Sunday, January 15, 2012

Finally, it is done...



Three years ago at this time I was preparing for surgery. It was all messy and uncertain, but turned out well. I got the wonderful "benign" word, which made Ace Jackalope smile for the first time.

Since then I've been paying medical bills. This weekend I got the last bill from the last one to be paid off. It's from the surgeon who saved my life and my final payment is the left over of $37.19. I decided to pay it on Jan. 27 - the anniversary of the surgery - although it's not due for a few more weeks.

I am so glad to have all of those bills paid. And so thankful they were willing to let me pay monthly all this time. I had health insurance, but with a very high deductible. This office - Associates in Women's Health - was so incredibly kind, as was Heartland Cardiology in Wichita, and others. Via Christi was astonishingly generous and gracious. Some others were just instantly rude and awful. I ended up in the ER in Joplin after surgery and the award for the worst medical experience from that time - from the care received to paying the bill afterward - goes to Freeman Hospital in Joplin. They were just horrid.

But, overall, I was very fortunate - the medical system worked perfectly for me as far as getting care. My own physician, Dr. Wesley, spotted the problem when it might have escaped notice by others. A local surgeon referred me to a specialist in Wichita, saying I needed to be operated on by someone who saw cancer every week, not someone like him who saw it a couple of times a year. Fortunately, although the radiology looked very bad, it was benign. He referred me to Dr. Horbelt, who operated on me at Via Christi in downtown Wichita. I cannot say enough wonderful things about the care I received there. We still refer to it as the "Club Med" of medical care. They were amazing. I wish all hospitals could be run with the same care and attention that Via Christi shows. Stunningly perfect.

It's interesting that this is a pretty emotional experience for me. Not sure why, but it is. Maybe just because it's a finishing of that chapter.

I am a lucky, lucky, lucky girl.

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4 comments:

Kim said...

Congratulations on this milestone! What a relief to have this obligation done and this chapter closed! I'm celebrating with you.

Judith Robl said...

Toasting the event with a celebratory cup of tea. We (your friends) are very lucky that the outcome was benign, and this chapter is now closed.

Patsy Terrell said...

Thanks, Kim... it does feel good!

Patsy Terrell said...

Thanks, Judith... "benign" is such a beautiful word.