Today their top nurse who teaches about accessing Ports and has worked in the field for about 35 years came. She tried a few times, then said it was blocked or something and I would have to go to the ER. I said "Please, no! Not another ER bill!" (I got my bill for Vanderbilt today and it was $19,000) So she tried some more and worked at it and finally got something in the line to break up so she could flush it. But she said it definitely needs to get checked out, since I've had such problems.
So I talked to Vanderbilt and they want me to come back so the surgeon can check it. Wonder what this is going to cost. As bad as I'm freaking, my husband is really freaking!
Some of you are familiar with hospital pricing and gouging. For those who aren't, when I was a patient at Vanderbilt a few weeks ago I was charged:
Cipro (generic) $40/pill
Azithromycin $42.58/pill
tiny little tube of Emla Cream $63
Venlafaxine $40/pill
Calcium Citrate $20/pill
Multi-Vitamin w/ Zinc $40/pill
Dornase (Pulmozyme) Inhaler $450.00/per treatment
Creon enzymes $311/small bottle
This is just TERRIBLE. The first 4 items were generic and I usually pay $8/MONTH. I don't even pay that much for a bottle of the vitamins & calcium. It just makes me sick. This wasn't all of the meds and doesn't include the IV meds, but just thought I'd share the exhorbitant prices with those of you who don't experience this "high life."
Well, I'd better quit now or I'll be too worked up to go to sleep.
No, the eBay seller hasn't paid yet!
Gerrr! That is crazy for meds! Sorry to hear about your port problems. I wish that thing would just work for you!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you are still having troubles. Praying the Ebay seller comes through on his word!
ReplyDeleteI hear ya' on the hospital bills. We've got them- and we've got them out the wazoo. Many have gone to collections. Some have been paid, some have been partially paid. We do our best. Sometimes our best is $10/month and sometimes our best is $0. *sigh* What can you do? Thankfully TX cannot deny any patient who walks into the ER regardless of debt and it is a debtor's state and they can't come after us for unpaid medical debt. They can bit*# a lot, but that's about it.
ReplyDeleteJust took time out this morning to pray for you.
ReplyDeleteoh my word, I am so sorry. praying for you, friend, even at this moment.
ReplyDeleteYikes on the hospital bill.
ReplyDeleteI just got out of the hospital and am looking at a bill of $400 plus $400 for iv infusion. So thankful for Colorado's Indigent Care Program!!
It is that much for a Pulmonzyne (sp??) treatment?? (Ack!) I had 3 respiratory treatments per day with sometimes 2-3 meds each treatment. Hospital bills are insane.