URGENT!!!! Can anyone help Rainbow?

Rainbow just called me and he doesn't know what he's going to do! The hospital administrators want to send him to England because they say that there's nothing they can do for him here. He's already contacted the British Embassy, but they say he'd have to reside in England for 6 months to reestablish citizenship before he could get the free health care. He has no one in England who could help him even get from the plane.

He couldn't talk very long because he has trouble even holding the phone. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, his phone number is 203 565 7829.

He can no longer stand on his own or even use his arms. He's desperate and asked me to post his plea in case anyone can help.

I wish I were smart enough to be able to figure out something helpful. Any more, you just about have to be an attorney with knowledge of international law! What a pickle he is in.

Helen,

Unfortunately, the information Rainbow has been given is correct. As I former employee of the National Health Service I can confirm that once you have been non-resident for over six months you lose your right to free health care. This is only reinstated once you have been back in the country for 6 months. He could try the Salvation Army - they might be able to put him in touch with an organisation with would help with his repatriation.

A quick search of the web revealed this Charity
http://www.airambulancecharities.co.uk/

I don't know if they could help. There is also the British Red Cross Society.

Bless you Jenny. One of those suggestions just might be his answer.

Thanks Zada and Jenny. I'll call him back with the suggestions. He said it sounded like the hospital would pay for him to get to England, but then he doesn't know how he'd get back.

It's like he's paralyzed right now. He thanks you for the suggestions, but he can barely make a phone call. He's helpless at this point and sounds very distraught.

He first has to reach his friend so that he has someone who can actually make phone calls or do the running around for him.

I feel so bad for him. Maybe getting the media involved in his plight would help.

It's a crime that the medical setup in this country is so heartless. Wish I could help, but it's beyond my ability.

I really hate this "hands tied" feeling.

Maybe some folks in a medical forum who have been in similar situations know of resources we don't.

I found this place:

http://www.medhelp.org/search?query=stenosis+

Thanks Dick and Joelle for your responses to this cry for help.

I really think he needs someone in Texas who can do things like making phone calls. His lawyer who's working on his disability case needs to be contacted. The social workers who came to see him from the adult abuse prevention should be contacted so they can go to work for him and prevent this hospital from abusing him as he slowly descends into a state of despair.

I think Rainbow was very down today because the hospital administration is trying to scare him into signing himself out. They don't know what to do with him. He needs the operation, and the hospital where this could take place refuses to take him.

I think he's panicking. And rightfully so. But he needs help from anyone in the Laredo area who could make some phone calls or show up and give him a little moral support.

It's a long shot of finding anyone on these boards, but if anyone is in the area or knows of anyone or any agency in the area who could help, I think that's what he needs right now.

Rainbow does have a good friend in Laredo. The hospital is trying to reach his daughter in Australia. But he doesn't know if she would come and help him. That's very sad. But it's very real. That's what he's dealing with. He also has a son. But there was no word of trying to contact him.

He has a lawyer who is working on his disability. He has the owners of the RV park where he lives who know a neurologist in Mexico. Rainbow has seen him already. He said he needed an MRI and now he has one.

Rainbow can't use his hands now as well as his legs. He can't even make the necessary phone calls, and after 3 weeks in the hospital, he's not thinking clearly.

If anyone knows anyone in the Laredo area that could help him right now, that's what he needs. It's certainly a long shot, but you just never know.

Thanks so much for all those who care! He appreciates it that people ask about him. He's in a situation that I hope I'm never in. How helpless it feels!

I'm so sorry to hear about Rainbow. Unfortunately, I found out the
truth about our medical profession when I had to battle doctors and
hospitals for my mother's care. Many times I had to rush her to the ER
where she sat waiting for attention, one time for six hours before
someone would look at her--and she had insurance. But like one
indifferent doctor told me, "She's old. What do you expect?" At that
time she was in her early seventies. My outraged letters failed to get
him fired or even reprimanded.

One time in a hospital that was so modern they had a Flight for Life
helicopter, the doctor treated her in ER, put her in a room and failed
to follow up. I was terrified she was dying right before my eyes, and I
tried to talk to the administrator plus other doctors, but no one would
listen. They shrugged me off as a hysterical female. One nurse finally
took me to the side and gave me the name of a specialist in another
hospital and in desperation, I called him. He couldn't do anything as
long as the one doctor was technically on the case, so I called the dr,
fired him and called the specialist back. He sent an ambulance and crew
to that great, modern hospital and they retrieved my mother with the
gurney and wheeled her through the halls to the waiting ambulance. The
specialist prescribed treatment over the phone to the paramedics and
she immediately got better. She was actually sitting up and talking by
the time the ambulance arrived at the other hospital.

Our medical system is a disgrace, and I'm so sorry there's another victim. Wish I could help.

I just saw this thread. I feel so helpless. The best I can do is pray and send positive thoughts and energy his way! Thank you, Helen, for being such a good friend to him! He needs all the positive people around him right now.

Sorry I can't do more!

