$39,000 Disappeared In Thin Air

In the end of June, early July (2025), I had a left-sided impacted wisdom tooth that began pushing against my other teeth. It was pushing sideways instead of coming out upright and it caused me excruciating pain. For years, this tooth would begin to push out a little, I would suffer for maybe a couple days, and then the pain would go away. This time around, the pushing wouldn’t stop and neither would the pain. In fact, the pain just got worse and worse, and more excruciating with every passing day. It got to the point where all I could do was sit there with my eyes closed, as still as I could, and drool would drip out of my mouth from the horror of the pain. I decided to start taking ibuprofen and in the beginning it brought me great temporary relief, but to my great sorrow, the pain eventually overwhelmed the effects of the pain killers. It was too horrifying. Pain killers couldn’t even mask the pain anymore, it didn’t make sense to keep taking them. 

And then suddenly, I could no longer open my mouth. I couldn’t open my mouth to speak correctly. I couldn’t open my mouth or separate my teeth to eat correctly (I had to push food through gaps between my teeth). I couldn't open my mouth to brush my teeth and scrub my tongue clean. And the days went by, I was suffering. I realized that it must be lock jaw. I had to speak through gritted teeth and people began to notice and wonder. And then, I could not take it anymore. I needed help badly. You couldn't even slide a quarter in between my teeth and I couldn't take care of myself. I was in complete agony, from 1-10 the pain was an 18 on the verge of insanity. I didn’t have health insurance, since I had forgotten to get health insurance for the year after transferring to a new work location, so I skipped work and rushed to the hospital. 

The doctors ended up finding a large submandibular abscess under the left side of my neck and jaw of about 3.4 centimeters, a collection of pus and infection. And they diagnosed me with tismus lockjaw, which was the result of the damage from the impacted wisdom tooth and the abscess pressure. I ended up needing to have emergency surgery and they not only had to cut open my neck and drain the infection, but they had to pull two of my teeth as well. My pastors prayed for me and I was so afraid to go through surgery, especially after them telling me that it is possible that I could suffer from facial paralysis if the surgery went wrong. However, God protected me, I went through the surgery and it was successful. I thank God. After a couple of days they finally pulled the drainage tube from my neck (it was so painful), but God helped me endure. Now, I just needed to heal. 

They ended up sending me home with an open hole in my neck, a healing process called healing by secondary intention. Doctors will send you home with a literal open, gaping wound if they think that there will be a high chance of an infection returning. It’s called healing by secondary intention, a process where wounds close and heal gradually over time on their own without surgical closure. I was horrified returning home, but God was with me. 

After everything, since I did not have health insurance backing me up, I owed $39,053. I knew that I would have a massive bill, but nothing prepared me for numbers of that sort. Thank God, however, while in the hospital I hunted down a caseworker and applied for something called Charity Care. It’s a program where the hospital can either reduce your bill or erase it all together. I prayed to God, asking Him to please help me and take care of me, because I couldn't pay that amount. There was no way I could pay that amount. No way. 

Several days after leaving the hospital, after waking up from a nap, because I was trying to sleep my misery away, I had the urge to begin checking my phone and my hospital account balance. I was checking the debt and saw that it had been completely erased and forgiven. COMPLETELY. Completely taken care of. Lord Jesus is so good to me and I do not deserve it one bit. After all of the debilitating pain, the suffering, the lock jaw, after the surgery where they had to open my neck to drain everything and pull my teeth. After all of the things the nurses had to do for me night and day, pumping me with pain killers. After having to lay there in the hospital with a tube in my neck for several days after the surgery for drainage, battling the infection that appeared. After having to endure the agony of when the surgeon had to come to my hospital room and pull out the drainage tube while I was still awake. After the agony of it all.... I didn’t owe the hospital anything for the care. The hospital cancelled and covered the debt completely, taking full responsibility. They even sent a letter in the mail telling me that they would be taking 100% responsibility for everything. Guys, ONLY GOD! ONLY GOD!!!!

I just started bawling. I started telling my family and praising God sobbing. I started calling people on the phone and telling people in awe weeping. The hospital could have said no, they could have decided to simply reduce the amount due, but no, God made sure it was completely forgiven in the name of Jesus. I was forgiven. Mind you, He even made sure that I made it through work weeks prior to the pain intensifying, helping me have the strength to work just enough hours, so that I would have enough in my paycheck to cover my upcoming rent payment that was due days after my surgery. God heard my cries, guys. I was shooketh and so grateful, it was like a dream. Hallelujah! Hallellluuuujaaaaah!!!! God is so good and a Mighty deliverer.

Sometimes, I feel bad that I have to carry this scar around on my neck, and I try to find ways to try and hide it, but at least I will always have a reminder of the time God saved me from debt I would have never been able to handle. I will remember how despite my intense fear of surgery, he safely brought me through it, and helped me be strong, enduring all of the pain the best I could. He oversaw my healing and cancelled the infection. Despite my sadness, I will always be able to remember and be reminded of how the God of heaven and earth took very good care of me. And He didn't have to. He didn’t have to. Really and truly, it is such a great blessing. Thank you, Jesus.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope my blog post entertained you. I'm hoping you'll drop by and visit my blog to read other entries in the future. God bless you! Jesus loves you! And I do too!