Need to find some medical help for a friend...

[Drdogface]

I have an old friend, not real close, but a friend none the less. He's 58 and has a struggling business of RV repair. During the past few months he has developed some progressive condition in his right arm which now has him in severe pain constantly. He has discussed suicide with me but has not expressed a plan, but it is that bad. Yes, I called the mental health crisis line...they asked if he'd come in for counseling He had to give up his medical insurance about a year ago cuz his business was croaking and the premium was more than his mortgage. He has cashed in his 401K to pay for a couple MRI's and CAT's and is now flat broke. His results from tests show a possible brain tumor but also some cervical disc problems...they don't think it's the disc and two docs disagree on the tumor. He has never smoked. He's flat broke now. He has a few assets which he can't sell...he's tried...so can't get on Medi-Cal. I told him to 'sell them to friends' to get them out of his name...he may be able to in time. He has an Rx for pain patches (Fentanyl I think) which help but not enough. That's $480/mo. He can make mortgage and some food and Rx...other bills just don't get paid. ER gives him a morphine inj. and sends him home.

This guy is a responsible citizen and an honorable man. Myself and other friends have given him some money to try to help but he needs to be treated after which time he will go back to work, if he can, and pay his bills. I have called any state and local office I can think of to try to find out if anything is available for such a case. If he were an illegal alien or prison inmate he'd get top care...we all know that.

I just told him today to call his Congressman on Monday. It is, after all, election time and these whores are fishin' for votes. Whatever it takes.

I know there's many docs on this board and maybe many others familiar with 'the system' who may have ideas. This guy lives near Auburn, Ca. BTW

[RWebb]

IIRC, if he has been w/o ins. for a year he will soon be able to get into a state run plan - doubt it will be too cheap

you called state & local offices, did you try the county - not familiar with Calif. but here the Co. does a lot of medical care

[Dottore]

And there are people out there who still maintain there is nothing wrong with health care in America?

Good grief!

[Noah930]

Frequently university hospitals will have some sort of "free care" plan. At we did at Tufts and OHSU. Perhaps Davis has something similar? You'd have to check with the billing office to find out. I don't know if community hospitals have similar programs--might depend on the facility.

[Hugh R]

If he's broke, then Medi Cal is free for him.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

If he's broke, then Medi Cal is free for him.

He's not broke, he has assets. But, he's broke in the sense that he has no money. It can be a tough spot to be in.

[Noah930]

MediCal is no God send. Very few practitioners accept it. Try finding a health care provider who 1) takes it and 2) can schedule you in in a reasonable timeframe. It's like having money in a currency no one takes.

[artplumber]

Drive to SF, check in to a transient hotel, get close to UCSF hospital, call ambulance, "I can't move my arm"

That's a county hospital, and he should be able to get full care there, MediCal or not. UC Davis has somehow found a way to turn away a significant portion of even MediCal patients. But if he wanted to try it closer to home, that would be an option.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Dottore

And there are people out there who still maintain there is nothing wrong with health care in America?

Good grief!

There is NO ONE that would tell you that.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by artplumber

Drive to SF, check in to a transient hotel, get close to UCSF hospital, call ambulance, "I can't move my arm"

That's a county hospital, and he should be able to get full care there, MediCal or not. UC Davis has somehow found a way to turn away a significant portion of even MediCal patients. But if he wanted to try it closer to home, that would be an option.

This

Noah is right too. Medi-Cal dropped optionals for adults, teeth, eyes and feet. Now I get nothing for any ER stuff I happen to catch, which is not much of a pay cut and saves a lot of headaches dealing with those jerk offs.

Is his arm swole up, what color is it, is it cold, is the pain like it being in a vice, electric shock or what?

[Drdogface]

Hi Tobra,

I was hoping you would chime in. His arm is normal color, not cold or swollen, in fact it is in atrophy from partial denervation. The only feeling he has is thumb and index finger...and pain in the forearm and shoulder. The three other fingers are numb. The atrophy is remarkable, at least below the elbow which is all I can see. It seems to hurt him to breathe deeply as well. That's when I asked if he ever smoked, but I would think they'd have xrayed his chest first thing. I think the pain is a constant dull ache. I will ask for sure though...I know it's intense. I guess (new news) he did fall from a horse some months ago but it did not start then....at least the symptoms. I suspect the cervical disc problems may have been a result of that. At least he seems to be getting a bit of sleep now. I don't know which cervical vertebrae are involved.