Helen,
I just logged-on and read about the situation with Rainbow.
I had suggested the Red Cross and the Salvation Army previously and don't know if he had contacted them.
At this stage where it is becoming desperate, perhaps contacting a news bureau may help. They are always looking for a story and if his plight is published, it may bring help from unknown sources. At this stage, it is worth a try.

PS. It may also play well in the political arena concerning the healthcare issues.

Good idea about the news media, Abe.

I have insurance and have been trying to find a diagnosis and treatment for almost five months. I came back from the Mayo Clinic with no answers, but they said I needed some surgery. Yesterday, I went to a loving man here at home who is also an excellent surgeon and he is doing what needs to be done this morning. He has some other ideas about what to do next.

Another thing we do in our small town when someone doesn't have insurance is to have "benefits" where food is donated and a local musical group provides music and local people donate money.

Carol

Here's a thought: try to find someone who will contact the Obama campaign. It is the sort of story they are looking for.

Thanks everyone for your responses. They've helped me rejuvenate myself to try and do something more than just talking about Rainbow's problem. I feel so helpless, but you've given me some ideas.

I just called him, but his phone went right to voice mail, so it's not turned on. I left a message asking him for the hospital's name and address for anyone who'd like to send him a card or letter. I asked him for his friend Bill's phone number so that I might be able to brainstorm with him on some of the posted ideas. I can do things like contacting the Obama campaign, which I think is a great idea!

If I can talk to his friend, I can mention a fund raiser and contacting a local media source.

Abe, I think he has already contacted the Salvation Army and Red Cross, but I can mention it again.

Brenda, your story about your mother is just outrageous!! I know that when my dad was in the hospital, if it weren't for all of my sisters staying on top of things, the hospital would've probably treated him just as they did your mother. Thank God that you were able to save your mom because of that one concerned nurse!

Rainbow is totally helpless at this point. And I'm not sure what to think about his phone not being on right now. I hope he's just charging it.

Thanks again. Keep the ideas coming!

Helen

Thank you, Helen, for your comment. Most people do not believe such
things are happening in today's society, but I know they are. I could
go on and on about my mother, but that would serve no purpose here. All
I can say now is that I wish there was something we could do to help
Rainbow. At least he has you, a good friend who cares. Knowing someone
cares helps when you're fighting established medical procedure-and
indifferent doctors.

Thanks, Brenda. I haven't been able to reach Rainbow all day. I left him a message but got no response. The calls went right to voice mail.

I'm hoping that nothing even worse is happening at the hospital. You got me thinking what can happen to him with no one to speak up for him. I don't think he has anyone coming to visit very often.

I'm hoping he'll get my message and contact me tomorrow.

I'm in California or I'd go visit. When I was fighting for care and was
panicked and outraged by some of the things that had happened, I called
the local newspaper. They investigated and the hospital called me and
invited me to a meeting with all the officials.

But all of that takes time. One idea I later had, was to call The
National Enquirer. They might even have their telephone number printed
on the paper. They loved stories like that. It might be worth a try.

I did a quick search and found this site. It's for gossip about
celebrities, but they might be able to transfer you to the right
department:

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/tip/

Helen,
I assume Rainbow has a Green Card allowing him to live and work in the USA. That being the case, it is my understanding that he would be entitled to welfare, and welfare recipients get free medical care.
It is something that needs to be checked.

Yes, Abe, Rainbow is a LEGAL alien, with a number. I don't know if that is a green card or not. But I think the fact that he is alien is the problem if I understand it correctly. Maybe if he went to Mexico and came across the border illegally he would qualify.

I am sorry to hear of Rainbow's predicament and I wish I were in a position to offer help.

zadaconnaway wrote:

Yes, Abe, Rainbow is a LEGAL alien

He's an alien? Wow... (/joke)

Thanks for more suggestions.

Yes, Rainbow is an alien in many ways--and very proud of it!

He's been in the states for 6 years and was married to a U. S. citizen and got his green card. His wife died after a couple years of marriage. He's been trying to get the disability through her social security. He's 3 years short of qualifying for his own medicare. He has a lawyer who is supposed to be working on his disability appeal.

Everything has been taking so much time, and now he's not answering his phone. My calls go right to voice mail. I called today again and left him a message to call me, but I think something's wrong. I don't even know which hospital he's in. I'm pretty sure he was trying to get into the Laredo Medical Center for the operation, but there are many other hospitals in Laredo.

Now that I have the time to call around for him, I can't find him!

Helen,
should I ever have a problem where I needed help, I would hope to have someone like you who cares enough to do what you're doing.
Not being able to locate him must be perplexing. Let's hope that he's being treated and can't be reached for that reason.

Thanks so much Abe for your kind words.

I'd like to think that he's being treated and not reachable. It is frustrating, but I don't really know how much I can help being on the other side of the U.S.

He really needs the operation. The hospital knows it and hopefully he has someone there in Texas fighting for him. The last time I talked to him, it sounded like he was losing the fight in him. He wasn't even sure if his daughter would come out from Australia and help him. It's very sad that such a vibrant personality like Rainbow is now in such a state where he's rendered helpless and has to rely on an indifferent hospital to do the right thing and operate.