Urgent Help for Debi's Medical Needs

This is Dan Bickmore, Debi's husband.

Debi has become very ill. We've kept things pretty quiet in hopes of an eventual improvement. But, friends, things haven't gotten better. She recently was transported home after six weeks in two hospitals. She was discharged by the second, a skilled nursing home, because of her reluctance toward physical therapy. That was likely a product of increasing dementia, which emerged a bit before the hospital stays.

Sadly, she is not the Debi you remember. Her Hashimoto's has shifted into high gear. She can no longer walk, as the muscular atrophy progresses. She gets two hours a week of physical therapy, but without a proper hospital bed, the PT effects are minimal. She's flat on her back in a huge bed, 18 inches off the ground. Unless assisted, she can't sit up; she has no core strength anymore. It's a day-and-night effort to keep her comfortable - and other than two brief nursing visits per week, I'm all she's got. Our insurance company does not cover home health aids or CNAs. We've found they cover very little after the billing's done. That's a saga unto itself.

Frustratingly, this insurance company "can't" provide the bariatric style bed she needs (size matters), as they operate a one-vendor contract for medical equipment in Las Vegas. The bed they "CAN" send only raises to 22 inches (Deb needs at least 30" for physical therapy - to dangle her feet and exercise) and it has no railings. She needs railings to maneuver and improve arm strength. And it is not designed for Deb's body type - she'll be squished. Oh, and our copay is 50%. Our family doctor appealed to the insurance on our behalf, but it was denied. (They paid $6587 of a $59,865 skilled nursing stay).

Deb will require transport in October via gurney for a second neurology test ("non-emergency event" denial; appeal pending) and I have to arrange in-home health aids to relieve me in tending to Deb's personal, hygiene, nutritional and other 'delicate' needs. With her dementia, especially at night, I'm exhausted, y'all. Daily feuds with the insurance company don't help. And somehow, I still need to make time for my job.

The amount we seek is only for the bed. I will set her up in the front of the house so she can be surrounded by activity - instead of cloistered in her room, flat on her back with a television she has not idea how to turn on. Any thing exceeding the goal will go towards additional nursing care and gurney transport to neurologist.

I don't know the etiquette, propriety or wisdom of making this request; however, when one is at his wits' end... There is more to the story regarding resources and options we've sought. All have been exhausted, save this one.

I appreciate your listening (er, reading) and thank you for your consideration -

Dan