Rae's Top Surgery Fund

Hello family, friends, and strangers alike!

I’m Rae, a 27-year-old nonbinary transman. I’m an artist, a home baker, and the dad of rats, cats, and a rabbit. I enjoy swimming, doing DIY projects, and tinkering with new recipes on my quest to make the perfect gluten-free cake.

I love my body and all it does: my hands that create, my legs that carry me from place to place, everything (mostly) working together to allow me to live as I do.

But as much as I love my body, it doesn’t quite match my self-perception.

I’ve been on testosterone for almost two years, and it’s been a joyful experience hearing my voice get deeper, watching my face shape change, and my peach-fuzz facial hair get darker. It’s been nothing short of euphoric. And now I’m taking the next step to feel more comfortable in my skin: top surgery. (Would it be too cliche to say there’s something I need to get off my chest?)

The past couple of years have involved jumping through hoops, attending consultations, and working against insurance. After a lot of challenges, I’ve finally found a surgeon I trust, and a date is scheduled for the end of September.

I’m asking for help with the hospital fee and anesthesia fee.

~~~ MONEY DETAILS ~~~

Baystate Medical Center’s billing department gave an estimate of $2021.52. Their anesthesiologists bill by the minute, so the cost ultimately depends on the amount of time I’m under, and they project $792 for one hour or $1,114 for two hours.

That puts the best-case subtotal around $2,800 and the upper range potentially north of $3,200. This does not include my surgeon’s fee, my insurance costs, or the pathology fee. It also does not cover time off from work or any recovery incidentals. While I have been planning and saving for this, money is still tight. I’m only asking for enough to avoid draining my emergency savings, especially as I’ve already paid a lot of unexpected medical bills this past year in an attempt to diagnose my chronic and evasive debilitating stomach pain :’)

~~~

Your contributions, no matter how small, will directly enable me to focus on my recovery and not stress as much about money!

I’m so excited to go to the beach topless, to eschew a sports bra while doing yard work on a hot day, and to wear half-open button-down shirts so I can emulate Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park. I want to sincerely thank you all for helping make this happen; whether you contributed, shared my post, or just took the time to read my story. Thank you!

-Rae