Just a little out of my element...

My wonderful sister Jenny has rented the "Mardi Gras Suite" at the Maison St. Charles Hotel & Suites on St Charles Ave in New Orleans. It is just three blocks from the Clinic, we have a second floor balcony that overlooks the Mardi Gras ParadeRoute of St Charles Ave. The building in which we are staying is one of several owned by the hotel, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings. The street car runs down the middle of St Charles Ave, and for $1 you can ride it into the French Quarter or up to the Garden District.

We have a lovely livingroom area with 12 foot ceilings and french doors that open to our own private balcony, and we each have a private bedroom and bathroom. This is our third night here, and we have one more night after that... and then home on Thursday.

Yesterday we took the streetcar to the French Quarter and walked about three miles. The nurses told me walking is very good - just not to lift anything over 5 lbs (that's hard not to do). So, on their advice, I really pushed myself to do plenty of walking, and today I am feeling pretty tired! We did manage to make it a few blockes up to the Garden District today and look at some beautiful homes and even toured a graveyard. The tombs are all above ground, and I imagine it's a pretty spooky place to go at night.The Center for Reconstructive Breast Surgery, or "The Center" as they call it, takes up an entire block with three large buildings. The middle building is brick, and there are no signs on the exterior except for one that says "The Packard Company, New Orleans". No one passing by would know that there is a world-class private hospital and clinic here, specializing in breast reconstruction.


The entrance is in the back, and limosines can be seen dropping off and picking up patients there throughout the day. When I'm there I feel a little as though I am peeking into a world that I will never live in (nor would I want to). A secret world of wealth populated by people who never fly on commercial airlines or do their own grocery shopping. I peeked in my chart and saw the cost of my surgery: $59,609. I am paying $2,000 out of pocket now, and another $2,000 over 10 months. This price tag does not include the four night stay in the private hospital which is being covered by my insurance. I'm feeling a little like a Reny's shopper who just won a shopping spree at Saks 5th Avenue. Wow! It has been a wonderful experience - and I have been extremely pampered... but I'm ready to take my new boobs and go back to my life in Gardiner, Maine now... and I need to get to Reny's and buy some new bras!