It Pays to Shop Around

Early June I had a breast surgery. I came to in Recovery wearing a hospital-issued bra that would promote comfort, support, and faster healing. It was meant to be worn 24/7 until I was told differently.

My first post-op appointment a week later was with a nurse who supplied “wound care.” She asked if I wanted a second bra. If I’m wearing this garment 24 hours a day, a second would be convenient to have.

-  According to my hospital bill, the charge for the bra that I wore home was $146.
-  The charge for the bra from the doctor’s office was $221. The two are identical.
-  The cost of this exact same bra on the company’s website is $49.95.

Coming To*

*Not to be confused with "coming out."

About a month ago I had an unexpected surgery. It was fairly simple, and I was under anesthesia for possibly less than an hour. As I was coming to, I thought I was dreaming. There were no people, no activity, just a lot of frantically moving shards of glass (or something). My dream was lots of moving angles.

I heard someone saying my name. And maybe they also said "open your eyes" 'cause that's how it happens in movies and tv shows. Then I heard, "What is your last name?" I croaked out the two syllables of my last name.

Then I heard, "What year is it?" For some reason, I really wanted to say "two thousand twenty-three," but I correctly replied "two thousand twenty-two" (2022).

Then the surgeon spoke to me before I was wheeled out of the operating room. He told me (1) everything had gone well, (2) there was a lot of fluid, and (3) he was glad he had done the surgery that day and had not waited.

Just more interesting medical stuff that I am experiencing this year.