Terrible news for her and I wish her a quick and speedy recovery. I can't imagine how terrifying it must be to get that news...
...But she is wealthy, no? I mean, is it normal for wealthy people to need to ask for money for operations? And if this is a very expensive operation, then how do normal people (read: people who aren't famous fashion designers) pay for it then? Very confused...and a little scared for us normal folks.
@JinxyMcDeath: Both of your reactions were my initial ones as well. It makes me wonder if perhaps she doesn't have health insurance or she's underinsured? Not even a millionaire could afford the medical bills attendant to something like this.
@Pittsburghenne: Not necessarily true about how not even rich people can afford it...my friend is a millionaire (well, maybe a multi-millionaire, but not a billionaire by any means) and he has a serious form of blood cancer. He is mostly paying for everything out of pocket since the best doctors don't take his insurance and a lot of the procedures they want to do are not covered by insurance. It's super expensive...but if you're rich...you can do it. He gets the best medical care, best doctors, no waits for appointments, its a different world out there for rich people...
@JinxyMcDeath: Yeah, my aunt has gone through the same thing with her struggle with MS. At the start she was an incredibly rich woman, 10 years later, not so much. Doctor visits, prescriptions, tests, etc. add up pretty quickly...
I'm very sad for her, I had a friend go through a skull/brain issue not too long ago and it was scary and sucked greatly.
But... a charity benefit? For one person? Maybe I am just a naive person or something, but if I were her... I would hate being the centre of this. Yeah yeah I get she can't work or whatever, but... yikes.
@PilgrimSoul: We did the same thing when a friend of mine couldn't work because of a brain tumor. Just not on that scale because we are not semifamous.
I'm happy to read it's benign -- but it sounds like a very scary operation.
@PilgrimSoul: It sounds just like a whip around amongst friends who, because they are atists, can organise something on a rather more lavish scale than most. I am horrified that she is expected to meet the costs of such an operation herself.
@PilgrimSoul: it's your Canadian showing again. In America it is normal; your church will throw a dinner to help cover your medical costs or what have you. I know what you're thinking --- universal health care and disability? But then where would the delightful sense of COMMUNITY come from?
@PilgrimSoul: She may be uninsured or underinsured, it's not uncommon for insurance policies to have all sorts of shitty exclusions like paying for the hospital room but not surgery costs, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if that type of care (not to mention lack of income from recovery time) runs into 7 figures and she probably doesn't have that in cash. As JD mentioned, there are a lot of fundraising activities around for people who are in need of expensive care, I've also seen stuff like bake sales to help raise money for someone who needs expensive equipment. Often things like motorized wheelchairs or outfitting a vehicle to be wheelchair accessible isn't covered or isn't covered in full so the financial burden on the family is still heavy.
@thelandlady: I had a friend go through a similar struggle with her insurance company: they would cover a $250K operation with a 30% mortality-rate, but not a $60K non-invasive radio-treatment with a high success rate. She literally had to do the math with their claims dept - A. Expensive and risky surgery that could leave her an invalid for her remaining years, or B. a new, inexpensive yet very promising alternative with little catastrophic risk. The insurance co. began to weigh the possibility of paying for continued life support and 24-hour care for decades and saw the light.
Being young (in her early 40's), she was able to withstand the radiology ("gamma knife") well, and the tumor's growth was halted.
Just the same, she still had some pretty stiff bills to pay, and several benefit shows were held for her and our community helped out. We're crossing our fingers that the growth has stopped for good.
08/31/09
08/31/09
I come from a family of lawyers and actors: the differences between the personalities it takes to be in either profession are slight.
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07/06/09
07/06/09
...But she is wealthy, no? I mean, is it normal for wealthy people to need to ask for money for operations? And if this is a very expensive operation, then how do normal people (read: people who aren't famous fashion designers) pay for it then? Very confused...and a little scared for us normal folks.
07/06/09
07/06/09
07/06/09
07/06/09
07/06/09
Am I the only one who has to fight off anxiety every time a relatively young person is diagnosed with a deadly disease?
07/06/09
07/06/09
07/06/09
07/06/09
But... a charity benefit? For one person? Maybe I am just a naive person or something, but if I were her... I would hate being the centre of this. Yeah yeah I get she can't work or whatever, but... yikes.
07/06/09
I'm happy to read it's benign -- but it sounds like a very scary operation.
07/06/09
07/06/09
07/06/09
07/06/09
07/06/09
Being young (in her early 40's), she was able to withstand the radiology ("gamma knife") well, and the tumor's growth was halted.
Just the same, she still had some pretty stiff bills to pay, and several benefit shows were held for her and our community helped out. We're crossing our fingers that the growth has stopped for good.
07/06/09
06/01/09
06/01/09
Cute nightie/dress.
06/01/09
06/01/09
06/01/09
Although at first I thought that was Jennifer Lopez in front of her. Please say I'm not the only one.
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