Great News

I finally saw the hospital bill today. Wasn't sure I wanted to open it. Was sure I needed to.

$25,600 and change.

That wasn't the great news part. That came at the bottom. First, apparently the part of the claim that they are denying is the surgeon's bill. That I still haven't seen. After they paid their part of the bill, and knocked down the price on the rest of the bill, the part I was left owing was...

Wait for it...

$1,000. Even.

WHEW! What a relief! I won't have to cash in IRAs, pulling funds out of the stock market at the worst possible time, cashing in CDs before their maturity dates, and generally destroying my retirement plan. As a matter of fact, I was so braced for bad news that I've been taking extra care to keep as much as possible in my checking account rather than paying max on the Master Card or indulging in unnecessary shopping - though I did break down and pick up winter weight PJs yesterday. I'd done such a good job of economizing that there was enough to actually pay the bill.

The check is in the mail.

No? You don't buy that? OK, it will be tomorrow. Tonight it's sitting on the counter with my lunch cooler. Sealed, stamped, the works. Ready to go.

And now, maybe I can plan an extra couple days on the honeymoon trip.