The medical profession has delivered me from my visceral ordeal; now it is time for another, just as visceral.
The nurse at the station that night explained that there is a "co-pay", the conception of which escaped me at the time. I was in no condition to complain or analyze, but she reassured me that such a payment would complete the transaction. Now that I have returned home for a few weeks my comfort level has risen and for the most part my life has returned to its ordinary rituals. A week ago I received a bill from some other division of the hospital, apparently, for some certain outrageous amount. One is tempted at such times to believe that paying this new bill will end my ordeal finally, but then I received another , equally outrageous, bill from still another division of the hospital.
I decided to wait. I wanted to learn just how many bills I would receive from different divisions of the emergency room. I received another. And then I received still one more. I am losing count, but I believe in the pile of rejected mail resides four separate bills from different divisions of the hospital. I have no doubt that each one will start screaming about how they must have their share.
Why is it I suspect that once I pay one of these bills I will be obligated by the insurance company to pay all of them? Perhaps my suspicion is unjustified, but ought I have not been able to tend to this obligation once? Do these different parts of the larger whole believe I will pay each, believing I have settled the issue each time?
I will wait to pay.