On Friday, stress was added to the situation when the hospital administrator demanded payment: $22 thousand for just the first week.
Because we had just adopted Isabella, we did not have her insurance papers yet. Regardless, the hospital administrator was not in the least interested in details of our insurance status, as she said the hospital did not have an agreement with our U.S. carrier.
Obviously coming up with that much cash every week would not be possible. Corenne was panicked that they would withhold full treatment if not paid. We were preparing to liquidate our retirement plan and fire-sale everything we owned.
Fortunately, I discovered that a friend, Dr. John Lane, was involved with the hospital administration. John was the brother of the late Dr. Eduardo Lane, Hope’s founding board president in Brazil. When I started to explain the situation to Dr. Lane, he interrupted me. “Philip, I will call and tell them not to bother you with this matter again. When Isabella is released, then we can worry about the bill.”
When I appeared to question whether that would be sufficient, Dr. Lane burst out, “I founded that d”*n hospital, they better take my word for it." Then he said, in a tone and accent very reminiscent of Arnold Schwarzenegger, “If ANYONE, EVER, approaches you about any bill again, you tell them to call Dr. John Lane . . . ”
I later found out that Dr. Lane had left the hospital a blank check, saying that if we did not pay, the hospital could fill it out for any amount they wanted.
What a blessing and answer to prayer!
The second blessing and answer to prayer was the call I received from the U.S. today, confirming that Isabella was now fully covered by our family insurance plan. Praise God!
HISTORY: Isabella was adopted into the Smith family July 18, 2008. She had been born 2-months prematurely, and was 2 months old when we got her. One week later, she suddenly had a breathing crisis and was rushed to the hospital following a traumatic resuscitatation.
This was the begginning of a (now) seven month odyssey. Isabella suffers from Bronchial Displasia, related to premature lungs at birth. Whenever she gets a cold or flu bug, within hours it can become life-threatening.
Between medical incidents, Bella (or "Bellaboo" as Marc calls her) is strong, fat, healthy, robust, smart, active, alert. She is an EASY baby, happy, sleeps well, eats well. However, over 40% of her little life since birth has been spent in the Intensive Care Unit -- with either her Mommy or her Daddy at her side.
This was the begginning of a (now) seven month odyssey. Isabella suffers from Bronchial Displasia, related to premature lungs at birth. Whenever she gets a cold or flu bug, within hours it can become life-threatening.
Between medical incidents, Bella (or "Bellaboo" as Marc calls her) is strong, fat, healthy, robust, smart, active, alert. She is an EASY baby, happy, sleeps well, eats well. However, over 40% of her little life since birth has been spent in the Intensive Care Unit -- with either her Mommy or her Daddy at her side.
