- J
- M
Memorial Day 2020 was going to be a great start to the summer season. While we were getting ready for the day, the phone rang. It was my son, Josh. With a shaky and upset voice, he told me he was taking Jackie, his wife, who was 7 months pregnant, to the hospital. When she got up that morning, she knew something wasn’t right. She had a severe headache and couldn’t see; she had the signs of eclampsia.
Just after Josh and Jackie got to the hospital, Jackie started seizing. The doctors rushed Josh out of the room to “gown up” for the emergency C-section they had to preform to save Jackie and the baby’s life. The baby wasn’t due for 8 more weeks. Josh was dressed and waiting anxiously to join them in the operating room when the doctors came out and told Josh he had missed the birth of his first born child. Jackie had gotten worse, and they had to deliver the baby as soon as they got in the operating room. Josh was told the baby was okay but would be flown by Life Flight to another hospital better equipped to care for such an early baby. Jackie, she was heavily sedated and in ICU. “Ten minutes, ten minutes later and we would have lost both of them,” the doctor told Josh. He also said, “Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.” Standing all alone in the hospital, Josh was stunned. He would not be able to see Jackie until she was out of ICU, probably 2-3 days, and he didn’t know when he would be able to see and hold little Theo.
After many, many prayers, Jackie healed much faster than expected and left ICU about 1 ½ days after delivering Theo. Theo was on a ventilator for a while, but he is a fighter and didn’t want any of that nonsense. He is a fighter and will be fine after a long stay in NICU.
Here is the harsh reality Josh and Jackie now face. They have insurance. They pay $500-600 a month for their coverage. The plan covers 80% with no out-of-pocket max. This means that they will be responsible for 20% of all the medical bills! Each day in NICU averages about $3,000 a day. Theo will be there for about 60 days. On top of that bill, there is the Life Flight bill, Jackie’s ICU and Labor and Delivery stay, emergency C-section, etc. Medicaid says they make too much money for help from them. While extremely grateful to have Jackie alive and healthy and to have their sweet little boy healthy and growing strong, this couple celebrates their one-year anniversary facing daunting medical bills without knowing how they will ever pay them.
If you have anything you can spare to help them with these bills, that would be so very much appreciated. We know times are tough right now so if you cannot donate we ask you to please share. These two are not the type to ask for help. Both of them would help anyone they could, now it is time for us to help them.
Just after Josh and Jackie got to the hospital, Jackie started seizing. The doctors rushed Josh out of the room to “gown up” for the emergency C-section they had to preform to save Jackie and the baby’s life. The baby wasn’t due for 8 more weeks. Josh was dressed and waiting anxiously to join them in the operating room when the doctors came out and told Josh he had missed the birth of his first born child. Jackie had gotten worse, and they had to deliver the baby as soon as they got in the operating room. Josh was told the baby was okay but would be flown by Life Flight to another hospital better equipped to care for such an early baby. Jackie, she was heavily sedated and in ICU. “Ten minutes, ten minutes later and we would have lost both of them,” the doctor told Josh. He also said, “Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.” Standing all alone in the hospital, Josh was stunned. He would not be able to see Jackie until she was out of ICU, probably 2-3 days, and he didn’t know when he would be able to see and hold little Theo.
After many, many prayers, Jackie healed much faster than expected and left ICU about 1 ½ days after delivering Theo. Theo was on a ventilator for a while, but he is a fighter and didn’t want any of that nonsense. He is a fighter and will be fine after a long stay in NICU.
Here is the harsh reality Josh and Jackie now face. They have insurance. They pay $500-600 a month for their coverage. The plan covers 80% with no out-of-pocket max. This means that they will be responsible for 20% of all the medical bills! Each day in NICU averages about $3,000 a day. Theo will be there for about 60 days. On top of that bill, there is the Life Flight bill, Jackie’s ICU and Labor and Delivery stay, emergency C-section, etc. Medicaid says they make too much money for help from them. While extremely grateful to have Jackie alive and healthy and to have their sweet little boy healthy and growing strong, this couple celebrates their one-year anniversary facing daunting medical bills without knowing how they will ever pay them.
If you have anything you can spare to help them with these bills, that would be so very much appreciated. We know times are tough right now so if you cannot donate we ask you to please share. These two are not the type to ask for help. Both of them would help anyone they could, now it is time for us to help them.