I'd Covet Prayers, Please.

I'm still praying for you, abcaines. We found out that I have a blockage in one of my coronary arteries, but that it doesn't require surgery yet. They're not positive, but, they believe one more artery may be involved. There's weak blood flow. This stuff is nothing to mess with, and we all need as much prayer as we can get.
 
UPDATE...

I visited with the Dr that specializes in afib. He says I should get an ablasion done. Yippee. He says for my age and condition, it's my best option. It's aggressive but his philosophy is to get right to what works. His work speaks for itself. If he does half for me what he did for my coworker, I'm good with that.

More details later. Thanks to all for prayers and encouragement.
 
Ablasion scheduled for this Tuesday.

Of course, the hospital is worried about how I'm going to pay my portion of the bill which amounts to just over $3K.

I sent them the following message:

I would like to set up a repayment plan so you all don't have to fret over the money I owe. I know $3K is a lot despite the fact that you will be billing my insurance $100K. Unfortunately, I'm not a business tycoon so coughing up $3K all at once would knock a sizable dent in our budget. Unless you can convince the our utility company and other creditors to offer forbearance, I'm going to have to pay what I can when I can starting with my next paycheck on July 20. It is my goal to have all medical bills paid in full by year's end the same way we did when my wife had cancer surgery.
 
abcaines said:
Ablasion scheduled for this Tuesday.

Of course, the hospital is worried about how I'm going to pay my portion of the bill which amounts to just over $3K.

I sent them the following message:

I would like to set up a repayment plan so you all don't have to fret over the money I owe. I know $3K is a lot despite the fact that you will be billing my insurance $100K. Unfortunately, I'm not a business tycoon so coughing up $3K all at once would knock a sizable dent in our budget. Unless you can convince the our utility company and other creditors to offer forbearance, I'm going to have to pay what I can when I can starting with my next paycheck on July 20. It is my goal to have all medical bills paid in full by year's end the same way we did when my wife had cancer surgery.
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Do you have a vet hospital near you that you can use? I know my grandfather was barely in the military (Korean War era) due to family hardship discharge and he still qualifies for the vet hospital all these decades later.
 
HukNduck said:
Do you have a vet hospital near you that you can use? I know my grandfather was barely in the military (Korean War era) due to family hardship discharge and he still qualifies for the vet hospital all these decades later.
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I'd have to apply to the VA and if I'm lucky, start getting treatment by year's end. The Dr I am working with is a electrophysiologist, basically an electrician for the heart. I was cautioned by him that the sooner I get my condition treated the better chance I stand of success. I've already been dinking around for six months since I was diagnosed with afib. Any more delays will make treatment more difficult. I'm not sure how many hoops I'd have to jump through to get the same level of care I'm getting now. The money isn't the issue (except for the hospital). My insurance is going to pay >$100K. My share is only $3K. But the financial wing of the hospital is fretting like if I default on my $3K, it will be a financial disaster for them. That's the part that's frustrating to me and why I'm venting. We had to take the same line with the hospitals and doctors when Angela had her cancer surgery. We paid our portion by the end of the year. It wasn't easy but it was doable. Same with this scenario.
 
abcaines said:
I'd have to apply to the VA and if I'm lucky, start getting treatment by year's end. The Dr I am working with is a electrophysiologist, basically an electrician for the heart. I was cautioned by him that the sooner I get my condition treated the better chance I stand of success. I've already been dinking around for six months since I was diagnosed with afib. Any more delays will make treatment more difficult. I'm not sure how many hoops I'd have to jump through to get the same level of care I'm getting now. The money isn't the issue (except for the hospital). My insurance is going to pay >$100K. My share is only $3K. But the financial wing of the hospital is fretting like if I default on my $3K, it will be a financial disaster for them. That's the part that's frustrating to me and why I'm venting. We had to take the same line with the hospitals and doctors when Angela had her cancer surgery. We paid our portion by the end of the year. It wasn't easy but it was doable. Same with this scenario.
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I know the vet hospital might not be the best option for the immediate issue, but as you get older and will become more medically active, I’d think getting registered with the vet care would be an absolute must. I have several relatives who use/have used it as needed. My grandfather has mainly chosen to use it for eye and ear care as he’s aged and saved tens of thousands. He’s avoided them for surgeries but other relatives have used them for nearly all care. They often say the vet hospitals don’t have the bells and whistles of private hospitals, but they get the job done for practically free.
 
