After spending 18 days in the hospital with my first bout of diverticulitis that perforated, I'm now dealing with a huge medical bill of over $5,500. Anything you can contribute helps with my worry and stress.

The worst pain I'd ever felt happened on a Tuesday evening, and I guess that's when my bowel perforated. I'd never had issues with diverticulitis, that I'd been aware of at least. I was also having trouble breathing because of the pain.

I'm thankful for my son's grandma, who quickly got me to the emergency room and stayed with me until I was admitted.

The first X-ray and CT scan early Wednesday morning showed perforated diverticulitis. They started IV antibiotics and pain meds. My belly pain started feeling better, but I still couldn't breathe deeply. It started to feel like my lung collapse episode earlier this year, in April 2025.

It was a rough weekend, and by Sunday afternoon they ordered another chest X-ray, which showed worsening fluid accumulating in my chest cavity and around the bottom of my lungs. It took until Monday afternoon for another CT scan that showed several places of air, fluid, and gas pockets—along with bowel leakage and at least two abscesses.

Two drains were put in by radiology on Monday around 4:30 pm. A lot of infectious fluid was removed, and I started breathing better. The drains stayed for a while and removed less and less fluid and gas every day.

I was released from the hospital after 18 days of pain meds and IV antibiotics.

After several weeks at home with one drain, a CT scan was done Monday, November 10, and it showed healing, and the drain was removed.

Please, please advocate for yourself or find someone to, read everything you can about test results and ask ALL the questions.

I appreciate everyone checking on me and all the prayers.