Support Needed for Costly Brain Aneurysm Surgery
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- A few weeks ago, I went to the emergency room with an infection in my jaw. I had a CAT scan and by accident while scanning my jaw, the doctors found a brain aneurysm in the carotid artery in my brain. Many people tell me this was not an accident. This was God putting the cellulitis in my jaw, so the brain aneurysm could be discovered. I agree. I'm glad it was found. I didn't realize how much is involved with resolving the problem. I have health insurance, but with high deductibles and coinsurance, I found out doctors and hospitals want to collect everything up front to make sure they are paid in full. There are multiple tests to clear before surgeries too, and everything needs to be paid up front.
- I thank my co-workers and a close friend who assisted me to get this far. I made it past the EKG, echocardiogram, and stress test and had the preliminary surgery, a cerebral angiogram on Friday April 25th. The doctor went through my wrist to my brain. I was told the procedure was $307,000. The next surgery to fix the aneurysm and goes through my femoral artery to insert platinum coils in the brain aneurysm. I reached my out-of-pocket max and set up payment plans to get there. But this first surgery was just to see how to fix the aneurysm.
- May 1st I start with new insurance, new deductibles, new max out of pocket. Going to these appointments and medical clearances, I'm missing work. Now I've completed the first surgery to check how to fix the aneurysm, the next is to fix the aneurysm. Scary. The doctor says it's a 3% mortality rate for the procedure to fix it, but 50% mortality rate if it ruptures. I hate asking for help but I'm tapped out and need this second procedure to fix the aneurysm.
Organizer
Mark Gallagher
Organizer
West Palm Beach, FL