Tuesday medical visits

Tuesday afternoon was busy with out-and-about on medical visits.

2 pm was the appointment with Dawn, the orthopedic doctor. The Commission on Aging bus arrived a half hour before the appointment and we were at the clinic 10 minutes later. A few minutes later and we were in to see Dawn. We went over what has occurred since mom's initial visit in December. Dawn agrees with our decision to see the pain clinic specialist on Thursday and she had a few other suggestions on activities/movements to help with mom's spinal stenosis.

3:30 pm was the appointment with Deanna, the diabetes educator/nutritionist. We had left the orthopedic doctor at 2:30 pm and arrived at St Joes Hospital before 3 pm. The hospital was undergoing remodeling and I had to move work machinery outside in order for mom to get her wheelchair into the door. Inside - with the construction - it was so confusing the hospital had a person to guide people through the construction to their destination.

Deanna's office was closed and we had to wait in the hall until she arrived at 3:30 pm. Mom was the only person who had a chair - her wheelchair. I mostly sat on the floor and my brother stood. St Joes Hospital is an old hospital with narrow winding halls through additions built onto the hospital over the years. Deanna's office was an office among empty storage offices and offices with some of the IT people. Therefore not much traffic and very quiet. In the half hour we only saw a couple people walk by.

After an hour with Deanna discussing diabetes, insulin, and eating habits, we caught a Commission on Aging bus home. As we rode home I saw a huge smoke plume to the NE where a large grass fire was burning between Minot and the town of Surry. It is very dry here.

We arrived home 5 minutes before Codie from Easter Seals was to arrive at 5 pm for an in-home visit in preparation for hiring a bath aide. We discussed options and preferences. Codie had used Mapquest to find her way from her office to mom's house. Minot is small and laid out on a grid so getting around and finding places is not often hard. I could make a crack about women and directions, but she originally grew up in Foxholm and had not traveled in Minot much. Beside she was young and cute and sweet.

Cody called this morning and she lined up a bath aide for mom starting Friday. Mom's Medigap insurance (policy I) will pay for the visits up to $40 per visit, 7 visits per week, and $1600 a year.

Earlier while waiting for the diabetes educator/nutritionist I walked across the street to the Keycare Medical business and checked on mom's power chair application. While the doctor has now finally filled out his paperwork Kelly told me that I needed a physical therapist to fill out a form after doing a face-to-face evaluation. I was right after all. Ann, the therapist, claimed she had spoken with Keycare and was told by someone (other than Kelly) that she didn't have to fill the form out. Ann said only the doctor filled out the forms and that she would give the doctor her evaluation. Wrong.

Kelly came today to do a home inspection. With all these ads for scooters and power chairs Medicare has been overwhelmed by requests, and has been spending lots of money on the chairs. Many people don't need one of these chairs, and some can't even use one as their place has no wheelchair ramp or the chair wouldn't even fit inside their place of residence. So Medicare now requires the power chair provider to do a home inspection and provide measurements of doors and halls and ensure the residence has a ramp if needed.

Mom is set to get a power chair if Ann will ever fill out the therapist's face-to-face eval form. Ann has never filled out one of these forms and appears to be dragging her feet at doing so. Kelly has now seen her behavior about this and since she never called us later today, I believe Kelly has straightened Ann out. Kelly seems to be very knowledgeable about Medicare and durable medical equipment and the rules and appears to have a personality where it will be done.