http://www.democraticunderground.com/114212702Oh my.
You know, I hadn't been worrying about Skippy because I already knew he was okay, but I've been gravely concerned for his good friend and pal Big Mo, who seems to have disappeared from Skins's island after hundreds of mere
lumpenunterprimitiven cavalierly and violently onslaughted her.
<<<hopes Big Mo's okay.
NYC_SKP (59,199 posts) Sat Jun 14, 2014, 04:38 PM
Just back from a "Debridement" surgery following a brain surgery. ACA covered. Ask me anything!
First and foremost: If you have been treated for hypertension, don't drop the meds unless you're told to.
I picked up my exercise and dropped 30, improved my eating habits last December and quit my $1,350 COBRA plan for similar ACA coverage under same provider, Anthem.
BUT, it took time for cards and I never picked up with my PCP for testing and refills of cholesterol and BP meds.
Big Mistake.
On 5-17 I became dizzy and fell, continued dizziness after a short unconsciousness took me to an ER, and a brain scan indicated possible brain bleed so was flown to Stanford and had a cranial angio, then brain surgery to treat a minor aneurism, then another angio and release.
The surgical site deal heal well and I went in last Tuesday and they checked me in, opened me back up (but didn't have to remove the skull piece again, thankfully) and sent me home today with a PICC and IV meds to be self administered for the next six weeks, pretty intensive but likely to prevent a relapse.
The jury is still out about coverage, but I know my $6,350 max out of pocket and deductible are covered (all that on the first day, easily).
I hope and pray for good health, but also hope that the ACA Silver Plan will cover everything, this is a costly deal.
Just some of the costs:
Ambulance: $2700
LifeFlight to Stanford: ~$25,000
Angiograms: $60,000 - $80,000 each for total of maybe $160,000
Cranial surgery: I have no idea, thinking at least $100,000 (I have one bill for one doctor alone that's $25,000)
Room and Board in ICU/Neurology at Stanford Hospital and Clinics: No idea, great care, five star staff and surgical crew.
Cost for return visit and second CT Scan and Surgery: No idea.
Six weeks of home health care, PICC system meds and other prescriptions: No idea.
I'm thinking this is at least a $250,000 medical event, possibly twice that, all for about $500 and month plus the max out of pocket.
I'm grateful for the medical team and for the providers.
Lesson learned: I take my hypertension meds, I check my BP with a decent device that has a memory that stores the values. A few minutes ago I was at 109/83... much better than the numbers I had when admitted!!!
Needless to say, there are other measures (reduce sodium, chill out) to manage stress; meds aren't the only way to reduce tension.
But I'll bet I'd not have had the problem had I not so cavalierly dropped them.
Be well, DUers!
<<<just checked own blood pressure, for which I don't take any pharmaceuticals.
102/58.
It must come from living a non-decadent, non-desk-sitting, life.
Long thread, mostly primitives wishing Skippy well--but no one's mentioning his good friend and pal Big Mo.
