Hey Dave! Like my original e-mail stated... I definitely fell into the category of qualified Medicare recipients. Especially since Medicare is *my only*insurance! Your first e-mail telling us about the program is what prompted me to make the phone call to inquire. I wonder why the lady would tell me that it was only being done in three states? Hmmmm.... if I think of it and have those few extra minutes... I will call the number in Arizona as well as the lady I spoke to. Just to find out what stories I am being told.
I think it was John (yes it was) that commented on the caliber of visiting physicians. I would most definitely want the same physician as a major priority! Otherwise it is folly and you fall through the cracks. Along with everything else that John said. I have had one experience with a visiting physician and it was during the first six months aftert we moved here to Arizona. I had a very bad wound going on and was unable to get up on my own doctor's examination table. So somehow I found out about this visiting physician. I remember him coming with a nurse and taking **a slight glance (and I mean a very slight glance) at the wound that was embedded so far up into the crack. He looked at it for about two seconds and not even up close! The only way he really helped me was by seeing that we needed help in the home badly and there was a home health agency nurse that came out to admit me quite quickly. So he was the impetus for finding my first home health agency here. Up until that point... my husband and my step daughter were getting me up and around before my husband left for work and my step daughter left for school. But as far as a visiting doctor... he was worthless. It was not long after that that I called back to see if they still did house calls but it was discontinued. I can't recall the story I was told but he was like one of the only ones in town (of 700,000 people) and he moved or whatever. Again, John summed it up very, very well. And, again, I need a doctor that "knows me" and I surely do not want to have to worry about who or what is coming in my door. Thank God I have a wonderful urologist because when the home health agency nurse was not able to get my catheter in on August 13... my Uro was right there in the office to contact as to what to do. It was a very frightening experience because it was the first after 28 years! She knew everything about me by my outpatient surgery with her as well as many visits and what was going on with my body. She met me in the emergency room and got the catheter right in. *Neither the ER doctor or the nurse I was assigned to was any help whatsoever*. In fact, if I was just left in their care any longer I would have been in full-blown AD. Thanks for the extra information however! I will let you know what I find out. Lori Michaelson C4/5 complete quad, 28 years post Tucson, AZ On Nov 12, 2007 1:23 PM, David K. Kelmer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Lori, > > I did say that it was a Study only being done in 5 States. CA, TX, PA, > AZ and FL. You would call AZ for more info. It is my understanding that > letters were sent to only the number of qualified Medicare beneficiaries > needed from each State at the start of the Study. I hope this helps. Stay > strong. > > *Tempe, AZ* > 60 E. Rio Salado Parkway Ste 510 > Tempe, AZ 85281-9103 > Toll Free Phone: 800-829-8133 > Local Number: 480-383-7500 > Local Fax Number: 480-383-7479 > Toll Free Fax: 800-496-7028 > > With Love, > > CtrlAltDel aka Dave > C4/5 Complete - 31 Years Post > Texas, USA > > > *Lori Michaelson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>* wrote: > > There are about 50 different reasons I could benefit from house calls from > doctors (depending on the caliber and integrity of the doctor of course). > So, out of curiosity I called the number on Tuesday. > > I spoke with a very nice lady (but one must keep in mind she is only a > person at the other end of the phone for information purposes only) who > first was interested as to why *I had not* received the letter by being a > Medicare beneficiary. As well as Medicare being my only insurance. She > thought that possibly because I may not have made a "certain increased > number of visits" to the emergency room or to doctor's offices ... that that > could have been the reason. Pretty poor reason! > > Besides... my condition of being a quadriplegic is very much why I do not > go to doctors offices or the emergency room that often. I can't get up on > the tables for examinations, have testing done for this that or the other > thing because of troubles getting on and off the tables, etc. etc. etc.. > *In other words, quadriplegics would benefit greatest!* > > To top it off... she told me that they were only targeting three states > (California, Texas and Florida). Of course! Choosing the most populous > states! Leaving the rest of us hanging out to dry on whether or not it will > go any further. In any case... she took my information and gave me her > extension # in case they do expand their target states. It's already more > than half way through the program so I can't see them going any further and > she can't either she said to be honest with me. > > Lori Michaelson > C4/5 complete quad, 28 years post > Tucson, AZ > > On Nov 10, 2007 8:25 AM, David K. Kelmer <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: > > > Hi John, > > > > I thought everyone on Medicare would find this Web Site informative. > > This Study is being done in 5 States right now. I spoke with a Case Worker > > conducting the Study in Texas, and she told me they had 15,000 volunteers > > and were about halfway through the 3 year Study. She told me that the > > results already in, looked ''very good'' so far. Stay strong. > > > > http://www.carelevel.com/aboutus.html > > > > With Love, > > > > CtrlAltDel aka Dave > > C4/5 Complete - 31 Years Post > > Texas, USA > > > > > > *"John S." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>* wrote: > > > > I truely hate emergency runs. I try to keep some anti-biotics on hand > > when I feel a UTI getting ripe.Blood pressure pills for that. Check > > bowel and bladder (worst I ever felt was actually bad gas) it doesnt kill > > you but it can trigger AD till it does. It won 't let up either un till you > > do somedthing to relieve the gas. (Rolling into comical positions) Fun > > explaining that to a nurse. I figure I'm better off getting catheterized > > here instead of the hospital. If bladder is full do not let out more than > > 500 CC's every 15 minutes to prevent shock. Oxygen bottle can make your life > > easier, but don't get addicted!! lol, C'mon you know you love to laugh when > > they say that. I take oxy valium and vicodin. A little late for addiction > > worries. > > Ultimately, teres no guarding against all the things and combinations of > > things that can cause AD. > > I'm so happy to hear you are better, Naomi. You have my best wishes and > > prayers. > > > > john > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > > From: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; quad-list@eskimo.com > > Sent: Thursday, November 8, 2007 6:26:15 PM > > Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] what's next? > > > > > > I know exactly what you mean. I was in the hospital last night between > > 3:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.. I had a real bad case of AD, which shots my > > blood pressure up skyhigh. My head was pounding like someone was hit me with > > a hammer. While at the hospital, they determined I had a severe UTI. They > > changed my catheter and Foley bag, gave me an IV, with some morphine. And > > the sons of load to determine whether the infection had got into my blood > > and kidneys. I was blessed back it did not. They gave me an antibiotic and a > > prescription for something for nausea. > > > > As bad as I felt, and as bad as I thought my situation was, I was > > reminded of how blessed I really am. The ambulance brought in a 20 year old > > who had overdosed on drugs. He was dead on arrival. His family and friends > > were very distraught. > > > > Sometimes life gets hard, but I know the Lord didn't bring it this far > > to leave me. > > > > > > Naomi > > > > > > > > > > > > > > See what's new at AOL.com and Make AOL Your Homepage. > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do You Yahoo!? > > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > > http://mail.yahoo.com > > > > > > > > > -- > Lori > C4/5 complete quad, 27 years post > Tucson, AZ > > > -- Lori C4/5 complete quad, 27 years post Tucson, AZ
