Terry is a military veteran, and unfortunately he suffered 2 debilitating strokes on December 28th and 29th of 2017 while in the hospital, and as a result of the strokes, a large portion of his skull was removed due to brain swelling. Terry also suffered respiratory failure as well as paralysis on the left side of his body. Terry was given a tracheotomy and placed on life support (a ventilator) to help him breathe and he also was given a G-tube to give him adequate nourishment and his many medications. After being in Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center's ICU for 3 weeks, Terry was transferred to Kindred Hospital of Los Angeles, a Long Term Care Acute hospital, where Terry's heart stopped and he was again placed in ICU. Terry went on to stay in Kindred hospital for a very trying 5 months and even enduring a stage 3 bedsore in the coccyx.
Through all of this trauma during his 5 month stay in Kindred hospital of Los Angeles, Terry began to show signs of improvement and was able to finally breathe on his own after 3 months and the ventilator was removed. At this time, Terry should have begun intensive therapy to help him recover as much as possible from the devastating strokes. However, the intensive therapy he needed, did not occur. The hospital refused to give him the adequate therapy he needed and to make things worse, Terry's medical insurance company: Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama, began to deny coverage for Terry's care, at Kindred Hospital of Los Angeles and also coverage for a skilled nursing facility. At that time, Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama, insisted, Terry was ready to be discharged home in-spite of still having a trach and oxygen for breathing, a stage 3 bedsore, a G-tube, the inability to even sit up, paralyzed on the left side of his body and overall full body weakness from being bedridden for months. Thankfully, Terry's doctor agreed with Terry's wife that this would be an unsafe discharge and refused to discharge Terry home. As a result of Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama's denial of medical coverage, Terry found himself stuck for 2 additional months at Kindred Hospital of Los Angeles, without adequate intensive therapy.
In April 2018 , Terry had an appointment with the Neurosurgeon at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and was advised the swelling in Terry's brain had diminished and he was now ready to have the skull put back on. On May 3, 2018 Terry was finally discharged from Kindred Hospital of Los Angeles and admitted back into Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he would be for 2 weeks. During Terry's 2 week stay at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, his tracheotomy was removed and allowed to close and finally he was breathing 100% on his own and would be discharged to California Rehabilitation Institute for intensive therapy. This was no easy feat with Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama, as they initially denied coverage for Terry's rehabilitation. However, the medical team at both Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and California Rehabilitation institute collaborated and successfully appealed the denial and Terry was now finally being discharged for rehabilitation.
After waiting for 5 months for therapy (time is of extreme importance for stroke recovery) things were finally looking up and Terry would finally get the opportunity to rehabilitate. However, after 3 weeks of intensive therapy; just when he began to improve, Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama, again denied coverage for Terry's continued care in the rehabilitation hospital, and also for skilled nursing care, at Caremerridian - Artesia. Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama, again insisted that Terry should be discharged home even though he still could not sit up, had a G-tube and needed anywhere from 2 to 4 people and a Hoyer lift to get him out of the bed and into a wheel chair for therapy.
Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama, insisted it was easy to take Terry home. However, the challenge Terry's wife faced, was that the home they live in is not adequately accessible for Terry. A Wheelchair ramp would need to be installed and the bathroom would need to be totally remolded to accommodate a wheelchair. Terry's wife got estimates for these things and unfortunately all were too expensive. Terry's wife, even began looking for apartments that were disabled accessible and unfortunately, the rent in California was exorbitant and again way too expensive for Terry's wife to cover the cost of moving, rent and caregivers.
Terry's wife continued seeking other alternatives and ways to get help and assistance for Terry's care, to no avail. Thankfully the doctors at California Rehabilitation Institute, determined it was not safe for Terry to be discharged home in his condition and agreed to work with Terry and his wife to find a way to get him admitted into a skilled nursing facility. They also agreed to keep Terry and continue rehabilitation, until something gets worked out with Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama. Meanwhile, Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama continued to push to discharge Terry home and even told Terry's wife she had ample time to get the house ready and hire caregivers.
Unfortunately, what Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama, would not consider is that the option to send Terry home is good for them and they save money, but for Terry and his wife with the ever growing medical bills could not afford to pay for the house to be upgraded to accommodate Terry's needs or afford to hire caregivers to assists with home care.
Terry's journey to recover albeit slow, is just beginning and the ability to get the house in order for him is very crucial, as Terry and his wife already know that he cannot stay at the rehabilitation hospital for ever without medical coverage. So ultimately at some point he will need to go home and the house needs to be remolded and caregivers hired to accommodate Terry's needs.
