As expected, I will have my 38th transfusion and 77th unit of blood today (Tuesday). I was surprised that my hemoglobin had dropped to 9.0 today. That is down from 10.6 on Wednesday, only 5 days ago. That's the biggest since a drop from 10.2 to 8.2 in 7 days back in December. But the worst was back in March last year. My hgb dropped from 7.4 on a Wed morning to 5.9 by midnight on Thursday. I went to the emergency room with irregular heartbeat, was admitted to the hospital and had 4 units of blood on Friday. Now, we try to keep my hgb above 9.0 so I feel a lot better and am able to work.
Actually, it has been 12 days since my last transfusion and the average is 10 days between. I felt very tired and short of breath this weekend and my heart has been beating harder. I took a day vacation today since my wife is home from school teaching this week. Probably would have had to come home from work today anyway to take a nap. In spite of all this, I made three quick trips to Home Depot this weekend. I disconnected the water to our old refrigerator, replaced two venetian blinds and fixed the vanity and shower faucets in the master bedroom. I just worked a little at a time and rested in between.
I also completed 3 health care reimbursement forms to recover $2200 in medical expenses. Not too bad considering I have only paid in $500 so far in the first two months this year. Actually, this was recovering part of over $2500 that we have paid on medical expenses so far. The advantage, of course, is that the HCRA is taken from my paycheck before taxes. I also found out that the Aranesp shot that I get every two weeks costs about $4400 of which I paid 10%. At that rate, it does not take too long to pay the $2500 yearly maximum on my insurance.
Thank God for insurance. Over the last three years, my total cost for health care has been $487,292 though I have only paid $8113. The BMT is supposed to cost about $250,000 and my lifetime maximum is only a million. I still need to find out how much insurance has actually paid since they don't pay all that is billed. For example, the Aranesp shot is actually billed at $6800, $2400 of which the provider is not paid.
2 comments:
Yes, thank God for insurance.
I do not complain about premiums, since us healthy ones can help our sick ones.
BMT clinic at UMN says I ned to Have physical there.
Thank God for insurance. Mom's bill was $137,000 and medicare and insurance only paid $67,000. the rest is written off.
We have started praying for you in our small group and Bible studies re: the BMT.
Your little sister
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