Tomorrow, I am going to Kaiser to get a "procedure" done. Since we have the lowest level family plan at Kaiser, we pay everything out of pocket until it hits something like $7000. So, given the no-frills coverage, I can't afford the no-pain option for tomorrow's procedure. That would cost $5000. $3K for the anesthesiologist, access to the OR, etc. Instead, I am opting for "pain-reduction" by way of Ibuprofen and Vicodin in the doctor's office, reducing the cost to only $2000.
I was told to practice my breathing exercises that I learned back in prenatal yoga. The nurse also promised to hold my hand. The "uncomfortable" part involves 4-6 injections and should take about 5 minutes so in the end, its no big deal, just expensive and scary. I have tried almost everything else, and this new specialist believes that this treatment is the one for me. Nothing dangerous, certainly not life or death....although I did ask for a friend to say a prayer. Did I mention I am afraid of even the smallest needles?
Good Luck! and breathe well.
ReplyDeleteForget about the needles.
Addendum to my post: survived the "procedure." It was indeed 5 minutes of pain/discomfort. There were 6-7 needles involved and they were definitely not comfortable. Hard to forget about needles when they hurt-breathing helped, so did the hand holding.
ReplyDeleteOh no, it all sounds so stressful and expensive! (shakes fist at insurance companies). I'm glad it worked out okay for you. You deserve a treat now.
ReplyDelete