The Cost of Taking Care of Oneself

All we really need to survive is food and water. Honestly, even though it'd be gross, difficult, uncomfortable, and inconvenient, that is technically all a human needs to survive. But when you have medical problems, it's not like you can eat them away, or drink enough water to just flush all of them out of your system. So, living past the age of maybe 40 for healthy people would require some medical attention. The problem is that it doesn't run cheap at all.

I've been having an issue for a while. By 'a while', I mean for almost a full year now, I've been having pains in my upper right abdomen. After a good amount of time having the pains, I kind of did my own personal medical assessment, and, based on family history, symptoms, etc., I came to the conclusion that it had something to do with my gallbladder (quite frankly, I'm assuming gallstones). But, of course, this diagnosis was done by means of self, and I couldn't really be sure. I waited so long to go to the doctor because I knew the health insurance I got from the school wouldn't be enough to really cover the kind of attention I needed. I know that, in order to prove that gallstones are there or that something else is wrong, I'd need some tests run. Specifically, an ultrasound.

An ultrasound costs $789.00.

Surgery to remove my mom's gallbladder 16 years ago was $13,000.00.

Where am I supposed to get that kind of money? The pain can be pretty rough sometimes, but I could live with it for the rest of my life, if I had to. The issue is that I actually can't. Gallstones can cause other more serious medical conditions, such as pancreatitis or appendicitis. I can't keep on living in this condition. The gallbladder (given that's what my problem turns out to be) has to be removed to prevent further complications.

The kind of money it takes to have a doctor see you is ridiculous. I want to go into the medical field, but with all the money and insurance and problems involved, I almost can't bear the thought of it. Malpractice insurance is so high. You know how, when you get into a car accident, your car insurance rates can go up? I wonder if it's the same for malpractice insurance. A patient tries to sue you for something, and your insurance goes up.
But there's a lot of money involved because, if you think about it, these are peoples' lives. It's not like a car, where, if you wreck it, you can just buy a new one to replace it. Individual human beings can't simply be replaced with a newer, shinier model.

I just sometimes worry that I'm going to die at home, alone, and young, a sad, preventable death, because I was too broke to be able to afford a doctor visit. I wonder if anyone has ever sued because they couldn't afford to go to a doctor and that killed someone they loved? I mean, people sue over spilled coffee, why not over prices being too high? That $789.00 is more than I make in 3 months. That $13,000 is just a little less than tuition to go to the school I'm currently in. I can not afford it. Can not.

So, what do I do? Sit back and let the problem get me, or try to find a way to help myself?

The insurance I currently have won't cover any of this, I know that. I went in to Urgent Care on Friday with it, regardless. It put off the necessity to pay up front. I know the claim will get denied, though, and the bill will be sent directly to my house right after. I'm just hoping it takes some time, so I can get enough money to start making payments. I know my parents will help me, but I also know that we're actually a very poor family, and that I'll have to supplement them with whatever income I get.

I'm just hoping that this condition is serious enough to warrant spending this amount of money on it. Otherwise, put the darn gallbladder back in, and give me a refund.