Monday, July 26, 2010

It's a Boy!

its a baby boy Pictures, Images and Photos



No....I am not pregnant.  But thanks for thinking it for a sec.

Rather....I just wrote out the check that paid off Bossy Boy's hospital bill!!  He is officially ours, free and clear.  YIPPPEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I have stated, the kids were born 4 months early.  This came with a hefty $1,500,000 price tag (roughly 900k for him, and 600k for her).  And that was just for the first 6 months in the hospital.  While we didn't have to pay nearly that much, we did have a chunk and a half to pay.

Sassy Girl's bill was paid off several years ago.  Hers wasn't nearly as extensive, but still impressive in its own right.

Now, for clarification, technically....this was the doctor's bill.  The doctors at this hospital are part of a central group, so there is one place for all the billing.  Over the past 8 years, all of Bossy's other medical tests, hospitalizations, etc got tacked on.  While we only pay $100 for a co-pay for the actual HOSPITAL, the doctor bills function under a different part of our insurance plan.

So we had 5 months in the NICU, using Neonatalogy, Cardiology, Pulmonary, Neurology, Opthomology, ENT, Gastroenterology, and General Surgery.  And countless tests.  And consults.  And blah blah blah.  And 1 heart surgery, and 1 gastro surgery.

Then he was home for a week, and went back to the PICU for a week and med/surg for 3 weeks.  In addition to the hospital, ambulance, and helicopter bill....we now added in PICU staff, another gastro surgery, and misc stuff.  Oh, and then he got an infection and they thought he had leukemia, so we added in Oncology.

Back home....more tests and follow up.

Then back in for emergency gastro surgery.  So we now have more surgery and more doctor visits.  (in case you are counting, we are up to 4 surgeries).

Then back in AGAIN, and due to medical negligence, he ended up needing emergency surgery.  I had to sign paperwork to amputate his arm.....luckily they were able to save it.  But this little ditty ended up with a week in the PICU, and 4 surgeries (bringing our total to 8), including one on Christmas morning.

(and again for the record, that last inpatient stay didn't cost us anything.  Insurance picked up the bill because we had already maxed out our insurance out of pocket amount for the calendar year)

Now we can add Orthopedics to the list.

He has had bronchioscopes, and endoscopes.  He has had upper and lower GI series, and barium swallow studies.  EEGs and EKGs.  Sedated MRI.  Day surgeries and surgery in the middle of the night.  We have waited in numerous rooms, slept on uncomfortable cots and heard the words CODE BLUE.

I have performed CPR on my baby and flown with him in the helicopter.  I have watched them poke and prod him.  I have held him down for procedures.  I have vomitted in the bathroom at the hospital when I thought he was going to die.  I have sat alone when my husband wasn't there.  I have thrown out the sleeper they had to cut off of him, and the pants that had his blood on them.

I have been incredibly strong.  But I needed this bill to go away.  I have paid for this bill in blood, sweat and tears.  And I am soooo fortunate to have a beautiful boy, who as I type this is getting a drink of water and making a mess in my kitchen.

Good bye hospital bill!  I wish I could say I will miss you, but I won't.  I have my little guy, and that is worth this bill a million times over.

15 comments:

  1. Congrats a million times over on both your precious little boy and the paid off hospital bill.

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  2. Congratulations on paying off that bill! A mother's love is something that children will never really know until they become parent's themselves. You are such a wonderful mother!

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  3. I am so glad that these bills are gone. Here's to lots of good health for your children!

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  4. I am so happy for you and Bossy Boy! It sounds like he has had an exhaustive first eight years here! I hope they get easier as he gets older. And I'm glad you recognize what an incredibly strong woman you are for enduring all of that right alongside him. Congrats on putting that bill behind you!

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  5. What exciting news! That must feel so good to finally have that paid off. I am in awe of your story and what you have been through with your kiddos. Congratulations!!

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  6. Oh Mysti.... I cried when I read this. If you survived that, you WILL be debt free. What you went through is a testament to your will and conviction.

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  7. wow --- with rhitter94 here... after surviving all of that, debt is soooo not going to hold you back!

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  8. Thanks all for your kind words. The majority of his medical stuff was in the first 3.5 years, so it was pretty intense. He is doing well now, even though we still have a feeding tube.

    Some day I will tell you about Sassy Girl's story. Hers isn't as extensive. But hers includes a spinal tap at 2 weeks old (she was only a pound!), a meningitis scare, and a few other fun things.

    We are feeling so good about paying this off!!!

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  9. Oh wow, I'm with rhitter. I simply can't imagine. yes, you have what's important. The debt? After what you've handled, no doubt you can conquer that, too.

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  10. Oh My. I cannot imagine having gone through even half of that. When our second was born, they kept her in our hospital for 8 days for observation. I thought that was bad. Seems no worse than a cold after reading that. Makes me appreciate what I have just as you appreciate what you have.

    Congratulations on paying that off! (I don't think we've paid off ours yet.)

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  11. what an amazing story! Congrats on this HUGE milestone!

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  12. Wow... after reading that, I am speechless. I have a friend who recently had a baby, and the baby already had to have emergency surgery due to an inverted stomach. Him and the wife have been going through a lot of stress, but so far it's just been one event.

    I can't imagine the resolve and strength that you've needed to draw upon to get through all of that. All I can say is congratulations on getting through that, and on finally getting that bill paid off!

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  13. P.S. Not to say that my friends ordeal is less significant to them, I wouldn't imply that at all. I just couldn't imagine what it would be like to not only have to go through that kind of thing once, but multiple times!

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  14. @BeatingBroke and Kevin - trust me, I wouldn't wish any of this on someone. And one thing I learned was that even one of these events is the worst thing to THAT family. I am not in competition to win Who Had It Worst?

    And for us, it was back to back things with Bossy, and since we have twins, we were going through it for her too, just not as intensely.

    We are just glad to have our little guy, scars and all. And we are lucky that he doesn't remember it all. Wish we could say the same.

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  15. Congratulations!

    This post has brought tears to my eyes. You're amazing.

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