In all my years at eVil corporation, I don't think I made a claim on my health insurance once. Not for myself, anyway. What happens to me once I become uninsured? Yup, a trip to the ER. A kidney stone.
The frustrating thing is that I knew exactly what was wrong, and I knew it was just a matter of pain management until the stone passed. I thought I could handle it on my own with some ibuprofen. I think I'm all badass because I gave birth to Hijo with no drugs. Well, let me tell you, this was worse than being in labor for a couple of reasons. First of all, I was well prepared for childbirth. Second, labor contractions come and go. This pain was constant and it just kept getting more intense, a searing sharp pain that made me nauseous.
Off to the hospital I went (luckily Hijo was already on his way to see his dad). My self-diagnosis confirmed with the help of fancy (expensive) machines. Then the good drugs. Dang. I've never been on narcotics before. The first dose didn't do much but make me feel relaxed. I could still feel the stab of pain. Later, I got a heavier dose. That one took away all the pain and helped me realize how people get hooked. I might have become a bit silly. By that time my mother had arrived, and all was well.
Now I have a bunch of paperwork to wade through to figure out how I'm going to pay for this. I am eternally grateful for my mom. (It's a lovely thing to be hurting and to know you can call your mom and she'll come and take care of you.) At least now, being around medical professionals isn't the terrifying thing it used to be for me when I was younger. I was a good decade older than the doctor, and with a little resarch on the web knew almost as much as he did about kidney stones. The nurses and other hospital folks were kind and efficient. Really, except for the drugs the whole thing was almost superfluous. It was nice to know the exact size of the stone and that it wasn't blocking anything, but as is the case a great majority of the time, it's just a wee stone, and though it hurts like hell, it will work its way out on its own.
What it boils down to is that I got some very expensive drugs and a renewed sense that the system is toally messed up. Just be glad I'm not posting a foto of the actual stone.
No good sweetie! Me and the little woman are sending good thoughts of energy to break up that lil dude and get you back on your feet real soon.
Posted by: beemerman | 11 March 2007 at 11:34 AM
Holy crap!
I know a guy who passed a kidney stone while backpacking in the Sierra Nevada wilderness. He tied himself to a tree until the deed was done.
And, yes, the good meds. I too was thinking the same thing when I was put on narcotics post surgery - oooo-la-la, shit is good! And the shit be bad because it's too good. Easy to get hooked, if one is vulnerable to addiction.
Anyway, I'm glad you're better but horrified that the laws of nature are such that if you don't have health insurance, you will pass a kidney stone/have an accident/require surgery. You would not have to worry about this in other civilized countries. This sucks.
xoxox
Posted by: GraceD | 12 March 2007 at 09:19 AM
I don't know how long it has been since you were working, but you have 90 days from termination of employement (either by your choice or theirs) to sign up for COBRA. And yes, you can sign up even after you have had a claim. You just need to weigh the cost of the COBRA against the cost of the ER visit. Contact your former employer HR dept for details. Good Luck
Posted by: Debbie | 13 March 2007 at 11:59 AM
Sounds horrific. I am so glad it "passed" so to speak. Ouch!
Posted by: tracey | 13 March 2007 at 10:05 PM
If the COBEA doesn't work out, I think it would be worth approaching the hospital and seeing what negotation can be done given that you have no insurance. They might blow you off but even if they can knock a few hundred dollars off....well a few hundred dollars is a few hundred dollars.
Posted by: xath | 14 March 2007 at 03:48 AM
Oh DO you have a picture of the stone? I'd love to see it! :)
I'm sorry for the stone's existence in the first place- but very happy that if you had to undergo a medical thing, it was something minor.
Posted by: jessica | 14 March 2007 at 07:17 AM
i agree with xath about checking with the hospital regarding negotiations on your bill. a few years back, when i didn't have insurance, the hospital had a fund for people like me. you had to meet certain income requirements, but if you did, the bill was taken care of.
Posted by: sylvia | 16 March 2007 at 01:28 AM