quitting smoking and ...... blood...

[Cat_in_the_Playground]

I agree, you really need to see a professional, but it sounds like you already know that. Here is a website that finds free medical care based on your location
Free Clinics | Free Medical Clinics | Free Health Clinics

Sacramento County Health Center
Primary Care Center
4600 Broadway, Suite #1100/1200
(916) 874-9670
Monday through Friday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sacramento County - Sacramento County Health Center

If all else fails, go the the ER in the county hospital. They have to see you. Then, make sure to talk to the financial rep after you are d/c about filing for financial hardship. That should help with the bill. You can go to any ER and they have to see you, but I think you would have better luck with financial assistance at the county hospital.

 

[zadane]

took the advice from you guys. got on google and found a place with a sliding pay scale.

I've got an appointment wednesday at 11 in the am. Will update then.

 

[Moonflame]

Good going Zadane!

 

[Scottitude]

Great news. Don't feel obligated to share anything too personal about the outcome; just knowing you're taking care of yourself is enough.

 

[Zal42]

I've got an appointment wednesday at 11 in the am. Will update then.

Hooray! Here's hoping that it's something trivial.

Now I'll tell you my blood-in-the-pee story. I started ...... red. Not, as it turns out, blood-red, but bright, artificial cherry-colored red. It seriously looked like Kool Aid. Needless to say, I freaked out, and became certain that I was going to die (or worse.)

So I rushed off to the doctor -- something that I seriously couldn't afford -- and described my pee to him. He seemed baffled, and eventually asked what I had eaten or drank in the last 12 hours or so.

Well, near my house was the last of the old-timey pharmacies, with a real, honest-to-god soda bar. Have you ever had a phosphate? Yum! Did you know that phosphate can carry the color of the drink its in right through to your urine? Me neither! But it can, and that cherry phosphate cost me a fortune in the end (so to speak).

But now I know how I can make my urine turn festive colors, should the need ever arise!

 

[zadane]

actually going in today... gunna go to the ER i ended up urinating quite a bit more than before...

freaked me out... so yea waiting for someone to wake up to take me in... don't have a car of my own... should only be an hour or so from now...

 

[MimiPuff]

Wishing the best for you. I think you have made the right decision. : )

 

[zadane]

sad thing is it freaked me out enough that I went and smoked an analog... might not be good since that seems to stop the blood from rearing it's ugly head... but I couldn't help it... didn't even realize what I was doing until I was halfway though the thing

 

[MimiPuff]

It will be alright. Just take care of yourself today. : )

 

[jj2]

Hope it turns out minor.....................

 

[zadane]

you and me both JJ2

 

[zadane]

went in, dipstick showed no blood in urine... they told me not to smoke for a few days(explained the situation) and come back in next time it happens...

What made me mad is they didn't even want to do a lab test... this is the worst hospital I have ever been to...

but now I have to reschedule my appointment at the clinic place... since I called and told them I was going into the ER... eff that hospital.

 

[Scottitude]

Stay on it.

 

[eeyore72]

I get ssdi and medicare. So I do not have dental insurance. I have bad teeth. I been fighting kidney and bladder infection since Jan. You need to stay on this. I have to have anti botics because I can not afford the denist yet.

 

[daisyd]

As far as I know, as long as you are makingSOME payment every month, a hospital can't send you to collections. At least that's the way it used to be here. Someone in Cali may know if this is true there. So if all you can give them is $20 a month, it will take forever to pay off, but your credit will remain in tact.

The Medi-Cal website says under 21 for eligibility. I do not know if they do hardship insurance. In Az we were able to get 6 mos of coverage when dh was in an accident and his hospital bills were more than 4 mos of our annual income. They paid for everything, and they covered the rest of the family for that time period too.

 

[Cat_in_the_Playground]

As far as I know, as long as you are makingSOME payment every month, a hospital can't send you to collections. At least that's the way it used to be here. Someone in Cali may know if this is true there. So if all you can give them is $20 a month, it will take forever to pay off, but your credit will remain in tact.

I am disabled and have dealt with medical bills for quite a while now. As far as I understand the above is true - as long as you pay "something" to prove you are making a good faith effort towards paying your bill, they cannot report the balance to the credit bureaus. They may send you to a collection agency, but that is just to collect and process your payments, as most hospitals do not handle partial payments/payment plans themselves. At least this is how my payment plans have always been handled. You can send them $5/month. It may take you forever to pay it off, but it will preserve your credit.

You should also contact the patient account department at the hospital you went to ASAP and claim financial hardship. At least in GA, you have a limited amount of time to do this before you can't claim it. If they grant your application for financial hardship, they should adjust your bill based on your income/ability to pay.

I hope the clinic is able to find out what is going on and I hope it is something minor.