Well, my dad had a stroke. Fortunately it was a minor one, and he’s doing as well as can be expected. But if I hadn’t talked to him on the phone Tuesday night, he might not have gone to the hospital at all, and then who knows where we’d be. He’s a stubborn bastard like that. (But despite all of it, I love him.) Oh, and he doesn’t have health insurance.
He’s been in the hospital since yesterday. They’ve done bloodwork, a chest X-ray, and a cat scan (hence determining that it was indeed a stroke). He’s supposed to start physical therapy later today. My mom doesn’t know yet what the long-term prognosis is, but overall he seems to be doing okay. I’m going to Augusta Saturday morning and will be there all weekend.
I don’t know how my parents are going to pay the medical bills. My dad is 62, but he had opted to wait on collecting Social Security, because apparently if you wait ’til you’re 65, you get an additional $200 per month. (My mom had said, “But what if something happens in the meantime?” Exactly. He just thought we’d never have to find out, I guess.) And of course you have to be 65 to get on Medicare.
Someone is coming to talk to him today about what “programs” he might qualify for (if any). He might qualify for Medicaid, but I’m thinking it’s probably unlikely, given that the Bush administration continues to make it harder for people to get and pay for the medical treatment they need.
Anyway. I’m going to help out as much as possible… I don’t have much disposable income, but I’m going to redirect whatever I can to my parents, to help pay for this. If it means I don’t buy new clothes this spring or I have to eat PB&J for lunch for a while, I can deal. I’d rather have my dad be alive.
I hate to look like a freeloader scrounging for change via the web; I don’t want to seem obnoxious or like I’m looking for charity. But, I’m going to move the Paypal donate button to the top of the right sidebar, and any small donation would definitely help. (The Paypal form shows the email address as admin@sotsforum.net; yes, that is me.) Don’t feel like you have to, at all; I don’t want anyone to feel pressured, and I don’t like how some web sites breathe down your neck about, “Give us some money! Donate!! Donate!!1!” But, if you want to donate a few bucks, I’ll be indebted to your gratitude. I know that sounds cheesy, but I’m for reals.
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10 Responses to "What’s going on"
I suggest contacting the billing departments of your local hospitals to inquire about their Sponsored Care programs.
In many cases, hospitals use a different scale than the government to determine eligibility — the income level can be quite a bit higher and you could actually save money at a private hospital. Don’t depend on a social worker to have all of this information.
Oh Amber, I am SOOO sorry to hear this; I hope your dad is back to 100% soon.
Also, sorry if we had a weird communication thing on the phone last night; I wasn’t trying to be bitchy, I just didn’t feel well. Anywho… miss you last night!
I’m sorry to hear this. I definitely suggest that you look into the Indigent Care program. A good friend of mine recently had $20,000 in medical bills reduced to about $5000 through an indigent program in Colorado. Yeah, that’s still a lot of money, but it’s better than going bankrupt. I’ll refrain from using your comments section to rant about health care and the working class and instead go balance my checkbook and see what I can afford to throw your way.
Best
Oh, that so sucks. As for money, are they homeowners?
Best wishes to your family.
As a sidenote, did you know you can add your other email addresses to your Paypal account? That way, you can stay consistent with your contact email in your various circles while maintaining only one account.
My Dad had two strokes in the latter part of last year.. so Mom’s pretty knowledgeable about funding and / or stroke recovery places in the Augusta area.
Let me know if you want to get together this weekend.
Here are GA Medicaid income eligibility requirements:
http://dch.georgia.gov/00/channel_title/0,2094,31446711_31945377,00.html
If he doesn’t qualify, talk to the hospitals about reduced rates or payment plan. There will probably be several providers to contact as well, since hospitals typically are a separate bill from the physician and other services.
Who’s coming to talk to him about programs? The local Area Agency on Aging will have a benefits counseling service that whould also help you figure out what help might be available. AAAs serve people 60 and over.
There may be community resources to help pay part of the bill, but I wouldn’t count on it.
Finally, make sure he and your mom understand what follow-up care is ncessary, and things he can do to reduce the risk of another stroke. They should both become educated about warning signs. Medlineplus.gov is a good general source for health info, but I would also recommend the American Stroke Assoc website, which is at http://www.strokeassociation.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=1200037
I’m so sorry Amber. I’m sending you nothing but good vibes.
I’m sorry to hear about the stroke but I’m glad he’s doing well. I understand the stubborn-bastard syndrome. My father was like that too.
i’ve been lurking and reading your page for a few weeks now. i’m sorry to hear that. i wish you all the best and hope you manage to work this stuff out and that your dad recovers soon. i’m sorry i can’t help in any physical way at the moment, but my thoughts are with you.