22 October 2024
It's been a chaotic two days. The dust seems to have settled but you can never tell for sure.
Yesterday I was in Berkeley awaiting the arrival of our Alfa at a new mechanic when Ming called again. This time she said she had found a bed in a nursing facility in Alameda, across the bay.
That wasn't going to work either.
There was no way you could reasonably transport Joyce to her Kaiser appointments in San Francisco through morning rush hour from Alameda. And no way for me to get there every day either.
Ming said Medicare only covered five days of hospitalization for $220 a day. After five days, her Kaiser Senior Advantage covers it but not if she's been discharged.
So I would have to appeal the discharge with Livanta, a company that handles the appeals. She was going to give me the number, but I asked her to text it to me because I was on the sidewalk. And she did.
I talked to Megan at Livanta who accurately transcribed the situation and filed the appeal.
I get to the hospital in time for Joyce'd OT/PT session, 20 minutes after they gave her Oxycodone for pain. Eugene is the OT. She screams in pain but sits up on the edge of the bed for a minute and even on her feet for a few seconds. No one seeing her would send her home, though.
Kristine the LVN kindly texts to ask about Joyce. I fill her in.
TODAY
I visit Joyce before noon while Amir the tow truck driver tries unsuccessfully to extract the Alfa from Garcia, who keeps changing the rules. Eventually, I contact my attorney, who contact his to let them know he's violating the agreement.
Joyce is sedate. Later I learn she had another dose of Oxycodone.
I get a blizzard of calls from Kaiser. Natalie, a social worker, Marianne, a patient care coordinator and, when get home, Dr. Pondicherry, new to the case, who is prescribing Zoloft with Remeron (which should also help her appetite). She's also prescribed tramadol for her pain, an opioid.
When I get home I see a message from Livanta. The appeal was denied.