My husband went to St Joseph's Hospital-North and was there for almost a weak. He lost all feeling in his legs. He's had muscle weakness since January and it just got worse and worse where he could not even walk. It has been a nightmare; one I would never wish on my worst enemy. He was discharged in March and Kathleen came to our house the next day.
My husband had slept in a recliner Wednesday until Kathleen got there on Thursday. He couldn't get up to use the restroom; he had plastic urinals that I would empty but was scared to eat because he would have to have a bowel movement and he knew I couldn't get him up. Thank goodness for Kathleen because she helped get him up without any hesitation. She had stressed that it was not safe for him to be home as he couldn't get up from the recliner and gave us the name of a rehab facility. She went out of her way and contacted the facility and explained the situation and told us that this would truly be the best place for my husband. She even went that day out of the kindness of her heart to speak with the staff and they put in for the authorization through our insurance (BCBS) to get him there asap.
We were so excited to get him the help he needed because he was truly helpless at the house. To our surprise, BCBS, denied my husband stating that he was fine. They said that St. Joseph's hospital discharged him, so they felt he didn't need rehab. Mind you when he was discharged that day a nurse had to walk with the gentleman who was wheeling him out to get him into my SUV. The nurse kept saying, "I don't like this!" because she knew he couldn't get up on his own and couldn't walk. So, for the next three days, he could not get up off his recliner at home without the assistance of Kathleen on Thursday, and another associate of yours on Friday and then another associate of yours on Saturday.
Kathleen contacted me numerous times daily and told me to fight with the insurance company because he needed the help! After fighting and fighting with no hope in sight, we had to bring him back to the hospital on Saturday. Kathleen was still in touch with us encouraging us to still fight BCBS to get him into Rehab as it would be the best suitable for him because they would give him the intense physical therapy he needed. The hospital put the authorization in for him to go there and of course they denied again!
Kathleen and the staff at Rehab told me to keep fighting with the insurance company and gave me the proper wording to say to the person in charge of the denial at BCBS to fight this battle. The Doctors at the hospital fought too! Everyone at Baycare was truly amazing! I would go home after visiting my husband so depressed and frustrated with this whole situation and Kathleen would build my spirits up and just kept encouraging me when I was at my lowest point. She kept me grounded. I could text her any time, morning, noon or night and she would answer me so quickly. She is our angel in disguise. I don't know where we would be without her. We appealed the denial and the Doctor did a Peer-to-Peer with the Doctor at BCBS and we won! We FINALLY got approved for my husband to go to Rehab!
Do you know who was there the day my husband went to Rehab? Kathleen was! She walked with him over to the Rehab Center. She checked in with me daily to see how he was doing! I knew I could always count on her! I drilled her with questions, and she answered all of them! I've texted her crying and just wanting to give up and she just knew the right things to say to me to give me hope. She just went above and beyond for us she still does! Who knows where we would be right now without her.
I am just so blessed Kathleen came into our lives. You have a truly amazing Nurse working for you who has the biggest heart! Thank you for bringing her into our lives. I could go on and on and on about how truly wonderful she is but I'm sure you get the picture.
My husband is improving thanks to Kathleen! I hope someday we will be able to repay her for all she has done for us!