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Transporting incontinent, wheelchair bound patient
Just wondering if anyone has experience with this that might be able to offer some advice.
We had moved my in-laws here to Colorado from Thousand Oaks, CA about 6 months ago. My mother-in-law had a brain stem stroke and while she has improved over the months, she can’t open her eyes, walk, or control bowel movements at all. She’s on oxygen and feeding tube.
My father-in-law wants to move back to California with her and I’m looking for options on getting her there. My wife will accompany her (she’s a nurse).
When we brought her here she was in much worse shape and she came on a private air ambulance at a cost of around $16K. Since she is much more stable condition, there may be cheaper options. Since she is much more stable, they are now quoting $14K, but it seems like there has to be a less expensive way.
My wife says no to commercial airline because of the incontinence and there is no place that they could change her if there was a bowel movement on the plane. I suggested immodium or something like it but that didn’t go over so well with my wife. What do I know?
Another thought is a train, but there is nothing direct. Would have to go Denver to Sacramento and then to Bakerfield. Bakersfield is two hours away from where she’d be going so we’d have to get a wheelchair accessible van or something from there. Still, I’m not sure if that rules things out and I’m wondering if anyone has had any experience with different options.
I suppose there may be some other form of ground transport where they would stop one or two nights along the way at hotels but I don’t know of such services. It’s about a 20 hour drive from here to there.
Any ideas are welcome. My father-in-law is not indigent but he’d rather spend money on the long term care than have to borrow or sell assets for a $14K transport charge.
Thanks, Mike
Age 54
10/31/06 dx CIS (TisG3) non-invasive (at 47)
9/19/08 TURB/TUIP dx Invasive T2G3
10/8/08 RC neobladder(at 49)
2/15/13 T4G3N3M1 distant metastases(at 53)
9/2013 finished chemo -cancer free again
1/2014 ct scan results….distant mets
2/2014 ct result…spread to liver, kidneys, and lymph system
My opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of ABLCS or anyone else. I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV.