A Deal Is Made...Minutes Before Surgery

I finally got a phone call from MedVet a little after 6:30 p.m.; however, it wasn't Dr. Kennedy calling to discuss the cost or hear my decision about Lexie's mastectomy.  It was just some girl calling to say, "Ms. Bell, we're just calling to let you know that Lexie is going into surgery now."

I asked, "Well, what exactly is she about to have done?" to which she replied, "Ummm....I don't know.  They just told me to call you.  Let me get someone else."

The next girl who came on the line told me that Dr. Kennedy was unavailable to speak because he was in surgery, but asked if she could help me.  Oooooohhhhh.....that poor girl.  I basically WENT OFF.  I will spare you all the minute details of my psychotic rant, but here is a run-down of some of my major speaking points:

• The doctors knew that Lexie's wounds were infected the day they performed her surgery.
• The doctors know that an infection can sometimes cause an incision to pull open.
• The doctors had not yet received the results of Lexie's bacterial cultures the day after her surgery, so they were not aware at that point that she actually had both staph and serratia infections, which were quite extensive, and yet the doctors told me that Lexie was "stable" and ready to go home when she clearly was not. 
• The doctors sent us home with Cephalexin, an antibiotic to which staph and serratia infections are resistant.
• Lexie's stitches pulled open just approximately 14 hours after she was discharged from MedVet, and now she has had to stay there for another seven nights and have another surgery as a result.

I told that girl that I did nothing wrong.  I simply came and picked Lexie up when the doctors told me she was stable and cleared to go home, which was obviously too soon.  I felt like I was having to pay for THEIR mistake.  I also launched into a big rant about how I've been told by five different doctors all week long not to worry about the cost of this visit because they were "doing all they could to keep the costs minimal," so I honestly wasn't expecting to pay more than $1500 TOTAL.  I told her I was perfectly fine with the fact that I would have to pay full price for Lexie's mastectomy IF I was actually being cut a break on everything else.  I even went so far as to say, "I'm even willing to pay the $1800 that I was quoted for this surgery if that's ALL I have to pay."


She put me on hold for about 20 minutes while she spoke with Dr. So-and-So, who apparently has the ability to approve or deny discounts.  Finally, she came back on the line and told me that my total bill for Lexie's stay and surgery, including the mastectomy, would be $1800.  I said, "That's all I wanted.  Thank you."  


Lexie is in surgery as we speak.
'

Not a Word

Dr. Sawyer told me last night that Dr. Kennedy would call me before Lexie's surgery today to discuss the cost of the surgery, which may or may not include a mastectomy, as I still haven't decided whether or not I can afford it.  I have waited ALL day today, yet I have not received a single phone call from anyone at MedVet.

I finally decided to call them just before 2:00 p.m. I was transferred to a surgical tech, who told me that Lexie had not yet undergone surgery due to the fact that they had a couple of emergency surgeries this morning.  That is completely understandable, and I was not upset at all by the fact that she hadn't had her surgery yet.  I explained to the woman on the phone that Dr. Kennedy was supposed to call me before Lou's surgery, so I was just calling to find out what was going on since I hadn't heard from him yet.  She told me that Lexie would probably have her surgery in about an hour, and she said someone would call me beforehand.

That was two and a half hours ago.  I'm about to start taking bets on whether or not Lexie actually has surgery today... 

THIS Is My Discount?!?

I have made it very clear to the doctors at MedVet that money is a HUGE issue for me at this point.  They have all seemed very understanding and sympathetic and have been telling me since I brought Lexie back last Thursday that they were going to do everything they can to make the charges "as minimal as possible" for me.  I wasn't required to leave a deposit this time, either, so I trusted that the doctors at MedVet really were going to cut me a break.  After all, they had sent Lexie home before knowing she had TWO different bacterial infections (staph and serratia), which they later told me were the reason why Lexie's stitches burst.  Furthermore, not only was Lou sent home with the wrong antibiotics for her type of bacterial infections, but she was also sent home without an E-collar to protect her stitches, even after I specifically requested one!  (The vet tech, Amanda, told me that they "generally don't think an E-collar is necessary" and added that "it may get in Lexie's way as she tries to find her way around the house.")

So, I really wasn't THAT worried about cost at first, but every time I asked a doctor for an estimate over the phone, I was told that they "didn't have one yet."  I started to get a little concerned when I learned that Lexie's surgery was being pushed back another few days AND Dr. Kennedy was recommending she have a mastectomy.  I specifically told Dr. Kennedy that I wanted an estimate so I could decide whether or not I could afford to have the mastectomy performed at this time.  Dr. Sawyer told me yesterday that Dr. Kennedy had spoken to Administration, and they had given him the go-ahead to discount Lexie's services.  She said that he was going to "crunch the numbers" that night, then call me with a cost estimate for everything today.  She also said, "Believe me, we're doing everything we can to help you out, so you don't have to worry...."  I truly believed at that point that I would end up owing maybe $1000-1500 when it was all said and done, which is still a lot, but I was trying to stay realistic.

