h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I didn't want to put this up where it's in everyone's face, but I feel like I need to put this "out there". I've got some decisions coming up, and I'm surprisingly torn on what I'll do.

I went with a new option for my health care -- a company I had been with before and liked. The options I was offered made it seen reasonably priced. Turns out, not so much. Now something's come up which might zero out all my non-replenish-able savings. As it is, I'm going through about $250 a month of savings, in addition to my benefit check, just to meet minimum expenses. They weren't going to last for more than another 3 years anyway.

I went in for the routine mammogram, and as usual they thought they Found Something. Not the first time, but after the biopsy, while the samples they had were negative, there was a papilloma adjacent to the tested area, which might actually Be Something. I got called in for more tests -- a repeat of the ultrasound and mammogram -- plus a surgical section biopsy. I'm figuring about $120-300 just to make sure. If it is cancer, I could end up using all my savings, through hospitalization charges and surgical copays.

When the nurse called yesterday to set up the new appointments, I just said no. The way it seems to me, I either keep my savings but with a 10% possibility of not surviving, or go through them all, and end up literally homeless, unlike the Couch Tour I did for a couple of years. HELL of a choice.

I'll go for the tests and all the rest of it, but this is a ridiculous choice for a citizen of one of the World's Wealthiest Countries to be faced with. I never thought disabled and unemployed could be so much fun.

[And, yes, I KNOW it's so much worse for most of the rest of the world, but I live where it's supposed to be BETTER.]

This is just dreadful. It's just brutal how messed up our health care system is. I hope things work out for you.

Oh, god. I hope it turns out to be nothing.

So many people I know seem to be faced with all sorts of horrible circumstances.

I just had the follow up mammo and ultra-sound on Monday, and it *is* NOTHING! Thanks, Witty, I think you did the trick!

Got a lot to be grateful for this week!

Oh, it's so nice to hear good news.