Mean Debt Collectors

There is one debt collector that has always been very mean to me. She is rude and tells me "I know you can pay this bill!" Or when I set up a payment arrangement she declares "that's NOT enough!"

Listen. I got very sick. I saw a specialist for my pregnancy, a specialist for my cancer, a regular OB, and my regular oncologist. I saw radiologists for xrays, scans, etc. I had test after test and spent DAYS in the hospital. I was in ICU. One night in ICU was well over $14,000. Yes I have insurance but the costs still remaining were HUGE.

For some reason this woman thinks we are rich. Or perhaps she thinks she's the ONLY bill I have to pay. Surprise, it is not. We are paying a little to every single medical bill I have including TWO trips on Life Flight. One of those is $15,000. What it boils down to is we have been making a monthly payment to this collection agency. It's not a ton of money but it has always felt good to me to see this bill going down a little bit at a time.

Until today that is. We were served papers saying we've refused to pay. They are suing us for over $4000. We are supposed to go to court. There is absolutely no way number one that we can pay that bill. No way. A little at a time is hard, much less all at once. The second thing is I have class. No it may not seem huge to some of you. Call in, or something you might think. It's not that easy. It's the night before clinical which means I have to go to the hospital, meet my patient, gather my assignment and get all the info I need to deal with the patient the following day. I cannot do that if I am not there can I? We can miss just 1 1/2 days of Clinical and then we fail. I cannot imagine missing. I need this experience!!! I am learning. Besides we have indeed been paying this whole time. I don't know how they can sue us?

I really don't know the answer to this one but now I am pretty stressed out. This is just one debt collector. One hospital. Insanity.

Hodgkin's From a Student's Perspective

Can I even give an opinion from the other perspective? Well yesterday at school one of the things I was studying was Hodgkin's Lymphoma. It wasn't the only cancer studied but we spent a little time on it. I of course knew the answers to all the questions she asked only because I have researched this cancer a lot. Listening to her talk about this cancer and all the possible future risks due to the chemo and radiation is hard, though I already know it.

There are risks to your heart from the one drug, risks to the lungs from another. The radiation carries it's own risks not to mention there is a specific Leukemia that Hodgkin's sufferers can get years down the road. I believe it's due to the treatments. Even though Hodgkin's is very treatable and has a high cure rate, it's not good enough because our treatments are so toxic. This applies to all cancers. Our only option is to pump ourselves full of this poison or die. (And no, I don't believe in taking a vitamin and you're cured, it doesn't happen so please don't push that on my blog.)

Someday though I think we'll have a better cure or a real cure. I told my husband last night I see cancer as an enemy like Hitler. It's personal.

Now randomly an interesting thing happened last night. Gabbi was in her high chair. Jason and I were talking in the kitchen. Gabbi out of the blue starts saying "Grandpa" which she hasn't done for awhile. I walked over to her and just asked her, "honey, where is grandpa?" She immediately pointed up and said "Up there."
I have never seen her do that. I haven't even tried to tell her about my dad because how can a 2 year old understand? I think maybe her big sisters have been talking to her. I'll get to the bottom of it, but it was needless to say unexpected!

My Husband Got Hit by A Semi Today

I really am not joking. He is ok but yes he was indeed hit by a semi. I got a call early this morning FROM my hubby. He had been driving to work. Right before he gets to his job there is an intersection. His light was green so he kept going. There was a mini van to the left of him. All of the sudden the mini van guns it. My husband was thinking to himself "What is your hurry?" when he saw the grill of a semi right up by his window. He then gunned it thinking he was dead and the semi got the back of our little yellow neon. It knocked him a few feet. The semi had hit his brakes but it was too late.

According to the semi driver he was changing his clock and when he looked up he was going through the red light. He was driving a gas truck. This story could be SO much worse. My hubby is ok and honestly the damage on our car is shockingly small compared to the fact that he was HIT BY A SEMI!

Here are pics and I am publicly thanking God for protecting my husband today!

It sort of buckles out here a bit

I also have my 3 month follow up tomorrow. Top that off with the fact that it is my two older daughters' birthdays tomorrow and it's a busy week, spring break or not. Mikayla will be 10 and yes, I will have a teenager tomorrow. Tomorrow Lexi is 13 years old. Eeek. Seriously. Too many hormones around this house. Anyway I'll post pics later of their birthday. We opened gifts tonight since we'll be on the road tomorrow. My appointment is 3 hours away. We plan on going somewhere up there for their birthday though and maybe getting a hotel. We'll see about all that. I'm not quite sure yet. It's only Monday yet I feel like my spring break is going by too fast. haha

Prayers that I have a good follow up are appreciated!!! I feel pretty good though so I just hope it will be a great trip. Now, off to find the hubby whom I keep telling, is lucky not to be road kill today.

I Passed, Spring Break and the Hubbies Birthday

In order of occurrence that is! Yesterday I had a HUGE health proficiency to do. You can read all about it at my other blog Nothing Off Limits. It was hard to say the least, and been a very stressful week. I passed though and I am so happy. I feel like maybe I CAN do this. Seriously I go through doubts all the time. It's really very very difficult. I realize now pretty much all the nurses going through nursing school go through the same thing. We all get nervous from time to time. It gets very difficult and we just don't understand how we'll do it.

The great thing is that immediately after my proficiency, I was on spring break. I am off for a week!!! I am so excited. I slept in today. It feels pretty good!

It is also my hubby's birthday today. I wanted to wish him a very happy birthday. I love you sweetie!!!!

Spring Break!

The sickness passed, everyone is healthy again thank goodness. Tomorrow I have a huge proficiency in health, which I am currently studying for, then it's spring break for me. I am so anxious. I seriously need this break. I will savor each day.

My next 3 month follow up is the 16th. I'll be seeing my doc and getting the very important checkup that tells me that nasty cancer is still gone. Two years and going strong folks! Pray that nasty disease stays far away from me.

Like I have said before, cancer is a bully and no matter what I refuse to let it scare me anymore. It took my dad, it tried to take me and basically Gabbi too. You could say I have a personal vendetta against cancer, but then again, which one of us doesn't? I just happen to be in training now to fight it. LOL Yep. Nursing school!!