ptsd It looks like I may be headed to residentail care soon?

[MKAH]

Good morning everyone.

Over the past week or two I have been doing phone interviews for out of state residential long term care for PTSD-MST.  Yesterday I was called on told I was excepted and they had a sport for me as early as next week.  They admissions coordinator asked me how I would be able to get the the treatment center in Roseburg Oregon which is about six hours of non stop driving one way.  I am a 51/50 high risk patient and am not allowed to drive sent when I was released from BH-ICU lock down from the 4th thru the 11th, the doctor told me that transportation will be ultimately be figured out for me by the VA due to my sever panic, anxiety, SI and inability to drive.  Yesterday morning I told the residential treatment admissions coordinator, what my treating physician had said about travel and he said he would call him.   I did not hear back one way of the other.

 

This morning, I was looking over the appointment calendar on E-benefits and noticed a new appointment that I did not schedule located in Roseburg Oregon on the 26th..    I don't know if they plan to call me on the 26th of April or if my planned admission is on that date?

My thoughts are to give Roseburg and or Mather VA Hospitals, a call this morning and if they do not answer, I might try the VA transportation department at Mather Ca.?

Anyone have  experience or thoughts on this ?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Mark Nicholson

VA Northern California Health Care System

10535 Hospital Way Mather, CA 95655
800-382-8387 | 916-843-7000
website

- See more at: http://www.va.gov/HEALTHBENEFITS/vtp/map.asp#California

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 22, 2016 by MKAH

[iceturkee]

i am authorized door to door transport for all of my va appointments but i have to let my social worker know. she, in turn, coordinates and schedules the pick up.

[Tbird]

give them a call no sense wondering all day.

[THOMAS89031]

MKAH..Your situation may qualify you to see a local Dr. under the Veterans Choice Program.

Try calling 1-866-606- 8198 for information..  Good Luck

[MKAH]

2 hours ago, Tbird said:

give them a call no sense wondering all day.

TBird,

 

I did, and everyone including my BH-ICU doctor said they are going to call someone and I'll get a call with instructions that day.  It just isn't happening, so I called the travel department at the Mather Medical Center (six hours round trip from my home) where I was admitted to ICU for seven days.  She said that she could see my residential care appointment in Oregon early next week but not other note.  She said, no problem, just go to the bus station, buy a ticket and then drive to the Mather and they would give me the money that I spent on the ticket .  Like seventy bucks or something,  then drive home, catch the bus which has an estimated travel time of nearly six hours to Roseburg Or.  The catch a cab to the hospital.

I am completely broke because my wife had to stay in a hotel at Mather for two night when I was in ICU, and the VA would not pay for for any mileage or hotel that I was not part of even though she had to take care of my medical business while i was locked down in ICU.  so I am out $130 in miegae for one round trip for her, $211 for two separate one night hotel stays at the VA approved hotel, and another two trips mileage one way with to return how and to come pick me up which is another $130.  So I'm in the hole $260 + $211 = $471 already before getting into long term care. 

As I mentioned before, " I am a 51/50 classified as a flagged high risk patient and am not allowed to drive since I was released from BH-ICU lock down from the 4th thru the 11th. The doctor at BH-ICH at Mather told me that transportation will be ultimately be figured out for me by the VA due to my sever panic, anxiety, SI and inability to drive."  

The last time I spoke with my doctor at Mather, he said he would call Roseburg again and figure out transportation for me.  I explained that I would try and organize a shuttle but for myself but was having problems getting called back.  The local transportation companies where I live do not seem interested in working with the VA for this kind of thing.  I called four outfits and no-one called me back.

Me sitting on a greyhound bus with 50 other people including strange men I do not trust, alone, would send me into the outer limits of suicide.  Going outside is a real accomplishment for me and required the use of five different psychiatric medications including Thorazine to get to out at all.

I can not afford to have my wife, family or friends drive me as I have not worked since Jan 4th, 2016 and already owe $471 for UN-approved travel now.  

I am freaking a 57 year old former combat medic, crying my eyes out over choosing long term phychiatric treatment, or rolling the dice and not being able to make the six hour bus trip, with fifty sweaty strangers.

At this point, I feel like my only option is to stay home and not go.    I feel absolutely terrible.....

Mark

 

Update, a transportation company in Redding where I live, just called and say the absolute rock bottom they could do this for is $800 bucks and I would need to pay them in advance.  Surely the VA has a contract with someone that can do this for less than that?

 

 

Edited April 23, 2016 by MKAH

[Tbird]

mark - i'm here give me a minute to read through your post.

[Tbird]

the doc said you would get instructions that day? perhaps they are planning on calling you the morning of the 25th. it's not cool to leave you hanging like that. don't attempt to get yourself there it sounds like that would be a bad idea.

have you tried veterans crisis line chat and see if they can find any answers for you?