Help Sim pay her medical bills #endometriosis

Sim here, just trying to raise some funds to pay for my horrible medical bills.

***Updates!***

19/01/2023 - Surgery is done!... but my journey is far from over.

While operating my surgeon found that my expected stage 2-3 Endometriosis was actually stage 3-4 meaning it was deeply penetrating into some of my ligaments.

I've received my final invoice from the Surgeon with the updated price and realised I will need to increase my target yet again. Luckily my Private Health Insurance is saving me over 7k. Unfortunately, I still have to pay the rest.

Breakdown:

$750 - PHI Excess

$6008.45 - Surgeon Fee ($4,500 Gap + $1,509 rebate)

$1,863 - Anaesthesiologist ($1,297.35 Gap + $565.65 rebate)

$85 - Post Op Medications.

So i'm upping my target again to reflect the new costs.

Anything raised over my new target OR anything I don't use for my endometriosis I will donate to Endometriosis Australia to aid research into this monster and hopefully make someone else's journey a little easier.

After suffering years of back pain, horrible menstrual cramps and a bunch of other uncomfortable pains throughout my nether regions, my Dr suggested I get a pelvic ultrasound to check for Endometriosis. Now that I've had the scan, I've been told I have Endometriosis and that it has caused my ovaries to adhere to my bowels.

Roughly a year ago, I started a fundraiser for my good friend Jaimee to help her pay for her Endo surgery... little did I know I'd be told I have the same condition and also need surgery. Jaimee has been a fantastic help and has given me heaps of really good tips for surgery and recovery, but unfortunately, even with Private Health Insurance, I'll be out of pocket quite a bit.

What's Endo?

Endo is short for Endometriosis which is a disorder in which tissue similar to the tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus — the endometrium — grows outside your uterus. It can cause adhesions and lots of pain.

What do you mean your ovaries have adhered to your bowels?

Endometriosis can cause adhesions.

When the endometriosis cells swell, and your uterus tries to shed them, the area around them becomes inflamed. One affected area can become stuck to another affected area as both areas try to heal. This creates a band of scar tissue known as an adhesion.

This has decided to take place with both my ovaries to my bowel.

What does it feel like?

PAIN LOTS AND LOTS OF PAIN!!!

Sometimes it feels like someone has stabbed me with a large knife, sometimes it feels like someone is blowing up a balloon inside my body, and sometimes it feels like someone is stretching my organs in two different directions waiting for them to snap. Sometimes it's extreme pain when I have a bowel movement... or any movement.

Is there a cure?

There's no cure for endometriosis and it can be difficult to treat. Treatment aims to ease symptoms so the condition does not interfere with daily life.

What is the treatment?

1. Pain Medication - I've been using very strong anti-inflammatories and pain killers to help me get through my day-to-day life but these are slowly starting to become less and less effective as my pain is getting worse.

2. Hormone Therapy - I have another condition called PMDD which requires me to take daily hormone medication... this is luckily the same medication i would need to help slow down the growth of Endo but is not able to stop the growth.

3. Laparoscopic Surgery - Otherwise known as a Laparoscopy, a type of surgical procedure that allows a surgeon to access the inside of the abdomen and pelvis without having to make large incisions in the skin. This procedure is also known as keyhole surgery or minimally invasive surgery. With this, I would also need a bowel surgeon present because of my adhesions.

What happens if it's left untreated?

Endometriosis is a progressive condition which means it gets worse over time.

If left untreated, endometriosis can progress and become severe, can lead to other conditions such as infertility and also increase the risk of certain cancers... on top of more and more pain.

So roughly how much does it cost?

As soon as my dr suggested that I had Endometriosis I signed up for Private Health Insurance (PHI) which will luckily reduce a lot of the costs... but not all.

Unfortunately, Endo is considered a pre-existing condition so i've had to wait a year for my PHI to kick in. It finally kicks in this November so i'll finally be able to book in my surgery.

Some of the fee's i've been told of so far are:

Why don't I go public?

The public health system in Melbourne has extremely long wait times and with the pain I'm currently in, I don't know if I can wait that long. On top of that, there is the added chance that because I have adhesions with my ovaries and bowel, I could need an oophorectomy (removal of my ovaries) or a bowel resection. If a bowel resection goes wrong I could become incontinent for the rest of my life or require a colostomy bag and that's just not a risk i'm willing to take.

Help me, i'm poor.

Unfortunately, because of my Endometriosis (and my PMDD) I can't work full-time hours anymore. Both for my physical and mental health, it just isn't possible. This means I'm just not able to save this amount by myself and am asking for any support I can. If you are in a position to help me out financially I will be incredibly grateful. If you aren't in a position to donate don't hesitate to send me some kind words instead. I'm going to need as much support as possible both financially and mentally.

I've decided on an incentive for larger donations

As it already feels like my insides are on fire, why don't I offer up some fire?

I will donate a 5-10 minute fire show to anyone who donates over $400.

*** UPDATES***

13/12/2022 - I've had my first consultation with a Laparoscopic Surgeon (Simon Gordon). He's assured me that from the pelvic ultrasound (and my symptoms) that I have endometriosis that has adhered my ovaries to my bowel and that there is no need for further testing. He advised I book in for Laparoscopic surgery to remove the endometriosis and adhesions.

I AM BOOKED IN FOR 18 JANUARY!!!

He does not think I require a bowel resection or an oophorectomy due to the ultrasound results. However, he advised that this cannot be confirmed until he is in surgery and can physically see what's happening. He suggested that if I do require a bowel resection OR oophorectomy, this will need to be done in a second surgery.

He has advised that with the information I have given him, after medicare and private health insurance, the out-of-pocket costs would be $2,500 - $5,000 PLUS the anaesthetist's fees (which he, unfortunately, couldn't confirm today).

Knowing that surgery could cost up to $5,000 without the anaesthetist, I've moved my target to $6,000 to ensure I can cover as much as possible. Anything raised over my new target OR anything I don't use for my endometriosis I will donate to Endometriosis Australia to aid research into this monster.

I want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has donated, shared the link or sent me words of support. I am filled with so much gratitude for you all. I honestly couldn't do this without you all and your help.