Week Delay

This is what a $125 past due bill looks like. I like the threatening tone. Its really ingenious. One almost gets the sense that there is actually something they can do to Iva if she doesn't pay. According to this notice, they just can't figure out why Iva has refused to pay them. Hmmmm . . . We finally gathered the courage tonight to add up all of Iva's known outstanding bills. The grand total is only about $40,000. Add this to everything we have already paid--which is about another $180,000-- and then you start to approximate how much one year of a life is worth.

Well, onto the latest on Iva's impending surgery. She found out today that if she pays them a $10,000 deposit, they will submit her bill for their charity program. Tomorrow she is going in to give them all required documents, which includes our household income and letters of support. When considered in normal circumstances, Zoran and I make very decent money. I am forever grateful for the blessings of our jobs--what most people wouldn't give to have what we do! But, when you consider that our salaries have to support 5 adults (3 of whom have no income) and 2 kids, plus all that we have paid into her healthcare already, well hopefully, it doesn't disqualify Iva from their program.

So that is tomorrow. They have rescheduled her surgery until next Thursday to allow for time to decide if she is worthy of charity. There are three options. One, they will approve her and surgery will happen on Thursday. Two, they will miss their own deadline for a decision, and the surgery will still happen without any agreement on the bill. Third, and the least desirable, Iva will be denied and will have to agree to whatever terms they insist. One more week of agony!