What Doesn't Kill Me Leaves Me With Medical Bills

Hi, my name is Nancy A. Collins.

Some of you might know me as the creator of the punk vampire/vampire slayer Sonja Blue & the author of numerous horror stories, or as the writer of such comics as SWAMP THING, VAMPIRELLA, and JASON VS. LEATHERFACE.

This past Saturday (February 3rd, 2024) I woke up to discomfort in my left chest every time I inhaled. As the day went on I experienced increasing pain that radiated into my armpit and through my left shoulder, accompanied by extreme exhaustion. That evening I drove myself to the E.R. at a hospital near my house here in Macon, GA. By that point I thought I was having some kind of cardiac episode, as my mother's side of the family had a long history of heart issues.

Within 30 minutes of being taken into the exam area, I was screaming in agony and could no longer sit up. Being kept prone helped alleviate the intensity of the pain, but breathing was still an issue.

An EKG, a set of Xrays, and a MRI scan later, I was told I wasn't having a heart attack. However, I did have a blood clot in my lower left lung--actually, several small ones, according to the doctor. He said that if I hadn't come in when I did Saturday night, odds are I would not have woken up Sunday morning.

They admitted me into the hospital, where I was ordered bed rest, pumped full of blood thinners, and then underwent several ultrasounds. They kept me over the weekend, finally releasing me Monday evening with several prescriptions and an outpatient appointment with a hematologist. I suspect I will be on blood thinners for the rest of my life. (I know, ironic for someone best known for writing vampire stories. Even more ironic--the clots appear to be the result of me sitting too long in front of my laptop while writing. )

I'm setting up this campaign to help with the medical bills from this unexpected reminder that I am no longer a spring chicken. While I have medical insurance, it ain't all that and a bag of chips. I'm still on the hook for 25% of my treatment--possibly more, if it turns out any of the physicians, technicians, or laboratories who handled my case happen to be out-of-network.

I hate having to ask folks for help for stuff like this, but being a self-employed professional freelance writer is a chancy gig even under the best of circumstances. And now I'm looking at having to pull back on writing until I can get a handle on the blood clot situation. Any help provided will be greatly appreciated.