He said today that one doc wants to MRI his shoulder/brachial plexus but dunno how he got that scheduled with no $$ Just good caring docs, I guess. Most are but gotta make a living as well. I am sure you guys lose your arse on Medi-cal folks. Even Medicare is screwing most docs who still take it...so I'm told.

He has friends who work at Folsom. They jokingly said he should do something minor and get arrested. Also said they are building a full hospital on prison grounds so they don't have to transport inmates.

[Tobra]

That is neuro, probably nerve impingement, but it sounds like he has a lot going on. If his symptoms are all in the arm, it seems to me this would be more likely than tumor, but brain tumors can be pretty freaky WRT symptoms they precipitate.

I don't think Placer County has much to offer. Sacramento Co has an indigent clinic, pay based on income, but you may need to reside in this county. He would have to wait, but they could hook him up with UCD, maybe.

He has some bad sheit going on, without a doubt. With a nerve deficit causing visible atrophy, he is farther down the road than you want to get.

He should be able to get on some sort of disability. Sounds pretty brutal, nothing like nerve pain.

[Joeaksa]

Mark,

Years ago I had much the same symptoms and had issues in C5-C6 area. Lab tech did the MRI's and once it came out he described the symptoms to a "T" before the doc came in. Then the doc came in and heard what he was saying and smiled and said "he sees a lot more of these than I do and he is right." A bit of work with the bone crusher (chrio) and some meds and its fine these days.

Might give a check in this area. Celebrex helped in my case but its supposed to be difficult on the stomach and heart.

Joe A

[Noah930]

Right now your friend needs a neurologist to make an appropriate diagnosis. MRI and possibly and EMG are necessary. If it's brachial plexus, then this is something that needs to be dealt with at a university/tertiary care level, in general. There aren't too many docs in community practice that have the resources or desire to deal with that--though never say never. I don't think Bob Szabo is at Davis anymore. But for logistical reasons that may be the place to start, if necessary. UCSF has a great dept (Ed Diao) as does Stanford (Jeff Yao, James Chang, Amy Ladd), or you could contact the Buncke Clinic in SF to see if they do this type of stuff.

[Drdogface]

Noah,
Thanks for your advice as well. We do have good university care hosp. around here and, of course, in SF. Glad you know these guys you mentioned. I'll write these names down and pass them along. I dunno if visiting the business office of any hosp. will help his chances of getting care or not but I told him to try it. He has a house but very little equity left in it. I did not know that Medi-Cal was as bad as you guys say. Guess that's not an answer after all.

Again, thanks to Wayne for having such a forum as this. Pelican forums are a great resource. Thanks to all of you who are reading this thread and contributing....sincerely.

Edit: I have my bud calling UCSF, Davis, and Stanford tomorrow. He is very thankful for all of your input !

[artplumber]

Originally Posted by Drdogface

... He has a house but very little equity left in it. I did not know that Medi-Cal was as bad as you guys say. Guess that's not an answer after all.

That's why he needs to check into a transient hotel, so he has a SF address. Then, he can get going on all of these things. Seriously, if he has atrophy, he needs to act now. Yesterday was too late.

[Drdogface]

Art,
I think that if he did that, they would ask for an address and check it. The hotel would say he checked in yesterday. If they didn't check addresses they'd be treating the whole West Coast. Mebbe they are.

Believe me, I know the urgency here !

[LUFTMAN]

yes most people in the country think the health care system is fine because they are not sick or do not have any major illness when it happens to them then it is a different story. then you will find out how good your insurance is. if they don't drop you first . then try to get any major medical coverage with pre existing conditions i have already been there. good luck hope you do better than me.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by LUFTMAN

yes most people in the country think the health care system is fine because they are not sick or do not have any major illness when it happens to them then it is a different story. then you will find out how good your insurance is. if they don't drop you first . then try to get any major medical coverage with pre existing conditions i have already been there. good luck hope you do better than me.

Before this gets into a "bash America and its health care system" I have lived in several so called "Free health care system countries (Denmark, England and Germany) and greatly prefer what we have here.

The numbers of people in these countries who go to America to get taken care of immediately tell a much different story.

[Drdogface]

I second that Joe. I've experienced the medical care in Europe as well and it sucks. Interesting that in Thailand when I was there, it was up to the family to do a lot of the daily nursing care, buy supplies, Rx's in town, food from home...etc. Even towels and bet linen sometimes.

I agree, let's stop the America bashing...it's not on topic anyway. Go to PARF or keep it to yourself.