How Being Frugal almost Killed Me....Seriously.

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LKLD

I miss Don. 😔
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2 months ago my company was sold, 2nd time in 3 yrs. Latest owner showed us their benefit package, which would go into effect Feb. 1st, and was shocked to see how much our new investment company owner wanted for medical and such. So after seeing into if this was a "Lifechange Event" or not, and finding out it was, I switched my family's medical insurance through to my wife's work, after 30 straight, un-interrupted years through me and my work. There was only one caveat...no insurance for the month of February.

So February turned out to be a good month for us, for the most part. Been riding every weekend with wifey, so she can get used to her new bike. Conscience of the fact we haven't our own medical, but not dwelling on it so as to cause an issue. Wifey and daughter use the insurance for visits to Gen, Gyn, Derm on a fairly regular basis. Me? Well, no. My last visit was about 7 years ago, and knew I wasn't going back. It's just too costly, with all of the deductions, and percentages, etc.

All was good. It was Feb. 26th, my daughter's 19th BD, and I was at work, my last day to work this week. I ate lunch around 11:30a and was back at it @ 12:15. About an hour after lunch my stomach began to feel sickly. Nothing major, just not normal and a touch of uncomfortableness. Got through the shift and went straight home.

Wifey was waiting on the couch when I walked in. She says to me " Hey Baby, how was your day?", which I returned with " Whatever that was you made for my lunch today, I never want to have that again, in any other shape or from....ever!!!!". She didn't jump back at me, because at this point I was holding my abdomen, and she knew something was wrong. By 8:00p I was mainly crouched over to ease the pain. Took 4 Advil and 2 Tylenol PM's and headed to bed, to endure one of the worst night's sleep ever.

I finally got out of bed about around 11:15a Friday. I was home alone, as wifey had a sales meeting. I was getting sharp pains, however....they've moved. Down to the lower front now. I loaded up on some Advil, took a shower, and took off to take care of some errands. Got back around 3:30p and proceeded to install a new tailbag on wifey's bike. She's very happy with it, and would have gone on a ride, but the pain prevented that from happening. That evening, still munching the Advils, wifey wants to go to ER. She says "Screw the money, let's go now...I don't want you to die!", "Baby, I'm not going to die. The pain is controllable, so we'll just wait until Sunday (March 1st)". She didn't like it, but knew that arguing this wouldn't yield any results that she was hoping for. So more over-the-counter pills, and off the bed I went.

Next day (Saturday) started like the last two....pain. Sharp and continuous pain, that won't relent. Wifey urges me to go to ER, but I think I can hold until midnight, and tell her we'll wait. She's not happy...at all.

About 5:15 the pain was overriding the OTC pills....I'm really screwed now. Wifey sees me on the edge of the couch slumped over, with a slight rocking motion, eyes closed. She knows it's bad. She begs me to go to the ER, with tears streaming down her heartbroken face, and the pain reaching a ferocity never seen before, I say......"Let's go!". She immediately put me in her car, and off we went.

We checked in a 6:00p. 6:00p, just 6 hours left. I was that close, but something inside of me said it's not worth it Rob. I'm gald we did.

It appears my appendix was the culprit, and it burst while I was at the ER, before the surgery to remove it. My doctor said it was very bad in there, with part of the bowels also infected. She told me it looked like gangrene was everywhere. That was Sunday, I'm still in the hospital today. Constant antibiotics trying to kill whatever got spewed out when it burst. Still have pain in my abdomen, not eaten food since February 26th, and a abdomen that looks oddly out of shape.

However, I will ride another day.......if I can afford it. ;)

 
Holy **** bro.... you were almost a goner !!!

Glad you made it to the hospital for good medical care....

I'm the same way, very healthy and rarely see the doctor, but I know my clock is ticking..... coming up on the semi-centennial pretty quick...

 
Heal well!

