Bills & expensesMedical & healthUrgent
Palate reconstruction surgery for Ruby: covering what insurance won't
After severe cataracts in both eyes, Ruby was cleared for palate reconstruction surgery, but the bill is more than we can manage.
🇺🇸 San Diego, California, United States4,447 views
Ruby was diagnosed with severe cataracts in both eyes in August. The surgeon at San Diego Orthopedic Institute recommended palate reconstruction surgery, and She is scheduled for November. The hospital's financial office gave us a written estimate of $8,000, and after what my insurance will pay we're still $4,800 short.
my mother has been in and out of San Diego Orthopedic Institute since August. The doctors say severe cataracts in both eyes will get worse without palate reconstruction surgery. We have emptied our savings and borrowed from relatives, but the estimate of $8,000 is more than we can find.
While we wait, Ruby struggles with daily life and can't climb stairs. Her family has taken turns caring for her, and I've cut my own work hours to be there.
Rehabilitation is expected to take about 3 weeks. During that time Ruby won't be able to climb stairs, so the costs keep growing.
I'll pay the hospital and pharmacy directly and post every receipt in the updates section.
Where the $4,800 goes:
• Hospital stay (2 nights): $1,800
• Surgeon and anesthesia fees: $2,750
• Pre-operative tests and imaging: $250
I'll pay this kindness forward the moment I'm able to.
- due date
- 2026-11-03
- bill type
- Hospital invoice
Updates from James
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- Isabela Vanessa Moura 🇧🇷 · $250
- Giovanna Giovanna Barbieri 🇮🇹 · $250
“God bless. Small amount but sent with love. - Bergamo”
- Lemma Mekonnen Tilahun 🇪🇹 · $250
“Thinking of you. Hope the November deadline works out. - Bahir Dar”
- Ping Wei Cheng 🇺🇸 · $250
- Delilah Robinson 🇺🇸 · $200
- Evangelia Efthymia Dimitriou 🇬🇷 · $100
- Kevin S. Gibson 🇬🇧 · $100
“Be well. Shared with friends too. - Bristol”
- Saanvi B. Dubey 🇮🇳 · $100
- Tuva Isaksson 🇸🇪 · $100
“Every little bit. I'm in Malmö, thinking of you.”
- Rolando P. Dizon 🇵🇭 · $100
- Nolan Ramirez 🇺🇸 · $100
- Pranav W. Dhillon 🇮🇳 · $100
- Arianna S. Lucas 🇨🇦 · $78.50
“Best of luck. Thought of Ruby all day after reading this. - Ottawa”
- Gleb Mikhail Kovalev 🇺🇦 · $75
- Anonymous 🇺🇸 · $75
- Anonymous 🇧🇷 · $74.50
- Alejandro D. Morales 🇺🇸 · $71
- Jordan Boyd 🇬🇧 · $54
“Keep your head up. Please keep us posted. - Coventry”
- Sajib Tareq Sheikh 🇧🇩 · $51
- Olga Tatiana Stepanov 🇺🇦 · $50
“Best of luck. Only $50 but hope it helps. - Kharkiv”
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wishing you peace. Hope the doctors have good news. I have a 9 year old who wants to send good wishes too. Love from Mumbai
Shared this with my family. The breakdown of costs made it easy to trust. Love from Dammam.
Wishing you peace, James. Look after yourselves too, caregivers need rest. It's not much but it's yours. Take care.
Thanks for sharing this, James. Hope you get there. Love from Yogyakarta.
Sending strength, James. I hope things turn around soon. I'll check back for the next update. Blessings.
Sending good thoughts. Hope the doctors have good news. My late mom used to say help given quietly counts double. All the best!