September 19th, 1981

I was 2 years, 9 months and some odd days old. I was just a few months shy of my 3rd birthday, which was my Golden Birthday.

In light of what is going on in Stellan's life I have been thinking alot about my surgery.

I was born with a hole in my heart. I was a very sick premie...infant...toddler until my VSD was repaired on September 19th 1981.

Little Man is the age I was when my mom had to watch the nurses wheel me into an operating room where they opened my chest stopped my heart (on purpose) and repaired the hole. My mom was there when I was wheeled back into my room. My mom has told me bits and pieces of that day to me. How she would be by my side and then run to the bathroom to get sick because it was so much to see me so gray with so many machines hooked up to me. Also the fact she had 3 other children at home that needed to be taken care off.

No child should have to go through this. No mom should have to see their child go through this. I look at Little Man and can't even imagine the thought of him being so sick, hooked up to machines, and not knowing what the future holds.

Could I be as strong as my mom? As strong as MckMama? To sit next to my childs bed praying to God that it be me lying there and not my child. Praying that the next time the doctors come in it is with good news and a possible drug that will cure everything. That the decisions that have to be made are the right ones, without a doubt.

Not only does a parent have to worry about the health of their child but also the costs of the hospital stay. When I was in college I found my old medical bills from my surgery. With the help from a coworker who's husband just had bypass surgery a few months prior I did a paper on the increased cost in the healthcare industry. It wasn't pretty. Please if you feel compelled go to MckMama's blog and donate to help relieve some of the costs. This is one thing they don't need to worry about.

I am proud to say I am a part of the 'Zipper Club'. I where my scar with pride. I went through a lot and did it with the help of God. I pray Stellan doesn't have to join this club. He is one strong little man and God has proven to be by his side. Continue to pray for him and his family.

Finally!! It's about time!!

Some of you know I do NOT like Allina Health System. Their billing practices are very...what's the word...impractical. When a patient has an outstanding balance on their bill and call to set up payment arrangements Allina's guidelines are so strick that most patients end up going into collections. I've worked in medical billing for 6 years (hoping to go back in soon) and worked with patients in setting up payment arrangements. I worked for North Memorial and Twin Cities Orthopedics and their guidelines were flexible and patient friendly. We were even lax enough that we could sometimes go outside of those guidelines to further help a patient.

Not Allina, you only have 3 months to a pay a bill. Doesn't matter the balance, whether it be $300 or $3000. If you can't do that they say you can sign up for their MedCredit and pay that off monthly. Oh but what they don't tell you is the interest rate on it is 18%. Most patients don't find this out until afterwards. I have actually advised patients NOT to take the MedCredit and to do what they could to pay off their debt without it.

When Daddy had his ambulance ride in 2007 we owed $300. I called the transportation billing office (remember I worked in North Ambulance's billing office for 3 years) and asked for a payment plan. They told me I could pay $100 for 3 months. I said that was no good and wanted to do $50 for 6 months. She said I can't do that and my account would go to collections (after only one bill?! That is NOT right!). After talking with her and her talking with her boss (which she was NOT happy about) they agreed to $75 for 4 months. I've agreed to less for patients when I worked at North Ambulance and TCO.

Now, FINALLY, someone is doing something. The Minnesota attorney general is suing Allina Health System. Yahoo!!! Now hopefully they can change their practices and help patients pay their bills. Doubt it but hopefully they get them to lower the interest rate.

I don't care how long it takes a patient to pay their bill. It's better for it to take 6 months to a year to get paid versus the patient filing for bankruptcy and not getting paid at all. Or having it go to collections and have to turn around and take 30% of the payment to pay the collection agency.