Just in the nick of time...

It's been a busy week, heck, it's turning into a busy month. It's only the 11th of August and Bob has already had five doctors appointments this month. With three more next week and two more the following week, then the second foot surgery on August 26th and another doctor's appointment at the end of that week. Add to that, twice weekly physical therapy.

It's enough to make your head spin.

Most of these doctor's appointments are pre-op (and post-op) for the foot surgeries. Then there is the urologist, with two appointments this month, so far.  And, of course, we have our usual suspects, like Pain Management and the neurologist and the primary care doc.

The other day, I was looking at the calendar and feeling quite stressed out. "Quite stressed out" is probably an understatement, as I was rather sick to my stomach and close to tears. Because each one of those specialists charge a $35.00 copay. And ten specialist appointments in one month equals $350! Not to mention the $8 each round trip wheelchair transport ride and ten rides equals $80. Not to mention the $250.00 upfront copay for the second surgery.

Jeepers. The medical bills are higher than the mortgage payment this month! And that's not even counting the other copays for the pre-op tests and lab work and, god-knows-what-else for these two foot surgeries.

And just when I was feeling really low, when I had spent too many nights, alone, on the front porch crying my eyes out after Bob had fallen to sleep, when I started wandering about the house, tearfully looking for something to sell for some quick cash -- just in the nick of time...

Out of the blue, Bob's mother sends us a check for $100. Then Chris arrives and pays me back the $100 that I loaned her last year (to pay for her dog's surgery after it was bit by the neighbor's pitbull). Then my mom and dad send a check to cover Bob's entire foot surgery copay! And just Friday, one of the wheelchair transport drivers hands me two $40 pre-paid cards that will cover the cost of ten round-trip rides! He had gotten the cards from a former client who moved and no longer used their service. That former client had told him to 'give them to someone who needs them'.

And yesterday, I got a letter in the mail from our credit card announcing they've upped our credit limit on our maxed-out card by $1000!

So, phew! We'll get through this month. By the skin of our teeth.

Though I do wonder how other people manage it....