Well, I waited all day today, but never got a call from anyone at MedVet.  So, I called a little before 6:00 p.m. to find out what was going on.  After all, Lexie's surgery is scheduled for tomorrow, and I didn't want them to perform the mastectomy if I can't afford it.  Mind you, I have NO money left.  The only way I'm able to "pay" for this next surgery is because my brother, Zach, was kind enough to open a Care Credit account for me to use (I was turned down for one).  His credit limit is $3000, but, like I said, I was pretty confident that I'd only need about half of that.

Well, I was wrong.  First of all, Dr. Sawyer said that Dr. Kennedy had a family emergency today, which is why he didn't call me.  He told her to tell me, though, that the estimate for Lexie's surgery, AFTER the discount, is going to be around $1800!!!!  That includes the mastectomy, but does NOT include the charges that have accrued from Lexie having to stay there for so many nights.  Dr. Sawyer said the balance for Lexie's care and overnight stays so far was at around $1400, but she also said that a discount has not been applied to that amount yet.  Even so, Lexie still has to be there for two more nights!

I told Dr. Sawyer that I was expecting to not have to pay more than about $1500 TOTAL because everyone has been telling me this whole time not to worry about the cost and assuring me that Administration was going to "help me out."  I also explained to her that I HAVE to stay under Zach's $3000 Care Credit limit, to which she replied by assuring me that they'd do all they can to keep my total under $3000.

REALLY?!?!?!?  Gee, THANKS!!!!!!  I know that $3000 must not seem like a lot of money to these doctors or the big wigs in Administration, but that's almost two whole months' salary for me!  How can they not take into greater consideration the fact that I just paid MedVet $3500 (thanks solely to the generous donations of others) last Tuesday, plus a $1250 deposit a couple nights before that, AND I paid them around $1000 during two separate visits prior to Lexie's enucleation surgery?!?!

Seriously, I cannot freaking believe they are acting like they're doing me a favor by ONLY charging me another $3000 to repair her incisions, which never should have opened in the first place!!!!!!  WHY did they send her home one day after her surgery before they even knew the type and extent of her infection, especially knowing that infection sometimes causes incisions to pull open?

Ladies and gentlemen, I am not happy.  I'm in shock.  This can't be right, can it?!?!  I keep thinking that this additional 7-night stay and need to perform an additional eye surgery could have all been avoided if the vets had simply kept Lexie there for a couple of days while awaiting the results of her bacterial cultures.  I am SO disappointed right now because I truly do believe that MedVet provides excellent medical care.  Therefore, it's such a shame that my opinion of them may now be tainted due to their inability to accept more responsibility for all of this.

Still on Schedule...Still No Estimate

I just got a call from Dr. Sawyer, the doctor who's name I couldn't remember from my previous post, but there's nothing really new for me to report.  Lexie was really good when they changed her bandages yesterday, and the wound still looks good.  So, as of now, her surgery is still scheduled for Wednesday.

Dr. Sawyer then told me that Dr. Kennedy has spoken with Administration about my bill, including the cost of performing Lexie's mastectomy while she is under anesthesia on Wednesday.  She said that Dr. Kennedy is going to "crunch some numbers" tonight, and then call me with an estimate in the morning. 

In the meantime, I don't think Wednesday has ever felt so far away...

Surgery Pushed Back to Wednesday

After crying off an on all day yesterday about the fact that I'll have to wait until probably Tuesday to pick up Lexie (I miss her so much it hurts), I found out today that I probably won't be able to pick her up until at least Thursday.

The reason I've been so upset about not having Lexie home with me, despite knowing she's receiving excellent medical care right now, is because I feel like these first couple of weeks after having her eyes surgically removed is a very important time for me to BE THERE for her, and I'm not.  She awoke from her surgery to a pitch black new world, and instead of learning how to re-adjust to her daily routine with mine and Justin's help and love,  she has spent these last couple of weeks either in a car being rushed to the vet or locked up in a kennel for observation.  Besides the 11 hours she was actually home, her only interactions have been with unfamiliar doctors and vet techs.  It breaks my heart to think about how confused and alone she must be feeling right now.  She's probably wondering why she hasn't heard mine or Justin's voices in so long and wondering where her sisters are.  

