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Valve repair surgery for Amber: covering what insurance won't

A scheduled valve repair surgery in September is out of reach without help covering $5,600 of the cost.

🇺🇸 Albany, New York, United States4,833 views
Amber S. Watkins
Email verified
Albany
In July I was diagnosed with gallstones with repeated infections. My surgeon at Albany General Hospital recommended valve repair surgery, and I have been placed on the schedule for September. The hospital's financial office gave me a written estimate of $8,000, and after what the government subsidy will pay, I'm still $5,600 short. Doctors at Albany General Hospital told me gallstones with repeated infections will get worse without valve repair surgery. I work as a seamstress, and I have saved what I can, but the estimate of $8,000 is far beyond what I've. Until the surgery I can't work full days, and my hours as a seamstress have already been cut. Every week of waiting means more pain and a bigger risk. Rehabilitation is expected to take about 7 weeks. I'll not be able to lift anything heavy during that time, so this has become a financial emergency as well as a medical one. I'll pay the hospital and pharmacy directly and post every receipt in the updates section. Where the $5,600 goes: • Physiotherapy sessions: $720 • Travel and lodging for the family: $330 • Hospital stay (3 nights): $2,450 • Post-operative medication: $400 • Surgeon and anesthesia fees: $1,700 Whatever you can give, even just sharing this page, means a lot.
due date
2026-09-21
bill type
Hospital invoice
#surgery#hospital-bills#recovery#medical

Updates from Amber

  1. Small update. $4,338 so far, the plan for hospital stay is now scheduled.

  2. We're at 52% thanks to 70 of you. we've started the first stage. More news soon.

  3. We're at 17% thanks to 31 of you. we've started the first stage. More news soon.

Donations

RecentTop gifts
  • Alka L. Prajapati 🇮🇳 · $25

    “Take care of yourselves. Hope you get the rest soon. - Jodhpur”

  • Marlene Mia Bergmann 🇩🇪 · $30

    “All the best. My cousin told me about this one. - Stuttgart”

  • Anonymous 🇹🇿 · $200

    “Keep your head up. I'm in Mwanza, thinking of you.”

  • Alyssa E. Rogers 🇺🇸 · $70
  • Angela Galli 🇮🇹 · $20
  • Anonymous 🇨🇦 · $76.50
  • Refilwe A. Buthelezi 🇿🇦 · $34.50

    “Stay strong. Hope the October deadline works out. - Pretoria”

  • Samuel H. Mabini 🇵🇭 · $5

    “Be well. This is from my last paycheck, glad to do it. - Taguig”

  • Mi-sook Hye-won Woo 🇰🇷 · $20
  • Anonymous 🇧🇷 · $10
  • Joyce Florence Mrema 🇰🇪 · $50.50
  • Raymond Carroll 🇺🇸 · $250

    “Get well soon. Thought of Amber all day after reading this. - San Diego”

  • Runa Sarker 🇧🇩 · $30
  • Hasan Ömer Korkmaz 🇹🇷 · $25
  • Oğuz Orhan Yıldırım 🇹🇷 · $100
  • John H. Salazar 🇳🇿 · $10
  • Inés E. Velasco 🇦🇷 · $25

    “From my family to yours. Gave what I could this week. - Rosario”

  • Craig N. Shelton 🇬🇧 · $10
  • Venkatesh Ramachandran 🇮🇳 · $100
  • Anonymous 🇺🇸 · $56

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  • Boon BuranasiriQuestion

    Is there a list of costs somewhere? Just curious how it adds up for Amber

    • Marcus Carter

      Wishing you the best, Amber. Shared it with a few friends. My husband and I read this together.

      • Ishrat Bithi Sarker

        Best of luck. Everyone deserves a bit of help sometimes. Don't give up. Greetings from Tema.

        • Lena Andrea Stein

          Stay strong. Hope the doctors have good news. Take care

          • Sheila A. FloresPhoto verified

            hope it all works out. Shared it with a few friends. Blessings.

            • Alexandra E. West

              so sorry you're going through this, Amber. Hope the doctors have good news. Please keep us posted.

              $6,809.50 raised of $5,600

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