Lisa Today – April 16th, 2007
Select Specialty Hospital
Phoenix, Arizona
For over a year now in Phoenix, St. Joseph’s Medical Center has provided a.jpg)
roof over Lisa’s head; within the medical center, is Select Specialty a long term acute care hospital designed to care for patients like Lisa. Her admission was justified and approved because she met their criteria of needing healthcare services for a patient with a medically complex, and catastrophic injury. Select Specialty, is taking care of Lisa’s medical deficiencies while the Barrow Neurological Institute (also housed at St. Joseph’s) continues to monitor her neurological progress and treatment. Lisa no longer requires hospitalization for neurological reasons.
Another big player in the provision of Lisa’s care is her insurer, Blue Cross–Blue Shield. Until recently the insurer has been stellar in providing the financial resources so vital in giving Lisa the best opportunity for recovery. I mention this now only in passing to let you know that we have appealed their decision to cut off funding, but so far haven’t received a reply as she continues her $2000.00 a-day, acute care long-term hospitalization.
In answer to the question, “how’s Lisa doing?” We believe, with the staff, that Lisa is present and aware; we’ve known this by her past responsiveness to instructions and questions. Lisa, to her great credit, has been relentless in her fight to overcome the painful effects of Spasticity, and the other medical issues that confront her… relentless until very recently. But now, regrettably, she isn’t responding to stimulus except for loud, sudden noises.
Lisa is medically stable and soon will be ready for discharge, meaning she can be cared for at home; therefore Richard has redoubled his efforts to find the right person to care for Lisa at their home in Tucson. He has placed more advertisements in more places for a caregiver; also Deb Pope, Therapy Supervisor, Select Specialty Hospital has put him in touch with new Tucson resources to expedite the recruiting effort.
Richard’s attorney has successfully facilitated his getting a home equity loan to pay for the renovation of the residence. He has a meeting with the contractor and builder is later this week, and hopefully the remodeling will start soon.
Finally, we learned that a skilled nursing facility in Tucson has agreed to take Lisa. Sherry and I intend to visit the facility as soon as possible, and I’ll let you know how it goes. This information came to Richard at a time when Select Specialty Hospital declared Lisa ready for discharge. But on top of that her primary care physician is treating her for a bladder infection, and is not going to authorize the discharge until the medical issue resolves.
Michael
mlwintory@msn.com
Select Specialty Hospital
Phoenix, Arizona
For over a year now in Phoenix, St. Joseph’s Medical Center has provided a
.jpg)
roof over Lisa’s head; within the medical center, is Select Specialty a long term acute care hospital designed to care for patients like Lisa. Her admission was justified and approved because she met their criteria of needing healthcare services for a patient with a medically complex, and catastrophic injury. Select Specialty, is taking care of Lisa’s medical deficiencies while the Barrow Neurological Institute (also housed at St. Joseph’s) continues to monitor her neurological progress and treatment. Lisa no longer requires hospitalization for neurological reasons.Another big player in the provision of Lisa’s care is her insurer, Blue Cross–Blue Shield. Until recently the insurer has been stellar in providing the financial resources so vital in giving Lisa the best opportunity for recovery. I mention this now only in passing to let you know that we have appealed their decision to cut off funding, but so far haven’t received a reply as she continues her $2000.00 a-day, acute care long-term hospitalization.
In answer to the question, “how’s Lisa doing?” We believe, with the staff, that Lisa is present and aware; we’ve known this by her past responsiveness to instructions and questions. Lisa, to her great credit, has been relentless in her fight to overcome the painful effects of Spasticity, and the other medical issues that confront her… relentless until very recently. But now, regrettably, she isn’t responding to stimulus except for loud, sudden noises.
Lisa is medically stable and soon will be ready for discharge, meaning she can be cared for at home; therefore Richard has redoubled his efforts to find the right person to care for Lisa at their home in Tucson. He has placed more advertisements in more places for a caregiver; also Deb Pope, Therapy Supervisor, Select Specialty Hospital has put him in touch with new Tucson resources to expedite the recruiting effort.
Richard’s attorney has successfully facilitated his getting a home equity loan to pay for the renovation of the residence. He has a meeting with the contractor and builder is later this week, and hopefully the remodeling will start soon.
Finally, we learned that a skilled nursing facility in Tucson has agreed to take Lisa. Sherry and I intend to visit the facility as soon as possible, and I’ll let you know how it goes. This information came to Richard at a time when Select Specialty Hospital declared Lisa ready for discharge. But on top of that her primary care physician is treating her for a bladder infection, and is not going to authorize the discharge until the medical issue resolves.
Michael
mlwintory@msn.com
