Darlene for medical bills!

The biggest concern I have right now is health insurance as my insurance from Howard ends this month. I need to continue Howard coverage (Cobra) at $936 dollars a month.  If I break coverage, it would cause problems getting coverage in terms of preexisting conditions with other insurance companies. I paid September and October so I have coverage for two months. Howard coverage will kick back in when I can return to work but I do not know the timeframe. It could be several months.  I have some short-term disability insurance which has helped me pay important bills, but it will be ending soon.

This saga began In December of 2022.  I went to my doctor because my face was swollen, she took one look at me and called the Emergency room with an order for a CAT scan. The CAT scan revealed a massive infection of the skull plate in my forehead, and as a bonus, they found a tumor in the back of my skull. I was a mess; I don’t remember Christmas and barely remember New Year's Eve. They treated the infection so it would not spread, then took out the plate.

On May 5th surgery was scheduled as the doctors believed the skin had healed enough to insert a new plate. The neurosurgeon and plastic surgeon could not get the skin to close over the new plate.  The doctors put a wound vac on top of my head (to prevent infection) with a hose attached to a machine on an I.V. pole.  I named it Wilson. I had another surgery on May 12th to replace the skull plate using a skin graph.  The neurosurgeon chose to ignore the tumor.  I was released on May 16th.

I was very excited to return to work in September.  I only worked 3 days because the scar line opened again. I was back to where I was in December. I had surgery on June 30th to remove the plate again.  

My history goes back many moons ago. In high school, I had a brain tumor which was removed at Albany Medical Center. Unfortunately, another tumor was discovered six months later which was removed. I had radiation therapy to prevent another tumor. In high school, I had no protection on the left side of my forehead over my left eye. A new plate was put in but the suture line wouldn’t stay closed so they removed it. The last plate was put in during the Christmas break of my senior year.  It was secured by 1-inch staples, I looked like Mrs. Frankenstein.  Fortunately, it lasted for 38 years!

Thank you again.  It is very much appreciated.