QUESTION OF THE WEEK...12-30-2024
59 minutes ago
Friday, January 9, 2009
Medical Bills
Medical bills, we all have them. I can say that I have had so many over the years that they fit into a small laundry basket. So many I couldn't keep them straight and it would take hours to pay a small bit on all of them. Almost 14 years of struggling with medical bills from Pete's ongoing bouts with cancer. We had good insurance but when treatments are weekly at 15,000 your 20% adds up quickly. Not to mention cat scans, pet scans , MRI's, stem cell transplant, etc. We could never get them caught up. It was a stressful situation for both of us. In January 2008 our niece had a benefit for Pete. I plan to write about it, perhaps this weekend sometime. We never spent any of the benefit money while Pete was living. Pete was working so we just kept making payments according to arrangements that were made with all of the many medical bills that we had. We thought we would only use the money when absolutely necessary. Perhaps when he got to sick to work anymore or if when he died I would need to pay off all of those bills. The benefit was a blessing because I was able today to sit down and pay off all of his medical bills as well as mine and still have some money left in the benefit account. So celebrate with me for the moment, this is the first time in 14 years that I don't have to pay on any medical accounts. I paid off 6 different accounts and I am free. The bad part is there will be more bills because I am now going to start taking care of myself. Starting with the dentist, and long overdue doctor appointments for me! But for the moment I'll celebrate!!
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25 comments:
That is great! What a relief for you, and some burden lifted. It will be a big step toward healing and focusing on taking care of yourself.
I miss you - hope to see you Tuesday!
Suzy
What a fabulous thing to celebrate! I am so happy for you.
On another note, I appreciate your sweet encouraging comment you left on my blog today. I am glad to know you through blogging too!
That's a good thing to celebrate and GREAT thing your niece did.
Ralph
Congradulations!!!! I know it feels good to finally get those bills paid off. It is a little past time to take care of yourself, but at least you are working on that now......Be good to yourself. PS. I actually got my shower before 8:00am. this morning.
I celebrate with you!!
How wonderful to have that benefit money, and what a blessing to be able to pay those medical bills off.
I'm glad you are going to take time and money now to tend to your own health.
We understand the stress of having medical bills adding up. I had twenty throat surgeries over an eight year period, and those bills really piled up even with insurance. We are still paying on them, so we know a bit of the struggle you faced. It makes me so happy to know you are not under the weight of those bills any longer.
That is awesome that Brooke raised that much money. It was great time seeing all the family during the winter and not just at our family reunion. Not to mention the meal was incredible.
that must be such a relief Marla. I have to say we are blessed in Canada and are not burdened with medical bills like you guys are in the States.
Thanks also for popping by my blog.
Gill in Canada
Hurray that you are going to concentrate on taking care of yourself now!!
Medical bills can be SO overwhelming. My youngest sister's son has Primary Pulminary Hypertension. His meds alone (not counting doctors, hospitals, tests, etc ) range between $11,000 and $15,000 monthly. Thank God for insurance.
Don't forget to stay on top of taking care of yourself...VERY IMPORTANT!!
Marla, I am very glad that those bills are no longer hanging around. Have fun at the dentist!
This post is a blessing to all of us. It's a reminder of the really good part of people.
I celebrate with you.
Celebrate the love in so many ways! Be healthy:)
Hi Marla! It is great that you paid all those bills. Even better that you will be taking care of yourself. Isn't amazing that when we take care of others, we forgot about ourselves? We ignore it and it goes away. Or tomorrow. Well it is that tomorrow for you and time to take care of yourself.
Your niece is a very special person to do what she did. Good hearted, like her Aunt. Lisa
How wonderful!! I know that must be a huge burden off your shoulders. It's so nice that your niece had the benefit for him. Those are so nice for all involved.
I'm celebrating with you!!!
It is nice there was enough for you to pay all the bills so it is one less thing for you to worry about.
Do take care of yourself. You deserve it.
God is Good All the time. I'm so glad that He provided this for you and that you are free from carrying this burden. What a beautiful testimony Marla. He richly blesses His children.
I'm so glad that Granny Annie sent you over to my blog. I enjoyed your comments and have enjoyed my visit here.
Praise God! All of your medical bills are paid. That must be a big relief.
Yes, you must start taking care of yourself. When we are caregivers, we tend to let our own health slide. Looking forward to hearing you are in perfect health.
Blessings,
Mary
That is a great reason to celebrate and I am thankful that you have them at least paid for the moment. This past year I recieved a medical bill that was over 12 years old. I thought those were all behind me and I was really depressed about getting it. Then I found out that because of how old it was, I was no longer liable for paying it. It would be impossible for me to get my old insurance to accept it and I had no way of proving or disproving it. Had I made one payment, it would have restarted the clock and made me liable again. Remember this for way down the road when something like this comes in.
That is WONDERFUL news, Marla! I'm so happy for you!
That was really a great thing your niece did for you & Pete - is she a great chef, or what!?!
What a relief, and I'm glad you will be taking care of yourself. That will be money well spent.
I celebrate with you as you no longer have to worry about the bills of the past. :)
This post brought me to tears...I'm sure they were supposed to be tears of joy by the fact that you don't have any more medical bills but they were tears of sadness after reading it...but I am glad that is indeed a big step into healing...I commend you on your strength. tfs
Marla, to answer your question about the church signs. Yes, I do take these. Most of them are always from this same church, that Lutheran church. They have good signs and it's only a couple of miles from me and I pass it all the time. Makes it very handy! We have a church sign at the church I attend but they don't change it much. There's 2-3 more that I check sometimes and occasionally get some from them. If I happen to go out of town I take my camera and stop to take a picture if I see one! Lots of churches these days, especially the big new ones, have those digital signs and they don't take so well. Once you shrink the picture down you can't read the words, so I like these old fashioned ones best!
You have been so fortunate to be able to pay these bills off and that someone was willing to do that for you!
And best of all, you realize how blessed you have been. How fortunate to have someone like that!
If I may, I'd like to raise my hands and celebrate with you. Praise the Lord!
And many blessings to your niece, too.
That's wonderful you could do that. It's also fantastic that you are going to take good care of yourself. No one can do that for you!
Just stopped by to say hi. I hope you're doing well. :)
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