Emergency hernia repair for Madhu: covering what insurance won't

Madhu was diagnosed with an aortic valve defect in July. The surgeon at Saint Catherine Hospital recommended emergency hernia repair, and She is scheduled for September. The hospital's financial office gave us a written estimate of $710, and after what my insurance will pay we're still $500 short. my wife has been in and out of Saint Catherine Hospital since July. The doctors say an aortic valve defect will get worse without emergency hernia repair. We have emptied our savings and borrowed from relatives, but the estimate of $710 is more than we can find. While we wait, Madhu struggles with daily life and can't lift anything heavy. Her family has taken turns caring for her, and I've cut my own work hours to be there. Recovery is expected to take about 10 weeks. During that time Madhu won't be able to lift anything heavy, so the costs keep growing. I'll pay the hospital and pharmacy directly and post every receipt in the updates section. Where the $500 goes: • Physiotherapy sessions: $150 • Hospital stay (2 nights): $200 • Post-operative medication: $35 • Pre-operative tests and imaging: $115 With deep gratitude, Mahesh