I had an appendicitis go undiagnosed for a few days (partly because of bad emergency care, partly because I keep waiting forever before seeing a doctor). Turned into peritonitis, as it does. Decision to operate was instantaneous; I didn’t even go back to the emergency “landing area” after the radiography, but straight to showering before the operating room. Then, had to spent a week in the hospital, including four days of full-blown crazyness-inducing fever, three different kinds of painkillers (btw I’m allergic to three derivatives of morphine… found out the fun way).

It all cost me something around 8€ in the end. That would have been around… $8 at the time. Not to mention, I had no issue at my job back then because we have sick leave too.

At no point in any of this have I considered “but can I avoid going to the doctor” or “I should leave the hospital as soon as possible”, or “I have to work during this week of madness”. I just got better, and got back on track.

That was France, btw.