Playing Dress Up

Playing Dress Up
Brenna wearing Mama's hat.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

I was sorting through old files and found this update on Brenna on the day the hospital dumped her into the Medicare ONE STAR RATED nursing home. Medicare needs a rating system that indicates NO STARS. This was dated June 7, 2010. It took me until June 23, 2010 to gain temporary custody so I could get her out of this place.

If anyone else made a move like this, they would get charged with kidnapping. If anyone else pushed me to sign a promisory note on my house before being allowed to see my daughter, wouldn't it would be called extortion? Seems to me that forcing a family member to sign over the house is the same as forcing them to pay a ransom. Hmmm. THAT is a point to ponder. How come the medical profession gets by with this???

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June 7, 2010

Please keep praying. This has been a strenuous day. My good friend and cousin, Mary, has been so good to be here with me the last two days.

Without fanfare or advanced warning, the hospital dismissed Brenna and transferred her to the “skilled care” nursing home in Nampa. From what nursing staff at the hospital had said last night, Brenna was expected to be in the hospital at least until Wednesday or Thursday. I ran home this morning to take care of the girls and when I got back, the transportation was on the way to transfer her. No time to explain to Brenna what was happening. If I hadn’t returned when I did, she would have been moved without my being there to help her with the transition.

The financial manager was irritated that I contacted a lawyer for Brenna’s benefit. She said SHE could do whatever was necessary without my putting out money for a lawyer.  She let me know that SHE pulled the plug on HER daughter because of “quality of life” issues (in her opinion). She told me I could not touch Brenna, could not help her with her physical therapy. She told me to GO HOME and let them do their job. No Way. This journey is one I walk with Brenna and I will not leave her in the hands of strangers.

When I got to the room, Brenna was petrified. It took me awhile to convince her that she wasn’t going to be left there alone. I found the stethoscope on the floor, the stethoscope that was to be used for Brenna. No one entering the room, even the doctor, washed their hands before checking on Brenna. The doctor did write an order for me to be able to do the PT the hospital taught me, even though he said it was too early to be concerned.

I told the hospital this was warehousing patients. I am more convinced every moment that is exactly what is happening here. I doubt any real effort will be made by the staff to rehabilitate her.  So far, from what I have seen, they aren’t trained to talk to patients in Brenna’s condition as if they are people. They checked her blood glucose count without telling her first. She is just an object. I told them to call her by name and to be sure and tell her the day and time in military time.

The company that owns this “vent” wing contracts for space with the owners of this Medicare rated ONE STAR “skilled” nursing facility. The TV is high on the wall and the old woman in the next bed has control of the blaring TV. The ventilator is so noisy, it roars in Brenna’s ears. I can barely hear myself think, so I know what it must be doing for her!

This place is NOT conducive to rehabilitation for a young person. Everyone else is over 65.  As of 9:15 tonight, no one from PT had been in to do anything with her. It breaks my heart that this is the only place in Idaho that will take her.  [That is what the case manager at the hospital told me. After getting Brenna out of this facility, I learned that two LTACs could have taken her but both told me they had not been contacted.]

Please pray that Brenna will get the treatment she needs. I am so frightened that she will get nothing here.

Pam

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