Nancy do you think the therapist would do some "side" work with Dan? Just a thought. I know how it was when Mike lost his PT that he liked so much and now I cant get him to go back because the ones they have now don't seem to care. I know it is frustrating but I am glad the job is working out for you! Keep the chin up and trudge on! That is all any of us can do! Oh and by the way I can't post on fb about mike ad the bike so I will tell you here, he tried riding again today, the outcome wasn't as good as yesterday as he dropped the thing and it pinned his foot benethe it. Got it up and him in the house. Luckily no broken bones but he is really hurting!

Hi Nancy, so vent, swear, throw things, get it out of your systems, then, let's move on. First why have the contract not been renewed? Can you get your doctor to advocate for Dan? Will the speech guy help you in this fight? Don't give up Nancy, you are at a place that you have fought for 3years! The system that is mean to help us does not and two many fall throught the cracks. There I am venting as well! It took me 3years to get my disabily, and I drop my head, then a friend told me, if you give up then what? So I kept on fighting! Nancy if you give up then what? It be you and Dan depressed! That is not good!

Be praying for you , keep in touch

Yvonne

Oh I am doing all I can, the guy can't really do side work and bill for it -- his insurance is supplied by the "entity" he is employed by.. But we are looking at him hooking up with a independent place here in town that only does speech for children, but maybe he could get under their umbrella ?? believe me this guy has/ is advocating for dan.. so are all the hospital employees… cause dan is NOT his only patient how can any "hospital" not wish to supply needed services but basically that is what they are choosing to do ( or not do rather). Budget cuts new CEO - who thinks he is flexing and showing off, but cutting services never the way to go…. So i have been researching like a crazy woman ( of course) i am a wife bear - ( instead of mamma bear- ) GRRRR.

I just made a list of all the calamities that have befallen us in the last month or so....no sooner you get one sort of figured out, something else happens. I'm not kidding, at least 20 things in the last few months, I really have to report it all when I get a chance. But don't worry, you are in good company.

Nancy: please do look to other Speech Therapists who are covered by your Insurance. I know Dan likes the one he has, but there may be others out there who will be accepted by your Insurance.

I am in Colleen's boat. Finally made the leap to retirement, getting some things lined up for the house, Bruce back in therapy and yes ma'am, just toss a few more issues for me to deal with.

Push forward with the job. Yes, be alert to Dan's possible outbursts, but maybe, just maybe things will work out. Don't let on to Dan your angst. Be positive and let him know things are moving ahead as to a positive outcome.

Try not to project honey, best you can. I am one that does that as well. And yes, like you, am usually right. But every once in a while I get proven wrong and you have to go that way too. Be prepared for the worst certainly but go day to day, hour to hour and just see how it goes.

Debbie - that is the biggest issue - there will BE NO SPEECH SERVICES . offered in this area anymore… but it might be that this little hiccup could become a segway for this young man to start his own business… Literally there is no other place to go for adult speech services … and dan is not the only patient this kid has several clients and all of them are like ahhhh, what do we do now… ??? but if the lady who provides speech services independently for children ( only) - would allow him to become part of her business , he essentially will be coming with his own cliental… Next week he is still going out and seeing everyone - all his clients one last time at no cost to them, but since he was given 2 days notice of no more job, some have no idea they no longer will have services yet.. The hospital plans to send a letter ( classy) but this young man recognizes the need for "formal" closure and at least a "good bye"… instead of a no show speech therapist and a letter saying - sorry your not worth it ( in terms of being a profitable service for the hospital) -- it always comes back to money… I am doing the best i can to "flip" this into a possible positive… but come on - the timing , is brutal in terms of my new job and dans "juncture" in possible speech recovery.. no we will never have a "normal conversation " but it sure is nice to hear - good morning - back when you say it to your loved one… tiny , tiny gains… but huge in stroke world...

Nancy, that is unbelievable that the hospital is cutting speech therapy altogether. It is so needed and not just by people like Dan with aphasia, but people like Larry who have swallowing problems. The speech therapists or speech pathologist deal with swallowing problems also (at least some of them do). People who have MS or Parkinsons also need speech pathologists.

