Thursday, August 16, 2012

Day 533

Between me, my daughter, her boyfriend, and whoever it was that hauled off the broken exercise bike, that to-do list from Day 527 is being checked off like crazy.

I still need to go through my mail and wash and chop my vegetables. But the weeds have been pulled, the roses pruned. The irrigation pump filter cleaned, the daisies dug up and my car has been serviced. One more thing has been finished up, too.

The hospital visits.

Hubby's kidneys are getting better and his muscles are getting stronger, so after one full month of sleeping in the hospital, one full month of tests and diagnosis, of highs and lows, of more medications than anyone should have to take, hubby came home today. We'll begin a new chapter with outpatient therapy visits and 'round the clock care being provided by me. (Our insurance plan doesn't provide for daily living activities or long-term care.)

Of all days for a hospital bill to arrive. We've been receiving doctor bills and radiology bills and surgeon bills and all other kinds of ancillary bills, but the bill for the first week in the hospital arrived today.

One week, $30,620.68. Quite interesting to see the different amounts detailed. If you don't think prescription drugs drive up the cost of medical care in this country, take a look at the "pharmacy", "other pharmacy", and "drugs" lines. The medication-related costs exceeded the cost of the room itself. 

Thank goodness for insurance.