Prayer Focus Change

Often God's plans are not our plans or our hopes, they are usually much better, but patience is required. Right now it's hard to see the better, but I believe it to be true. He is trustworthy, so I will trust Him, even when I don't see.

We still don't have a place for Mike to go. He's still at UVA. Amelia was obviously not it, but we/I learned a great deal in the process of being denied by them which helps as we move forward. And we will move forward, it's a matter of when and where.

This morning my friend, Nancy drove up with me and Gayle and Tom met us at The Harbor. We packed all of Mike's things, said good-bye, and I shed a few tears. The staff there have treated Mike and me well, it is a beautiful and clean facility, and I will miss the people there. It is the end of a three year chapter of our lives, but I am hopeful that this new chapter will find Mike closer to me and receiving the therapy that he needs to walk again, plus gentle and kind caregivers, like he has had at The Harbor.

Many conversations have taken place in the last few days. Here's a brief outline:

Monday
Case manager - Grace won't take him because The Harbor won't commit to take him back.
Me - speechless
The Harbor, L & B - Want to take him back, but he needs, no deserves therapy and may need more care after therapy than we can provide. Not saying won't take him back, but can't promise.
Me - ahhh, understood
Case manager & L - main stumbling block for all rehab is after therapy, then where and how will it be paid for? NEED Medicaid!

Mike seems in pain, agitated, can't relax
Me - is he getting pain med regularly?
RN - no, PRN (as needed)
Me - uhh, he's non-verbal. I think he needs it regularly scheduled. Would you ask about that?
RN - ok
She wasn't our best nurse, so I stayed til the night shift and asked again. Then drive home to start Medicaid process.

Tuesday
Spent the morning gathering info and applying for Medicaid. Talk with Liesa about Amelia, The Harbor, Grace, strategies, locked versus unlocked facilities, etc. Looks like this could take a while. UVA can't kick him out til there's a safe place for him to go.
Me - so guess I should come get his things?
L - yes, probably best, though we hate to see y'all go.
Me - contact a previously used law office to try to get help understanding all of this or to try to speed up the process. They can't see me till July 23.  Maybe I'll look elsewhere. Know a good Medicaid lawyer? Let me know, ASAP!

Wednesday
Case manager - sent out 60 referrals, some don't have beds, most want to know plan for after and if we have Medicaid. Long term can be $9,000/month!
Me - $9,000?!?!!
Social worker, a man from a facility, case manager, Nancy and me - talk, brain storm, what to do??? We're all doing all we know to do.

I'll stay on DSS and try to do whatever it takes to get Mike on Medicaid ASAP. Does the government ever move fast?

Case manager will continue to search and now can say "Medicaid pending".

Mike was sitting in the hall when we arrived today. "Ommm, ommm". We rolled him around the halls for a good while. I shaved him, cleaned his face, brushed his teeth. Back in bed he slept a little. Still not on regular pain med, not even Tylenol. Go through whole thing again. I trimmed his nails. Meds including pain med and supper, then he was agitated. Pain med or ??? He's not talking to me at all. So frustrating. However, spoke with PT and they did get him up and he took a few steps at the parallel bars. Yay! Yet they still think pain is the barrier to doing more.

Going to contact the psychiatrist that has been with him at The Harbor and knows his baseline. She works at UVA. Maybe she can help.

At this point I'm praying for God's will and keeping the faith. No specifics, I'll leave that to Him.

I have to believe that God works all things together for good to those who love him and are called according to his purpose. That gives me hope. I'm seeking to be His witness always.

Thank you for praying.