Help Kim with Emergency Appendectomy Medical Bill

I'm Kim and I'm an artist, a creative, and a baker. I love bringing joy and color to the world through my love of painting on canvas and on skin. But my medical problems & medical bills have been getting in the way of that, especially in 2023. If you are able and willing to help, I would so so appreciate it!

TLDR Summary:

I had sudden onset of acute appendicitis on July 30th & had emergency surgery to get my appendix removed on July 31st. The medical bills will be very high on top of my current existing medical bills.

What Money will go to:

-Emergency appendectomy surgery & 2 different hospital stays

-Medication & follow-up appointments

-Outstanding medical bills from other recent medical crises

This year has been rough and extremely stressful and I could just really use some help:

-Emergency Appendectomy

-Nov 2022-March 2023 medical crisis unable to work

-Undiagnosed chronic illness & ongoing Medical testing

-Official diagnosis of EDS (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome)

-Morton’s Neuroma March foot injury that left me unable to walk for months

-Ongoing need for meds, vitamins, appointments, therapy, etc

-Car problems, managing multiple jobs, computer breaking

Emergency Appendectomy Details:

July 30th, the first evening of my bi-annual family vacation up north, I felt a bout of bad food poisoning coming on with extreme bloating and a feeling of glass in my colon. However, at midnight on the 31st, the pain morphed into a localized stabbing pain in my lower right abdomen which I knew was an appendix emergency. I was rushed to a small local hospital 15 mins away to run tests/ scans which confirmed I needed an emergency appendectomy (appendix removal due to serious infection). With all ambulances busy, my mom drove me one agonizing hour to the closest hospital where it felt like I had a balloon full of spikes and acid in my belly.

Beginning of Journey

We made it to the hospital at 5 am, but during check-in, I was hit with some devastating information. I was out of network… But, it’s get surgery or die, so obviously I got a room. Then came the next grueling 11 hours of waiting for life-saving surgery. So many pain meds & antibiotics. As each hour passed the pain, and bloating grew so intense that I was unable to move or breathe properly. I was ready to go for my 2:50 pm surgery but it was delayed a handful of painful hours. Finally, at about 4:30 pm I was taken back and put on the table to operate.

I was told the laparoscopic surgery was a success and they removed my appendix before it burst, but it was a close call! SO thankful I am alive!

Post-Appendectomy Recovery Struggles (ongoing):

I can’t lift over 15 pounds for 6 weeks (to prevent abdominal herniation) which will make home life and work tough. There will be follow-ups with local doctors too.

The first few days post-surgery were some of the scariest and most painful of my life. I needed help moving, getting out of bed, showering, using the bathroom etc. But the scariest part is when I would have breathing spasms. My ribs and shoulders were so fatigued (from holding myself still for hours, or surgery, or all the trapped air that happens during surgery) that they wouldn’t work right. It felt like charlie horses between every rib that left my body quivering and me gasping for air.

In addition, I have the swelling, pain, and digestive issues that come with abdominal surgery. It felt like I swallowed a bowling ball that might rip out of me at any second.

I am SO glad I am past the spasms. Now, I'm recovering at home drinking plenty of water, eating small meals, and trying to recover. I can breathe correctly, but I am just so fatigued dealing with digestive issues and a swollen painful abdomen. But I'm feeling frustrated and defeated that this happened at all.

I’m very thankful to be alive, but the impact this medical bill will have on my life is starting to sink in. If this was in fact out of network like they claim, I imagine a 10K-15k medical bill from the use of 2 hospitals and the surgery.

And if it was in-network, my insurance is so poor this year that it will at least be $8,500 because my out-of-pocket and deductible are so high.

Detailed Appendix Journey Video

THANK YOU:

Thank you for taking the time to read this. And if you decided to donate, the sincerest of thanks from the bottom of my heart! And if you cannot donate, please share it with a friend. I appreciate you. Thank you for helping this artist get back on her feet so she can create joy <3

Love ya’ll

-Kim-