Help for a Veteran - Rick Sibson
Donation protected
Hi, this is Rick Sibson, he is a Veteran who served in the U. S. Navy from 1970-1976.
He got hurt during his time in the Navy where he fell off the wing of a plane. As he has gotten older, the injury has become more and more damaging to his hip.
He has needed a hip replacement for three years now, and the VA has given him certain criteria before they would even consider doing a hip replacement including 16 weeks of physical therapy (twice) and several steroids injections (3 years of them), lose weight etc. He completed all these things and then went back and talked to his doctor only for them to tell him that the criteria have changed, and he had to this and that again!!!
This has been going on for so long, he cannot barely walk anymore even with a walker, many nights he sleeps sitting up or laying across the bed with his feet on the floor. He rarely gets any sleep because he is in so much pain all the time. The only pain med he is on is Tylenol Arthritis. He is 67 years old, we’ve been married for 46 years, and to see him barely walking is extremely hurtful for me. I do what I can for him, but I also, am disabled. I myself have medical issues and most of our income goes towards paying for my medical bills, thus the reason for starting this fundraiser.
We have decided to go outside the VA to get his hip replacement, because the VA just is pushing him around with all their criteria’s. He is schedule for surgery on July 1, 2019. He has Medicare, but they only pay 80% of this surgery. He cannot get a supplement because he did not get it when he signed up for Medicare. He had the VA, so we didn’t think we need it at that time. Now the first question they ask is “can he walk without assistance?” Well no he can’t even barely walk at all. So no supplement.
We are on a fixed income and need to come up with the 20% that Medicare does not pay, that is why I have started this fund raiser for him.
Any amount would be greatly appreciated to help this veteran walk again. Any leftover amounts will then be donated to another veteran in need. We will not keep it; we will pay it forward.
Thank you all so very much.
He got hurt during his time in the Navy where he fell off the wing of a plane. As he has gotten older, the injury has become more and more damaging to his hip.
He has needed a hip replacement for three years now, and the VA has given him certain criteria before they would even consider doing a hip replacement including 16 weeks of physical therapy (twice) and several steroids injections (3 years of them), lose weight etc. He completed all these things and then went back and talked to his doctor only for them to tell him that the criteria have changed, and he had to this and that again!!!
This has been going on for so long, he cannot barely walk anymore even with a walker, many nights he sleeps sitting up or laying across the bed with his feet on the floor. He rarely gets any sleep because he is in so much pain all the time. The only pain med he is on is Tylenol Arthritis. He is 67 years old, we’ve been married for 46 years, and to see him barely walking is extremely hurtful for me. I do what I can for him, but I also, am disabled. I myself have medical issues and most of our income goes towards paying for my medical bills, thus the reason for starting this fundraiser.
We have decided to go outside the VA to get his hip replacement, because the VA just is pushing him around with all their criteria’s. He is schedule for surgery on July 1, 2019. He has Medicare, but they only pay 80% of this surgery. He cannot get a supplement because he did not get it when he signed up for Medicare. He had the VA, so we didn’t think we need it at that time. Now the first question they ask is “can he walk without assistance?” Well no he can’t even barely walk at all. So no supplement.
We are on a fixed income and need to come up with the 20% that Medicare does not pay, that is why I have started this fund raiser for him.
Any amount would be greatly appreciated to help this veteran walk again. Any leftover amounts will then be donated to another veteran in need. We will not keep it; we will pay it forward.
Thank you all so very much.
Organizer
Maria Sibson
Organizer
Jackson, MI