One Friday night I suffered sudden and excruiating pain in my abdomen. I could not stand up because my vision would go black and the dizziness would increase ten-fold. An ambulance was called for me... my blood pressure was 80/50 so I was rushed to The Med E.R. There I laid in a bed for over 10 hours while the nurses gave the pain meds. At some point they wrote up the discharge papers and took away all my monitoring equipment. The whole time I was never able to stand up. Eventually, after the morning shift change, the nurse brought the doctor in (this was the first time he had seen me... the physician's assistant was the one leading the care before). He said that I would be in pain for several days because I had had an ovarian cyst rupture. Talking was difficult for me, but I gathered up all of my strength and said something is wrong, I came in with pain in my lower abdomen and now it has spread up to my shoulders. He looked shocked and when he felt my abdomen, he said that my condition had worsened. (I had been complaining that my shoulders were hurting and my pain was spreading since I arrived at the hospital). It was shortly determined that I was bleeding out in my abdomen and had been the entire time I was there (all 10 hours), and I was rushed into emergency surgery. I had to have two blood transfusions. I am doing better now, but I still feel that I am lucky to be alive. I waited too long in the hospital for them to determine that I had internal bleeding. If I had gone home as they had pushed me to do, I might not have made it. Additionally, if they had diagnosed me earlier I would probably not had to have two blood transfusions.

As far as the medical bills go, the hospital comped me on their bill which was ridiculous especially considering I was discharged, but unable to get up from the bed. Luckily I had health insurance to cover the other costs of care.

Because I have a 'pre-existing' condition getting another good insurance plan is going to be very difficult.