It is our hope after reading Terry's story, that your human compassion compels you to consider contributing to this cause for a man who not only served his country during operation dessert storm, but who has a big heart and would literally at all cost, give his last dollar to help a person in need.
We would be very grateful, if you choose to donate to this cause and share this story with your friends, family and colleagues.
Thank you,
Terry & Merriet
Through all of this trauma during his 5 month stay in Kindred hospital of Los Angeles, Terry began to show signs of improvement and was able to finally breathe on his own after 3 months and the ventilator was removed. At this time, Terry should have begun intensive therapy to help him recover as much as possible from the devastating strokes. However, the intensive therapy he needed, did not occur. The hospital refused to give him the adequate therapy he needed and to make things worse, Terry's medical insurance company: Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama, began to deny coverage for Terry's care, at Kindred Hospital of Los Angeles and also coverage for a skilled nursing facility. At that time, Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama, insisted, Terry was ready to be discharged home in-spite of still having a trach and oxygen for breathing, a stage 3 bedsore, a G-tube, the inability to even sit up, paralyzed on the left side of his body and overall full body weakness from being bedridden for months. Thankfully, Terry's doctor agreed with Terry's wife that this would be an unsafe discharge and refused to discharge Terry home. As a result of Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama's denial of medical coverage, Terry found himself stuck for 2 additional months at Kindred Hospital of Los Angeles, without adequate intensive therapy.
In April 2018 , Terry had an appointment with the Neurosurgeon at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and was advised the swelling in Terry's brain had diminished and he was now ready to have the skull put back on. On May 3, 2018 Terry was finally discharged from Kindred Hospital of Los Angeles and admitted back into Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he would be for 2 weeks. During Terry's 2 week stay at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, his tracheotomy was removed and allowed to close and finally he was breathing 100% on his own and would be discharged to California Rehabilitation Institute for intensive therapy. This was no easy feat with Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama, as they initially denied coverage for Terry's rehabilitation. However, the medical team at both Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and California Rehabilitation institute collaborated and successfully appealed the denial and Terry was now finally being discharged for rehabilitation.
After waiting for 5 months for therapy (time is of extreme importance for stroke recovery) things were finally looking up and Terry would finally get the opportunity to rehabilitate. However, after 3 weeks of intensive therapy; just when he began to improve, Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama, again denied coverage for Terry's continued care in the rehabilitation hospital, and also for skilled nursing care, at Caremerridian - Artesia. Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama, again insisted that Terry should be discharged home even though he still could not sit up, had a G-tube and needed anywhere from 2 to 4 people and a Hoyer lift to get him out of the bed and into a wheel chair for therapy.
Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama, insisted it was easy to take Terry home. However, the challenge Terry's wife faced, was that the home they live in is not adequately accessible for Terry. A Wheelchair ramp would need to be installed and the bathroom would need to be totally remolded to accommodate a wheelchair. Terry's wife got estimates for these things and unfortunately all were too expensive. Terry's wife, even began looking for apartments that were disabled accessible and unfortunately, the rent in California was exorbitant and again way too expensive for Terry's wife to cover the cost of moving, rent and caregivers.
Terry's wife continued seeking other alternatives and ways to get help and assistance for Terry's care, to no avail. Thankfully the doctors at California Rehabilitation Institute, determined it was not safe for Terry to be discharged home in his condition and agreed to work with Terry and his wife to find a way to get him admitted into a skilled nursing facility. They also agreed to keep Terry and continue rehabilitation, until something gets worked out with Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama. Meanwhile, Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama continued to push to discharge Terry home and even told Terry's wife she had ample time to get the house ready and hire caregivers.
Unfortunately, what Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Alabama, would not consider is that the option to send Terry home is good for them and they save money, but for Terry and his wife with the ever growing medical bills could not afford to pay for the house to be upgraded to accommodate Terry's needs or afford to hire caregivers to assists with home care.
Terry's journey to recover albeit slow, is just beginning and the ability to get the house in order for him is very crucial, as Terry and his wife already know that he cannot stay at the rehabilitation hospital for ever without medical coverage. So ultimately at some point he will need to go home and the house needs to be remolded and caregivers hired to accommodate Terry's needs.
It is our hope after reading Terry's story, that your human compassion compels you to consider contributing to this cause for a man who not only served his country during operation dessert storm, but who has a big heart and would literally at all cost, give his last dollar to help a person in need.
We would be very grateful, if you choose to donate to this cause and share this story with your friends, family and colleagues.
Thank you,
Terry & Merriet