I hope you find help for Dan. I know you are trying your best.

Julie

If it ain't one thing it's another but that is how life goes in circles long as we can hand on!! Glad you are back and Dan is OK!!! You can always use MONEY!!

I know, Nancy, it is very different in urban Connecticut than rural North Dakota, but I was just wondering if there were other sources for the Speech Therapy rather than that hospital. As Julie mentioned: MS, Parkinson's, Swallow.

And I know, honey, that this is just not the best time. You don't have the time to investigate plus I would imagine, the travel time. It was just a thought, suggestion; if you will.

It has taken me a week to try to get through what is going on with Bruce and I am a Nurse, so all the diagnostics I have already done. Obviously I use the strategies given to us by Bruce's Speech Therapist and that is really all you want for Dan. Something that works and gets him to where he needs to be.

If he uses this "blip" against you, I am sorry. I know you had nothing to do with this and are working very hard to remedy it. I can send you Bruce's protocols, but again this puts you right back in charge, responsible. Right now you need to get off the Recovery Treadmill and focus on something for Nancy. Debbie

Nancy, the one thing that we could not get at either therapy place in our location. The first year, we could only get PT, then the other place got another PT that could do stroke, not just surgery patients - and we began going there, and also could take advantage of the speech therapist there. We are now in the final streak of our cobra great coverage and are finally strong enough to make it to a further location, where we are receiving OT only. Finally, someone to work on his arm and hand. We are only taking the one therapy, because the drive alone wears us out, so since we've had so much of the other, we are focusing on OT before the insurance goes on Aug 1. It is hard to have to struggle to get the therapies, with the controllers only looking for money makers. Since we are in a college town, the main emphasis is on atheletes.

I guess speech is a highly - specialized service , and as i said for children there is services through the school, the anne carlson center , and head start… for the kids… and from what a former speech therapist told ( not the young man) - the speech therapists at the anne carlson center ( a severely disabled children's hospital we have in town here) have been told they are on call for swallow test if need be… since that is a "essential" service , but adult speech is a specialized service and not required by law for a hospital to provide .. PT and OT are essential services… - it depends on the hospitals level of care and licensing -- more bureaucratic nonsense .. But hopefully a negative can be turned to a positive.. not just for us but others as well, cause even though dan is my #1 concern - I care about the others ( unknown to me - thanks to hippa) who loose to… but i can't help but to feel -, why doesn't the hospital care. why is money #1 on the list, why can't it be a hospital just wants to provide the best care possible.. gone are the Nuns that is for sure..

more research --- so the reason there are many more child speech therapists instead of adult speech therapists… is medicare - big surprise ? not really not on this site right… so medicaid ( welfare ) will pay for a independent hang your shingle therapist ….., where as a medicare ( social security) will only pay for a therapist if a physician provides services at the same address…very interesting … I think we have Dans problem in hand, we are going to do a burst of speech therapy to set up a plan, train the family and newly hired caregiver … this will take some time.. and hopefully dans insurance will go for it… nancyl

Nancy, that is not the case here, as Larry is having speech therapy at a facility that is not where his doctor is on staff. His doctor is the one that prescribed the therapy and Medicare will pay for Larry's therapy there.

I'm glad you found a solution for Dan. No matter where he gets the therapy, as with Larry, it does not work unless it is practiced at home as well.

Best wishes in all you do,

Julie

Yeah all our therapy is through Medicare, all you need is a doctor's note and then the therapist gets it approved. That's a big part of their job, staying on top of the Medicare requirements. I never even heard of Medicaid covering therapy, unless maybe it's kids only.

The billing is done as part of a Doctors service - believe - it is a ironclad one… just one of those we can't always see… somewhere their is a doc tied into the therapist … either way ,, we are doing a "burst" of therapy and hopefully we can make this work, cause this kid ( therapist who is 32 lol) is gonna move on to greener pastures as soon as he can…all his former classmates are like don't waste your time - there is a lot of places hiring - come work with my group… but as always whatever will be - will be . I am given obstacles lots and lots of them but some how GOD also provides me the "tool" to overcome them, at least thus far..