is just under $14,000.

This surgeon doesn't work with my health insurance (which is through Medicaid). In fact, I'd be hard pressed to find a (decent) plastic surgeon who would work with my insurance, at all. The only financing they offer is through Care Credit, which charges a whopping 14% interest rate after 12 months. I could try to get a loan from my bank, but with my not-fantastic credit, chances of actually getting the loan are slim.

I'm in the process of researching other plastic surgeons, but if at all possible I have my heart set on this one. I really connected and felt comfortable with this surgeon, and loved her techniques and results. The very lovely assistant/billing/scheduling woman told me on the side that if I couldn't come up with the full amount, she'd work something out with me, but couldn't go lower than $10,000.

So now, I start the tedious task of begging, borrowing, and maybe even contemplating stealing to afford this surgery. It's not life or death, but it's medically necessary for me to start repairing the damage these lumps of flesh that I never wanted have wreaked upon my body. I can only hope that I can afford it sooner rather than later, and that the good people of the internet can come to my aid.

Thank you.