An Inconvenient Tumor

Scary Statements

We just got a statement from Cedars-Sinai for $102,238.59.

Yes, you read that right. One statement for over $100,000. A total of eight digits on the bill.

Bryan was opening the mail while I was in the other room, when all of a sudden I heard a high-pitched, "ohhhh! ohhhh! ohhhh!" Fearing the worst, like he's fallen and can't get up, I run out to the living room to see Bryan furiously waving a piece of paper above his head.

"LOOK AT THIS," he said to me.

When I actually got the statement in my hands, I was frantically searching for the part that we would owe. If insurance doesn't cover the remainder of the bill, we'll be responsible for more than $20,000. That puts a pit in your stomach like no other. But it's nothing compared to a $102,238.59-sized pit, which is what we would be looking at if we didn't have insurance.

Despite that, I've got four words for you: THANK GOD FOR INSURANCE. Bryan and I were lamenting earlier today about how he waffled when it came to electing his COBRA coverage when The Adam Carolla Show was canceled.

Seriously? I can't even imagine. We did a quick tally in our heads of how much Bryan's radiation, chemotherapy, Avastin infusions, prescriptions, in-patient stay, outpatient therapy, etc. have cost. So far we're just under $400,000 total. In seven months. While that might be the amount of money that Britney Spears drops on a trip to Chanel, Bryan and I don't roll like that. We're more Target shoppers. If we didn't have insurance and the magical hospital discount (where does that come from, anyway?), we would be so far up sh*t creek I can't even explain. We've probably paid $10,000 out-of-pocket so far, and that's only on medical and COBRA insurance expenses. Forget about our everyday living expenses, from rent to student loans to utilities to car payments, etc. This week aside (thank you, DineLA specials) we've been so conservative about going out and spending money that we got stir crazy. But that's why God invented happy hour. :)

With Bryan doing so well right now, this statement just reminded us how serious of a situation we're in. And don't get us started on the Avastin insurance issue. That "statement" will easily rival the one that we got today. We can't even think about that statement until we get it in the mail, which as you know, happens every day.

Good times.