Absolutely. I will be eligible (or required?) to sign up for Medicare in a few years and have thought very seriously about incorporating the VA in my care. In fact, since I'm on very expensive blood thinners now I've been encouraged to look into VA for assistance.

I just found out yesterday that the pharmacy associated with the clinic where I'm getting my procedure done can get me my meds for $10 per 90 day supply for the rest of the year. I'm sure that is because I've met my deductible. I really do need to hooked up with VA and get their help with that when my deductible resets in January.

My nephew is on full VA disability and has been hounding me to sign up.
 
abcaines said:
I'd have to apply to the VA and if I'm lucky, start getting treatment by year's end. The Dr I am working with is a electrophysiologist, basically an electrician for the heart. I was cautioned by him that the sooner I get my condition treated the better chance I stand of success. I've already been dinking around for six months since I was diagnosed with afib. Any more delays will make treatment more difficult. I'm not sure how many hoops I'd have to jump through to get the same level of care I'm getting now. The money isn't the issue (except for the hospital). My insurance is going to pay >$100K. My share is only $3K. But the financial wing of the hospital is fretting like if I default on my $3K, it will be a financial disaster for them. That's the part that's frustrating to me and why I'm venting. We had to take the same line with the hospitals and doctors when Angela had her cancer surgery. We paid our portion by the end of the year. It wasn't easy but it was doable. Same with this scenario.
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Depending on the kind of hospital ( Nonprofit hospitals are required by law to offer financial assistance programs) almost every hospital will allow you to agree in writing to a payment plan. I work for one of the largest companies in the world that deals with those things and hospitals make so much money, you would be amazed.
 
Just got final instructions. Will be leaving the house around 6am. 2 hour drive to Coeur d'Alene. Check in 0830, 1030 procedure. We'll stay overnight in Post Falls. I'd really like things to go smoothly for Angela's sake. She'll have to drive after we leave the hospital. Assuming I don't have to stay overnight, I'll be giving her directions to the place... while I'm still hopped up on drugs. FUN! She HATES driving anywhere out of town.

I just want to get this over with and get back to normal routine.
 
My prayers are with you and your dear wife.
 
abcaines said:
Just got final instructions. Will be leaving the house around 6am. 2 hour drive to Coeur d'Alene. Check in 0830, 1030 procedure. We'll stay overnight in Post Falls. I'd really like things to go smoothly for Angela's sake. She'll have to drive after we leave the hospital. Assuming I don't have to stay overnight, I'll be giving her directions to the place... while I'm still hopped up on drugs. FUN! She HATES driving anywhere out of town.

I just want to get this over with and get back to normal routine.
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I wish you the VERY best, tomorrow!
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Prayed for you this morning, that you would come through this easily and you would ride many more rides on your 2 wheeled machine. I've been to Coeur d'Alene when my daughter and son in law did their security training for foreign missionary (with the Southern Baptist IMB) service in Kellogg ID. We came and babysat the granddaughter while they pretended to be taken hostage by terrorists in the mountains. We flew into Spokane and drove past that beautiful lake in the mountains. Wow, what a place.

I envy you, brother.

And my heart is with you today.
 
Bob Jones V said:
We came and babysat the granddaughter while they pretended to be taken hostage by terrorists in the mountains.
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I didn’t realize missionaries received this type of training. It does makes sense though, especially in some parts of the world.
 
Your prayers and kind words have been a comfort.

I'm all loopy from the drugs but I'm moving around.

I guess I have a stubborn heart and the Dr had to get aggressive to get it to behave.

Time will tell; sermon illustrations abound. More later.
 
Prayed for you throughout the day, glad to hear you report in to your peeps😉
 
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