Support Asia Mieleszko's Lung Recovery

On August 19, 2024, Joanna (Asia) Mieleszko was admitted to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital with a spontaneous pneumothorax, also known as a collapsed lung. What began as an odd backache the day prior developed into acute chest pain and difficulty breathing, requiring a trip to the ER. She had a pigtail catheter (thin chest tube) inserted into her left side in order to drain the air from the pleural cavity surrounding her left lung. She stayed at the hospital for over nine days, a period which involved repeated chest tube clamping trials, active suction, and her lung re-collapsing before it was able to fully re-expand and stabilize, allowing her to leave the hospital on August 28.

As the naming indicates, a "spontaneous" pneumothorax is not caused by physical trauma or any particular activity (e.g. "singing too hard," as some might playfully suggest). In Asia's case, imaging revealed numerous cysts on both lungs, pointing to an underlying condition that likely predisposed her to a lung collapse, and which could possibly progress, necessitating regular check-ins with a pulmonologist.

At the time of the hospitalization in August, Asia was uninsured, due to a lapse in coverage of her New York State-based healthcare plan. The self-pay hospital bill totaled to just over $22,000. Asia was denied financial assistance by the hospital due to her income being "too high" (for reference, the maximum annual income they consider for assistance is lower than her bill amount).

Asia was finally able to secure health insurance in Pennsylvania (where she currently resides), set to become active in January 2025. But on December 21, 2024, in the morning before a weekend of long-awaited folk singing gigs, Asia experienced a sudden and severe chest pain and was again admitted to Jefferson Hospital with a collapsed lung. This time, after insertion of the familiar chest tube as a first-line treatment, doctors opted for a procedure known as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) pleurodesis, which involves irritating the pleural lining in order for the lung to adhere to the chest wall, thereby reducing the recurrence of a pneumothorax. Asia underwent this surgery on December 23 and is currently recovering in her hospital room (at the time of writing, Dec 24).

We're hopeful that Asia will fully recover within a couple more days and come home before the new year. Still, even with a shorter hospital stay than in August, the cost of the surgery will likely bring this December bill to a similar range, with an estimated total of over $40,000 between the two hospitalizations. Asia will of course reapply for financial assistance and is looking into payment plan options with the hospital, along with the possibility of her new insurance covering part of the December bill.

Anything you can give is immensely appreciated, and your love & support goes a long way as well. Bottomless gratitude to you for reading this and thinking of Asia!