This post comes from partner blog The Dough Roller.
2008 has been a difficult year. On Dec. 30, I rushed my wife to the emergency room. She had severe abdominal pain and was literally doubled over as we raced to the hospital.
When morphine didn't dull the pain, they moved to Dilaudid, which is much stronger. It took the edge off the pain. Then the vomiting started. Ten hours and many tests later, they released her. They didn't know what the problem was, but the medicine had reduced her systems.
After a restless night, the pain returned, and off we went to the hospital at 5 a.m. This time we spent 13 hours in the emergency room before she was admitted. More tests, more guesses, more pain and more vomiting.
By Jan. 2 (happy new year, by the way), they had narrowed the problem to one of her kidneys and scheduled a procedure for later in the week. The procedure went well, and everything seemed to be resolved.
She was discharged that day. Five hours later the pain and vomiting returned. We were off to the emergency room again, she was admitted and had the same procedure. She was discharged the next day, nine days after the ordeal had begun.
She's doing much better now, although there are a number of follow-ups yet to go. They think the problem has been resolved, but they aren't certain.
I give you all of this background so you can better appreciate the following four things this experience taught us about health insurance (we have preferred-provider organization or PPO insurance).
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