Yesterday was a very busy day. Richard has taken care of the financial power of attorney arrangements to make sure Linda’s health insurance premiums get paid in a timely manner despite the fact Linda is unable to write out and sign the checks herself. Thank you Richard! He also is taking her purse down to her at I U Hospital to alleviate that concern of hers.
Monday before she left Indianapolis, Debbie signed the papers authorizing Linda to be transferred to the vent rehab LTACH here in Hinsdale called RML Specialty Hospital. Tuesday morning I went over to RML and delivered copies of Linda’s health care power of attorney and both Blue Cross/Blue Shield cards, and asked them to arrange for Linda’s transfer as soon as possible to their facility, which is about ten minutes by car from our house. They tell me they will have to confirm her eligibility with BC/BS, that BC/BS has 24 hours to respond, and that BC/BS usually takes the full 24 hours. Anyway, Linda should be up here Friday or Monday unless someone throws a wrench into the works.
RMS has 87 beds and is the largest hospital in the US specializing in weaning patients off their ventilators. I took the tour and it is a clean, delightful, and well staffed place, with wonderful people working there. Visiting hours are 11 am through 9 pm daily. I’m sure Linda will love being close enough to many of you so you can drop by and see her once she gets up here.
Yesterday evening I was in Zionsville at a wonderful little seafood restaurant having dinner with Bill and Barb when my cell phone rang, It was a 317 number I didn’t recognize – I don’t really know anyone down there except Bill and Barb – but I answered it. It was the security guard at the hospital calling me because Linda asked him to. She has the Passy Muir valve in place and is able to talk now. I explained to her about her transfer up to RML, and she is excited at the thought of leaving Indianapolis and being so much closer to home. Despite the poor reception at the hospital, it was good to be able to talk with her for a few minutes. Clearly the speaking over the P/M valve was an effort for her, but she was understandable and glad to be able to communicate a little bit for herself. I guess the ice wall at I U Hospital is cracking a little bit.
I’m back home now, attending to the business of getting Linda back here and keeping her close by while she continues her recovery from all the injuries inflicted on her at I U Hospital. I’m going to spend today completing the unpacking of all the worldly goods accumulated in the back of the jeep during a three month stay out of town, and straightening up the patio and cleaning the grill. Once Linda is safely ensconced at RML I’m going to ice down whatever prosecco I have left in the cellar and throw a barbeque for all of you who are able to come over and celebrate her homecoming.
I know there is still a lot of hard work ahead of us, and Linda will have to do most of it herself. I want to thank each and every one of you for the moral, emotional, physical and logistical support you have provided to both of us during this terrible time. I’m not going to rest until Linda can be home sleeping under the duvet in the master bedroom every night, but we couldn’t have come this far in prying her loose from the clutches of the evil and arrogant folks at Clarian Health without your help and support.
While we were down in Indianapolis, the postal service delivered, and our wonderful neighbors saved for me, the Medic Alert necklace I ordered for Linda as soon as she got her transplant. Once she is in a place where I can see her in person again, I will put it around her neck, give her a big kiss, and start the next chapter in our hopefully long life together. She has suffered so much needless pain and agony over the last few months. I got some chafe marks from Marion County Sheriff handcuffs, but otherwise the only damage to me has been overuse of my tear ducts during Linda’s ordeal. Everyone has a few close friends to count on in a time of need, but all of you have responded above and beyond the call of duty in Linda’s crisis, and I can’t thank any of you enough for the part you have played in her recovery. I start to cry every time I think about how defenseless we would have been the last 3 months without the help and support all of you have given so freely and willingly.
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