Post by frostbite on Nov 7, 2020 13:53:22 GMT 10
I was not sure if I should start this thread, because I'm not looking for sympathy, but I feel that amongst preppers so much emphasis is given to 'beans and bullets' that one of the most likely events you're going to face is often overlooked.
I'm 55yo, 82kg, reasonably fit, never really smoked apart from an occasional cuban, only a moderate drinker, and eat fairly healthy.
And yet last Wednesday I had a heart attack. I'd had fleeting chest pain for the last 6 weeks, only ever lasting a minute or so, sometimes a couple of times a day, sometimes not at all. I just ignored them, because I'm made of concrete, not latte and smashed avo. And then Wed arvo I had strong chest pain for about an hour, should have called an ambulance but didn't, thought I'd sleep it off. Woke next morning feeling fine, but went to the doc to see what was up. A bp of 199/101 was what was up, even though I felt completely fine. Straight to casualty, a barrage of tests, and then the big question: Are you public or private patient?
I have private health insurance, so within an hour a cardiologist introduced himself, informed me I was being tranfered next door to a private hospital, and having surgery next morning. What was exactly what happened. I had a major blockage, which was severe (the cardiologist mentioned on the operating table how bad is was, but that there was only one, and he fixed it immediately with a stent). Which was all a bit of a surprise, because I felt fine, like I could do 50 pushups or shag 3 nurses without raising a sweat.
Discharged next day (today), with orders to take it easy, no work or driving for 4 weeks. And some medication.
Now here's the prepper bit: I pay $150fn for health insurance for Mrs Frostbite and myself. It's a lot of money, and I often think better spent elsewhere. Until something like this happens. Total out of pocket for 2 nights in my own room in a private hospital and almost immediate surgery was $500. I'm sure as a public patient I would have been medicated, sent home and put on a standby list.
I have a large bank of paid leave, almost 12 months, because I like to store up my leave just in case. I won't miss so much as a day's pay because of this episode. I'm also in a very good place financially, because my number 1 prep for over 3 decades has been a frugal lifestyle. I won't have to forego treatment because of a lack of savings.
The hundreds of kg of rice, thousands of rounds of ammo and off grid retreat are nice to have, but when my $hit hit the fan it was the mundane things, like health insurance, no debt, savings and accrued leave that are getting me through it.
I'm 55yo, 82kg, reasonably fit, never really smoked apart from an occasional cuban, only a moderate drinker, and eat fairly healthy.
And yet last Wednesday I had a heart attack. I'd had fleeting chest pain for the last 6 weeks, only ever lasting a minute or so, sometimes a couple of times a day, sometimes not at all. I just ignored them, because I'm made of concrete, not latte and smashed avo. And then Wed arvo I had strong chest pain for about an hour, should have called an ambulance but didn't, thought I'd sleep it off. Woke next morning feeling fine, but went to the doc to see what was up. A bp of 199/101 was what was up, even though I felt completely fine. Straight to casualty, a barrage of tests, and then the big question: Are you public or private patient?
I have private health insurance, so within an hour a cardiologist introduced himself, informed me I was being tranfered next door to a private hospital, and having surgery next morning. What was exactly what happened. I had a major blockage, which was severe (the cardiologist mentioned on the operating table how bad is was, but that there was only one, and he fixed it immediately with a stent). Which was all a bit of a surprise, because I felt fine, like I could do 50 pushups or shag 3 nurses without raising a sweat.
Discharged next day (today), with orders to take it easy, no work or driving for 4 weeks. And some medication.
Now here's the prepper bit: I pay $150fn for health insurance for Mrs Frostbite and myself. It's a lot of money, and I often think better spent elsewhere. Until something like this happens. Total out of pocket for 2 nights in my own room in a private hospital and almost immediate surgery was $500. I'm sure as a public patient I would have been medicated, sent home and put on a standby list.
I have a large bank of paid leave, almost 12 months, because I like to store up my leave just in case. I won't miss so much as a day's pay because of this episode. I'm also in a very good place financially, because my number 1 prep for over 3 decades has been a frugal lifestyle. I won't have to forego treatment because of a lack of savings.
The hundreds of kg of rice, thousands of rounds of ammo and off grid retreat are nice to have, but when my $hit hit the fan it was the mundane things, like health insurance, no debt, savings and accrued leave that are getting me through it.
