It has been over a week since Jim was in the ICU.... He had become dehydrated and confused... after the IV antibiotics and many liters of IV fluids, his blood pressure improved and he came home after 2 days, much better, enjoying family conversations again, visitors and eating most everything!! Now.....
Jim is still eating, taking oral fluids and enjoying occasional visits from friends... but....our insurance provider, Health Alliance has told us he doesn't qualify for home nurse visits to assess his care, nor regular physical or occupational therapy.....
It seems that if I agreed to have him placed in the "Home Hospice" program, he would at least qualify for an RN visit for assessment.....
Many questions and gallons of tears later, I have now decided to challenge their decision this Monday.... for you see, I was informed by phone on Friday at 350pm of this decision.... no time to call Health Alliance....
(coincidence?).
If we would have had nursing visits prior to his ICU stay, maybe he would not have been so sick????
I cannot help but believe that the "cheaper" way to take care of Jim as seen from Health Alliance standpoint would be to "force" hospice care and limit his in-patient visits and possible expensive, (although effective), time in the Intensive Care Unit....
I have many, many thoughts right now, but I am afraid to keep putting all this down on my blog....
Oh yes.... The insurance company would also help me "figure out a way" to obtain community resources!!!!
(No thanks...Unlike the insurance provider, I just want to do the right thing for Jim.)
Until today, I did not try to write any of the "funny" things down thinking it would somehow jinx me....
but.... I just have to share and take the risk!
I opened the mailbox a few days ago......... wow... the new mailbox smelled great..maybe like lavender...
(My first thought was that the postman had slipped a room deodorizer in the slot....) Then my second thought after opening a package from my sister-in-law from California was "How nice... she sent a bag a marijuana for Jim!!
NO>>> just a bag of lavender..... :(
Karron
