For Lee

Pro/Con

On the AMAZING front, I got a phone call this morning from the lady who is the Deputy Director of the state Medicaid program, telling me that she'd gotten the flier I'd mailed her department, and she'd viewed this blog ("particularly noticed the... um... language...") and that from what she'd read, that Lee definitely qualifies for this new kind of Medicaid that nobody's ever heard of, but that's not what matters --- LEE IS GONNA GET MEDICAID!!!!!!!

Now, that won't cover everything, I'm sure, because most private doctors in this state REFUSE to take Medicaid, but if the specialist who has pledged his work pro-bono comes through, we might be able to cover the majority. Medicaid will probably cover all of the hospitalization costs and in-hospital therapy/recovery/rehab, and then we'll figure something out about the home-care/after-care. As to the anaesthesiologist, nurses, and any other surgeons who may be called-in for the procedure(s), it's still up in the air.

Now, on the STILL DON'T KNOW front, Susan & Lee headed up to Shreveport eaarrrrrlllllyyyy this morning, I got 'em on the phone while they were on the road to tell them about the call from the Medicaid lady, but I haven't heard from them since.

When I got home around 7:30P CST, Susan's cellphone was turned off, so I assumed that they were either out of range of towers or asleep. Hopefully they got a motel room for the night and crashed out, and will be home tomorrow. OR, more testing was needed, and they had to stay over to do that in the morning (this morning, if you go by the time mark on this post), and hopefully I'll hear from them sometime today.

Most of what happens from here on out depends on that specialist in Shreveport, so I'm kinda on pins & needles at the moment, and I can't wait to give y'all the (hopefully) good news, 'cause I know that there are dozens and probably hundreds of people out there in the blogoshere who care about Lee and who want her to have the life that she deserves.

When we know what the specialist has said, and has recommended, based upon the wonderful offers and advice that we've gotten from UAB (University of Alabama At Birmingham), at Tulane's Neurosurgery/Neurofibromatosis Clinic, and about a charity hospital in Mississippi that may be out fall-back option. Susan took all of that information up there with him, so hopefully he can advise them as to which program will be the most appropriate for Lee's current condition and for the most positive prognosis.

SO --- more news when I've got it, I'm going to download the PDF for the Medicaid application, which I will be getting to Susan as soon as they get up/get home/get ahold of me & let me know where this thing stands. Great many thanks to all of you who have pitched in, not only financially, but in way of information, education, conduits to all of these amazing programs, and in way of emotional and spiritual support. To all of the Fairy Blogmothers & Blogfathers, to all of the wonderful humans with whom I've been so fortunate to intersect and who have been such a huge help to me, and to Lee, I thank you, so much. With all my heart.

I am still overwhelmed by this whole amazing open-hearted response to Lee's situation. Just when you think that the world can't get any crappier, while you watch Katie Couric verbally fellate the Bush Regime on network television, when you think that there's no hope left via ANY of the "proper channels" --- there y'all go, amazing me all over again.

Thank y'all. So much.

posted by Anntichrist S. Coulter @ 11:22 PM