Noah’s Mastectomy

The quick version: On January 15th, 2025 I’m getting a bilateral mastectomy to address a rapid onset of glandular growth - which is causing a number of symptoms including localized breast and nipple pain, neck and back pain, and nipple discharge - and remove a neoplasm (tumor) so it can be biopsied. I am raising money to cover my coinsurance payment of $5,500, the cost of wound care and recovery supplies, and give me a buffer to pay bills while I take time off work to recover.

The detailed version: 2024 has been a wild and frustrating ride. I’ve shared details with some people earlier this summer, but a LOT has happened since then, so I’ll try to summarize this year’s events as succinctly as possible.

Early in 2024 I noticed that my chest circumference was expanding rather quickly. My shirts started getting tighter and eventually I realized that my chest had grown 3 inches in the span of two months. I had recently started strength training more vigorously than I have in the past, but no other part of my body was growing at this rate, so this sent up some red flags. In the early Spring, I noticed a lump on the left side of my chest.

A few doctor’s visits later, we had done some bloodwork and imaging; there were, thankfully, no markers that indicated the neoplasm I had growing was cancerous. But there was no way to know for sure without doing a biopsy. The wait time to get that done would have that biopsy taking place in Spring of 2025. My chest had also grown even more while getting all these tests done, so the possibility that even though this growth might not be cancerous, there will likely be more and the next one might be became undeniable.

My doctor referred me to a surgeon, who ended up being unwilling to charge my insurance. It turns out that chest surgeries for males are billed as elective, medically unnecessary cosmetic procedures and most surgery practices have policies against even trying to charge insurance for them. After a couple of weeks calling around, I got an appointment to see a surgeon at Northwestern Specialists in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. They were willing to charge my insurance if I met certain criteria, which meant I had to schedule a consultation at the cost of a $100 consultation fee. This was initially scheduled for early 2025, but a last minute cancellation got me an appointment in October.

By the time I got in to see my surgeon, I was regularly experiencing localized pain in my breast tissue, random nipple pain and discharge throughout the day, and regular neck and shoulder pain.

The good news is that my surgeon agreed my case was medically necessary. He diagnosed with me with Rapid Onset Grade 3 Gynecomastia and noted that it posed a risk for future tumors and potentially breast cancer. The bad news is that the surgery this would require to fully treat would not be the simple reduction mammoplasty and excision I thought it would. I was going to need a full bilateral mastectomy to fully remove all of the excess glandular tissue.

I now have a surgery date set for January 15, 2025. Though insurance did approve coverage for the procedure, I will have to make a coinsurance payment of my maximum out of pocket payment of $5,500. I’m raising money to cover that cost so I don’t have to take out a loan to get this surgery. I’m also hoping to raise an additional $1,500 to cover the costs of recovery aides - like gauze and bandages, compression garments (which I will need to wear for about 2 months following the surgery), silicone wound dressings, etc - and also compensate for the fact that I will be unable to work - both on and offstage - for a few weeks while I recover.

I know that times are rough for just about everyone right now, so if are in a position to donate anything to my mastectomy surgery/recovery fund I GREATLY appreciate it. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this.

-Noah