This is how it happened....Part 4

So there I was — one day away from being unemployed and uninsured.

I had to make a quick decision: do I go on my wife’s insurance (which was not nearly as good as what I had), or do I go on COBRA?

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The insurance math that doesn’t make sense (but does)

After talking to the best HR lady ever and running the numbers, we decided it would actually be better to go on COBRA at $900/month than join my wife’s insurance at $126/month.

That doesn’t sound right — until you understand how insurance actually works.

My plan at the time covered 100% of hospital costs after the deductible was met (remember the ulcer incident?). It also waived the emergency room copay if you were admitted.

After $1.17 million in hospital charges for the year, I paid:

• $2,000 deductible
• Three months of COBRA premiums

Total out of pocket: $4,700.

Had I switched to my wife’s plan instead, we would have had a $4,000 deductible and then the plan would only have paid 20% — leaving us with a bill in the neighborhood of $235,000.

Know your insurance. It can literally save your life and your financial future.

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Thursday, May 29, 2025

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Checking in

I went home and packed (maybe I’ll do a post someday about how to prepare for hospitalization). A friend and neighbor from our church drove me to the emergency room and waited with me until I was taken back. Blessing #1 of many.

The first thing they do in the ER is start an IV. And just like that, the needles began again.

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The plan (or so we thought)

I spent the next three days being poked, prodded, and scanned. The surgeon told us surgery would probably happen Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday, depending on how earlier cases went. He promised we’d get a two-hour notice so my wife could come to the hospital.

Since her job was just down the road, we agreed she’d keep working until we got the call.

The plan was a two-hour surgery, followed by one to two days in the ICU, then a regular room — five to six days total.

Have a good weekend.

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My surgeon provided this image with an explanation of the procedure.

I was incredibly blessed to receive calls, messages, and visitors throughout the weekend.

Monday, June 2, 2025

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Surprise: surgery

At about 11:20 a.m., a nurse I hadn’t met yet walked in and asked, “Are you ready?”

I said, “Ready for what?”

“Surgery.”

Uh… what happened to the two-hour warning?

No, I was not ready. I scrambled to pack my things, called my wife, texted a few people, and was quickly wheeled off to the operating room.

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Nothing went according to plan

What was supposed to be a two-hour surgery lasted closer to five.

The surgeon later explained that severe inflammation made everything significantly more difficult. The surgical report was filled with phrases like “twice as long as usual,” “with great difficulty,” and “doubling of the challenges.”

Translation: it was a mess in there.

They removed my spleen, at least half my pancreas, and half of my left adrenal gland. They repaired my diaphragm and drained about two liters of fluid.

This procedure is called a Whipple procedure.

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Recovery… sort of

I spent six days in the ICU and was finally discharged on June 8.

Thursday, June 26

Recovery seemed to be going well until my dogs jumped on me while I was sitting on the couch. It hurt. And it didn’t stop hurting.

By Sunday, I had a high fever, and we went back to the ER. Yes — more needles.

I was admitted again, had another thoracentesis (another liter drained), and they placed a drain in case fluid built up again.

I went home on Wednesday, July 2.

Friday, July 11

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One more complication

About a week later, the fevers came back — this time up to 104°. Back to the ER.

This time it was an infection. They started antibiotics and decided I needed IV antibiotics at home, which meant placing a PICC line. That was… an experience.

This finally did the trick. The surgeon cleared me, and I followed up with my PCP.

🏋🏻‍♂️

Pumping Iron

Everything looked good except my iron levels, so I received iron infusions for the next five weeks.

Yes — that means more IVs.

Once that was under control, the plan was simple: a CT scan in December to check on everything.