my open heart story

My name is Jessica. I'm 19 and I live in Idaho. I was born with a congenital heart defect called Tricuspid Atresia. Which means the left lower ventricle of my heart was deformed. I was a Blue baby. I wasn't aloud to cry because everytime I did I would turn blue because I wasn't getting enough oxygen.

i had to have 2 surgeries to put shunts in my shoulders so I could get more oxygen to my lungs. They happened at 3 months and 9 months. When I was 1 1/2 I had to have an open heart surgery. There where 3 kinds they could do. The first 2 didn't work. They third one, called the fontanne procedure was there last option. If it didn't work, I would not have survived. But by they grace of god, it did. I was a miracle.

Ever since then I have been on medicine everyday and have to see a cardiologist at least once a year. I've been fine for the most, until recently. I found out my heart hasn't been growing properly with me and I am not getting enough oxygenated blood to my heart and body. I need another open heart surgery to fix it.

I tried to apply for medicaid but they denied me because i'm 19, which means im not a child or elderly. And because i'm not pregnant. They told me straight out IDAHO MEDICAID HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR HEALTH. They told me if I apply and qualify for disability i may be able to get medicaid. Okay, anything for my surgery. Turns out that since my dad died when I was 11 and my family got survivors benefits until my brother and i graduated highschool that if i was considered disabled (which they told me i may not be) i would most likely get my fathers benefits back. But if i get his benefits back i will most likely be making to much to get medicaid, yet i still wont be able to afford my surgery. The hospitals have been great, giving me my appointments and pre-op tests for free. But i know they wont do the surgery for free, its just to much. Now i dont have many options. I cant work much because i'm always tired and dont have the strength. I do work but I cant afford the surgery myself. I can either get pregnant to get medicaid (but thats not the right reason to bring a baby into the world, and who says my heart could handle the stress of a pregnancy?) I can ask for charity. It will be embarrassing, but i will do it. I will go to churches and ask for dontation. I will put donations cups in stores and anywhere else i can think of. It will help but not enough, i live in a small town. My last option is wait. Not the best option, i dont know how long my heart will last.

I want to raise awarness to this. I cant get other insurance because i cant afford it, and because most insurance companys wont take pre-exsisting cases, especially when surgery is mentioned. I'm not really sure what else to do. I just want people to hear about this. I dont know if it will change anything but its worth a try.

What is medicaid for if you can't get it when you need it?

Thank you,

Jessica

[update] so my doctor says that he might be able to right a letter to medicaid and tell them why i need it and hopefully get it all turned around. I dont know what he can do, but its worth trying

plus he says the surgery can wait till we get this figured out. Sure, i think the sooner the better though.