The one week 5 star hotel stay I never experienced, but the bill arrived in the mail.

We are fiscally responsible, live within our means and do not constantly pine for the latest whatever. We have taken only one almost real vacation during our time together (PR was an obligation and while we made the best of it, it was ridiculously stressful). That was our trip to Maui in 2002, and "almost" because it was planned as a belated honeymoon, but materialized as a visit to Grandpa. P still owes me a honeymoon, my choice, hopefully before senility takes over.

So how did we end up with a $65,000 bill for a seven day, six night stay? Our two week trip to China was not even one tenth of that amount, and we returned with the gift of life, the most amazing baby girl. That is the grand total for my hospital stay, just the hospital bill. We are grateful for the top notch care I received, the nurses were awesome. Unfortunately, I have had a lot of experience with hospitals and medical treatments, and it has not always been a positive experience. That being said, I ate and slept a hell of a lot better in China. All that while parenting out of suitcases, in two different hotels/cities, with a fifteen month old we had just met. Dude, and for the low, low price of whatever it was, did not lose any body parts, and returned with the same amount of orifices as upon arrival. We can't wait to see the anesthesiologist's and the surgeon's bills. We will have to cut them some slack, since I am snarking away due to their diligence.

Lucky me, I get to do it again. As crappy as our insurance is, it will afford me the privilege to excrete (sorry, TMI, tried to soften it) in the manner I had become accustomed. The reversal surgery is considered elective surgery. I am stable and can theoretically easily spend the rest of my life with a colostomy. In my case, it would be a very short life, seriously. This has been the most difficult tribulation I have encountered, and I'm falling short, way short. P likes to remind me, "Count your blessings, you are alive, you are alive, you are alive, AND it's temporary." Therein lies the problem. Until it happens, until I am out of that hospital, I won't believe that it is temporary.