Once you're all healed up and get the hospital bill, I would recommend making an appointment with someone within administration, going and talking to them (in person), thank them for the wonderful service they gave you, and simply explain your situation. Ask for mercy to see if they can reduce the bill, and they just might.

After all, people who enter the medical field typically do so because they want to help people; not because they want to bankrupt people.

 
Glad you made it to the hospital in time; that could have ended much worse. Hope you heal up and get back in the saddle quickly.

 
My appendix ruptured when I was 6 (50 years ago), my parents took me to the hospital in the middle of the night. After 4 hrs of surgery, the doctor came out and told my parents that if they had waited till morning to bring me in, I would have died.

Glad to hear that you made the right choice.

 
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Glad you are alive and able to type. Your wife is very happy that she took you I bet.

Sorry about the insurance thing.

My appendix burst just before my 8th birthday...they weren't sure I was going to make it for a few days.

 
Well, you owe your wife an apology. It wasn't her cooking after all :lol:

Seriously, glad you made the decision to go to the ER when you did. Too bad it ruptured before they got it out. It's not good spilling all the nastiness from your intestines into your organ cavity.

 
Glad you are OK, keep plugging away.

Had 3 gut operations in 8 days, 2 1/2 years ago and still slowly improving.

Nearly went to meet the Great FJR God, it was a fairly close call, every time I read my discharge papers it gives me the willies.

I've resigned to the fact that I'm now disabled and on a pension.

Had some really great mates that helped me back on the bike.

Enjoy each milestone in your recovery, small steps at a time and don't over-do it.

 
Glad you finally listened to your dear wife.

A couple of years ago, my sister resisted all advice to seek medical attention. She was quite jaundiced, and barely eating, but still refused, despite repeated pleas from myself and others.

It did not end well. She died in her sleep of internal bleeding due to a gall stone -- a condition that could have been dealt with easily, probably by day surgery.

The coroner said she must have been in considerable pain for a long time.

Moral: Pain is your body's way of telling you to see a doctor.

 
Dude... Go out and buy a powerball ticket. On second thought, you already hit the jackpot once this week. What's the chance of lightning striking twice, right?

(Nerdy answer: Exactly the same as striking once)

Glad you're around to type up the story. ;)

 
Years ago there was an old mountain man that survived an appendix rupture. Didn't sound like something I'd want to do or even what you went through. Good luck healing.

 
I do CAT Scans, and have found a few ruptured and quite a few just about to rupture appendixs. No fun for sure. Glad you lived to tell the tale. Hope the ins works out (see if you can do COBRA retractivly) and you heal quickly.

Greg

 
Glad you made it OK. Thank goodness I live in Canada. This would not happen here. It's a problem, off to the Doctor to get it sorted, and not a thought of what the cost might be. We may pay high taxes, but living in a truly 1st world country with free and equal medical care for all makes it worth it. Again I hope you have a full and complete recovery. Kudos to your good wife.

 
Nice um . . ride? report? I mean, technically you did get a ride to the hospital, right?

Glad you're able to write about it all and hope the healing goes well. Can't help but wonder though about the various opportunities your wife may take in the future to remind you about it.
tonguesmiley.gif


 
Hi Rob,

Glad that you are still with us. Sounds like you have a wonderful "Wifey", she is a keeper.

Best regards

Steve

 
Glad you made it through OK. My son had the same experience at age 15. Burst appendix and nearly died. Fortunately I had the insurance to cover it. Your health is more important than the money. You'll figure it out somehow.

 
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"We may pay high taxes, but living in a truly 1st world country with free and equal medical care for all makes it worth it."

Guess that explains the large number of your countrymen who use our hospitals for cardiac, cancer and joint replacement procedures.

 
Glad you made it OK. Thank goodness I live in Canada. This would not happen here. It's a problem, off to the Doctor to get it sorted, and not a thought of what the cost might be. We may pay high taxes, but living in a truly 1st world country with free and equal medical care for all makes it worth it. Again I hope you have a full and complete recovery. Kudos to your good wife.
Take a look at post #9 above.

 
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