However, I'm trying not to dwell on such thoughts too much because I do realize it's actually a very good thing that they've pushed back Lexie's surgery.  The doctor I spoke to this morning (I forgot her name) said that Lexie's infection has cleared up a lot since we first brought her back in last Thursday night.  Apparently, her staph and serratia infections were much more extensive than I had realized, but the doctor said that the wound looks much better today.  She said she even took a picture of Lexie's wound and sent it to Dr. Kennedy, who agreed that the antibiotics appear to be working nicely.  Therefore, they've decided the best plan of action is to wait another couple of days to continue to allow the antibiotics to do their thing and clear up the infection as much as possible before repairing her incision, which will probably be on Wednesday.  (Remember, these infections were the reason why Lexie's sutures pulled out, so the less infection present in the wound when they sew her back up, the more likely the wound will stay closed this time.)  Therefore, even though I'm bummed that I have to wait even longer to pick up my Lou, it's nice to know that the vets are being extra cautious this time to ensure that no further complications will occur once I finally get her home.  In fact, I'm trying not to even get my hopes up about bringing her home the day after her surgery because it's quite possible they may keep her an extra day or so, just to be safe.  I probably won't know that until after her surgery, though.  

I also don't know yet whether or not Lexie is going to have her swollen mammary gland removed during the same surgery.  I reminded the doctor I spoke with today about this, and she said she'd mention it to Dr. Kennedy and see if they can get a cost estimate for me.  I hope I can swing it, because now I feel like I just want to have it done so as not to have to put Lou through any more surgeries.  *fingers crossed*

Will This Ever End?

I swear, if you look in the back seat of my car right now, it looks like I have murdered an animal.  My car is covered in fur and spots of blood, which you can see in this photo.  Bless her heart, Lexie licked that seat almost the entire way to Ohio last night.  Anytime she leaves a spot of blood on the carpet, a pillow, the car seat, or even my leg, she immediately tries to clean it up for me. 

Anyway, I just got a call from Dr. Webb at MedVet (Dr. Corbett is in Cincinnati this week, but Dr. Webb works with her).  Lexie's incision sites did not bleed much through the night, which is good becuase it's a sign she does not have Von Willebrand's disease, but they don't know for sure if she has it yet because her test results still aren't back from New York.  Anyway, Lexie's bacterial culture did come back showing that she's got two different kinds of bacterial infections right now:  staph and serratia, which are resistant to the antibiotics she is currently taking.  I should also add that Dr. Webb believes that these infections may be the reason why Lexie's incisions are pulling.  So, they've changed Lexie to a more heavy-duty antibiotic. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Webb has consulted with their soft tissue surgeon, Dr. Kennedy, who will be repairing Lexie's incision.  Luckily, Dr. Kennedy feels Lou still has enough surrounding soft tissue to make it possible to re-close the wounds without having to perform a skin flap surgery, which is kind of an extensive (and I'm presuming expensive) last resort procedure.

I did ask Dr. Webb about Lexie's immune system because I know it has been weakened by the Prednisone (steroid) she was taking in the 1-1/2 weeks leading up to her bilateral enucleation surgery.  She had been prescribed Prednisone because it was believed that her original disorder, anterior uveitis, was an autoimmune disorder, and Prednisone's function is to weaken her immune system in order to get it to stop attacking her own body.  However, the ER vet on duty last night, Dr. Foust, explained that Lexie's weakened immune system could be a reason why she's having these post-surgical complications and not healing as quickly as we would like.  Therefore, I asked Dr. Webb if there was anything they could give Lexie that would help build her immune system back up.  Dr. Webb said I posed an excellent question, and she would speak to their Integrative Medicine department, which specializes in alternative therapies to compliment conventional treatments and veterinary medicine.  She said they may have some suggestions for improving Lexie's immune system.

On an up note, when I asked Dr. Webb about a cost estimate, she said that she didn't have one yet, but added, "I promise, we are going to do all we can to keep the cost as minimal as possible for you."  She said that I would probably still end up with a balance, but she said she was going to talk to Dr. Corbett and even Dr. Ellis to see what they could work out.  (I forgot to mention that when I dropped Lou off last night, Dr. Foust told me they weren't going to require a deposit this time, which was such a relief.) 

As I was writing this, Dr. Kennedy called.  He said that the fact that Lexie has a staph infection, which is quite extensive, in addition to the serratia infection, is a little concerning.  He said it would be prudent for them to treat this as an open wound for a couple of days in order to allow her new antibiotics to start fighting the infections while they also treat and clean the soft tissues of her wound.  That way they'll be as healthy as possible when she goes into surgery on Monday, or possibly Sunday.  He sounded confident, though, that Lexie is going to be okay when this is all said and done (if it ever ends!!!!).  I asked Dr. Kennedy if HE had a cost estimate, because Dr. Webb had predicted that Lexie would come home tomorrow, but now it looks like Lexie may not come home until next Monday or Tuesday.  Dr. Kennedy said he did not know yet what this will cost, but he said that they are still "working on it," and he'll call me later with an estimate.

Please continue to keep Lexie in your thoughts in prayers, especially for her immune system to regain strength in order to fight the bacterial infections, along with her new antibiotics.  As much as I love the doctors at MedVet, I'm hoping never to see them again after this next surgery.  *knock on wood*