Urgent Help Needed for Our Medical Expenses

Hey friends, we really didn't want to have to ask for help, but the hospital has sent our bill to collections so unfortunately we're out of time.

I had a c-section to give birth to my son in August 2023. There were complications. My bladder adhered to my uterus, requiring them to be surgically separated. Because of the damage caused by this, I had to have a catheter for several days to prevent my bladder from expanding and popping the stitches, which would have caused internal bleeding. I was sent home after 5 days with the catheter still in. The doctor told me it shouldn't be complicated to use at home over the weekend and we'd remove it the following week. I made it about 2 hours at home before the catheter bag was filling up with blood.

So I checked back in to the hospital. The bulb at the top of the catheter tube that keeps it in place was faulty, which was causing it to slide in and out and cause damage. I don't know how to describe to you how much pain I was in. But the doctor ultimately decided to leave it in as is, because it was "working fine," and I had to stay in the hospital for observation for another 4 days. I found out later that the hospital didn't want to remove it because reinserting a new one had a risk of causing infection, and then they would have been legally liable. So instead they left me bleeding and in severe pain for the duration.

I also found out later that because I was checked out and then checked back in to the hospital, they were counted by billing as two separate hospital stays. Even though it was because of faulty medical equipment. Insurance has also decided that the second stay "wasn't medically necessary" since I had been sent home with the catheter and since the hospital didn't change or replace the catheter then it wasn't faulty.

We were able to cover the first hospital bill, but we haven't been able to pay the second. It's now been sent to collections. I haven't had any luck finding a job where I can work from home with the baby. I am so sorry, but my family and I need help.

Thanks for listening to my story. It means a lot.