Cody's Scooter Update, please do not post replies on this post

[Gary LaBombard]

Cody Scooter update

Hello everyone, this is Wednesday, October 31, 2007 update of arranging for Cody to receive a much needed scooter for him to get around on during every day.

If I can first of all request that Richard move this post to the upper part of the MAK board for a few days so that this information will not be shuffled into several pages of new post until everything is completed.  I hope no one will post on this new thread I am starting and just leave it for any updates I may have for the next few days.  If you want to make any comments, please use the original thread concerning this in the MAK thread section that is over 5 pages long now as this has become very important to complete as I will explain.

Again I have to go against what Cody probably would want you all to know but I feel is important that you do and hope he will not be embarrassed or upset with me for posting this information. 

Cody has had several falls from his existing indoor wheel chair he now uses as late as day before yesterday and that his wonderful wife Libby had to assist him in getting back into.  This is not a thought that I can clear from my head and want to be sure everyone knows the importance of completing what we have all joined in doing for him now.  Preventing any injuries, bone brakes, head injuries etc. is of the utmost importance for Cody and for me personally to be sure he can have a better quality of life now.

Before I get into what has happened in the past 24 hours I want to make a few thanks public for those that have greatly assisted in making this all happen up to this moment.

(1) Richard Bowyer, Thank you for donating the original scooter to Cody and actually making all this possible.  Richard was also detrimental in helping us decide a new direction to travel in making it possible for us to get Cody a scooter.  Thanks also Richard for the original post making us aware that Cody was indeed in need of our busnut's family help.

(2) Dallas and Busted Knuckles family for volunteering to arrange any needed repairs in the scooter donated by Richard to begin with.

(3) John Penzotti, Thanks also for all the phone calls you made in coordinating the shipping of Cody's chair over the past few days and all the support in making the decisions we have now made to also make this happen.

(4) All the donations received as of this date from our busnut family here on the MAK board and perhaps from other bb'ds that have read our post and contributed.  So far we have had $370 grossed in donations and after Paypal's cut there is $350.35 net to forward to Cody in the next few days after I explain also what is happening as of yesterday.  Thank you so much to all that could help us out here again, Cody I know is really touched by all this from his bulletin board friends as well as I am.

(5) Special thanks is to Terry of the Bay Home Medical & Rehabilation store located in Marquette, MI. for all his assistance in making it possible for Cody receiving a much needed scooter. 

Here is where we now stand since the past 24 hrs.  Many telephone calls were made by John Penzotti to Richard to coordinate a meeting area for John's friend in (Charleston, SC) who volunteered to help Richard ship Cody the scooter Richard offered.  Thank God John's friend in Charleston, SC had the common sense to realize we were planning a shipping drop off point at the wrong Charleston location.  Unbeknown by me there is several Charleston's this was caught by someone sharper than me. LOL.

We finally sorted out the correct location of dropping off the chair Richard donated to Cody to be in Charleston, WVA and then the planning of getting everyone together started to take place. 

John made several phone calls to the nearest UPS store to where Richard's appointment was for his medical follow up at the (CMAC) hospital on Tuesday.  John was convinced he was able to persuade the UPS Store personnel to assist Richard with the shipping of Cody's chair and he also received an estimate for shipping cost of the scooter over the phone which was kind of high but acceptable to do.

Well Richard was able to locate the correct UPS store in (Charleston, WVA) the time he allotted to be there before his appointment at the hospital.  NOTE, when my bus is able to be roadworthy, I plan to visit as many towns with the name of Charleston as I can, looks like I may see much of the country in doing so.  LOL  A little humor there, we needed it.

Anyhow after the actual inspection of the scooter by UPS personnel and an actual shipping charge was considered Richard called me with the surprise of the day.  It was calculated that the cost of shipping of this scooter would be between $400 - $500 after packaging by UPS personnel!!!   Richard immediately called me with this devastating news.  Richard also at this moment said he did not think this scooter was worth that entire amount for shipping considered as it also needed repairs to get running properly and also new batteries.  I tended to agree, this was awful to believe this amount for shipping was this high.  A new plan had to be revised; I told Richard to continue to his Medical Appointment and would be in contact with him with final decisions what to do.

I conferred with John Penzotti who just come unglued I believe and again called the persons he talked with at the Charleston WVA UPS store to see why such a discrepancy existed with the shipping cost.  Through negotiations with the UPS store personnel John was able to convince the UPS store shippers to help us get Cody his chair for the bottom shipping cost of $300.  John and I conferred and agreed even this was much higher than original shipping cost quoted and decided to research another avenue before Richards Appointment was over so we could tell him the results.

I got to thinking of why help cannot be achieved for Cody through our Bureaucratic System as his illness is about as severe as can be imagined and I could not believe that there was not support someplace.  I called a medical supply store near Cody's residence in Michigan and found directions we could follow to get Cody qualified for a new or good used scooter. 

I called Cody to get additional information that the Medical Supply store needed to follow up on to assist us all in helping out Cody to get qualified for assistance.  In my call to Cody I found out that Cody attempted to get qualified by this Bureaucratic System a year or so ago when it was diagnosed that he had Parkinson's disease.  He was disqualified as a medical scooter recipient because he was (Able to walk 20 ft. on his own power)!!!!  Can you imagine how this kicked him in the groin you might say?  This requirement in disqualifying him from receiving any scooter assistance completely discouraged Cody from requesting assistance again since.  I cannot express in this post my outrage at this requirement and disgust to who ever come up with that particular requirement.  Why would anyone have to be required to go through an obstacle coarse you might say to qualify for assistance to sit forever in a darn ole chair??  This just infuriates me to think about.  I am now wondering and am sorry.

Well, after receiving all the information I had to from Cody I forwarded this to the Bay Home Medical Supply & Rehabilitation store yesterday. I now feel more confident that Cody will get assistance very soon with help from Terry that works at the Supply store.  I will follow up on this to the end, I promise to be sure that Cody suffers no additional injuries just trying to get around each day and thanks to Terry at the Medical Supply store Cody will be qualified to receive a better scooter not requiring any repairs and ready for Cody to use as soon as it is delivered to him.

Cody not only suffers from Parkinson's disease for the past 6 years but also has been diagnosed last month with MS with no possible chance of recovery from either. 

Should any requirement after today prevent Cody from receiving a much needed scooter the monies we have collected from your donations will be used in assistance to get Cody a much needed Scooter even if it is used.  It will be in great condition and Terry has assured me that he will work with us to make this happen just as soon as it is possible.  We are hoping a new scooter will be possible for Cody but again the requirement of the system may cause this to not be possible.  We do have someone who will assist us in getting a good used one for Cody to have.

I will keep this thread post open for updates only on our progress to achieve our goal and get Cody his scooter.  Please again do not make comments on this particular thread post so you will not have to read many post to know what is happening up to the latest moment.   Any comments you wish to contribute can be posted to the original request for assistance posted by Richard on the MAK bb'd.

Thanks so much again for this time in reading this post and all the support you have all given for Cody.

Gary   

[Gary LaBombard]

Hello again everyone,

Here is the latest update information concerning us getting Cody a much needed scooter.  I will post the message received as it was received and keep your fingers crossed and say a few prayers this can happen even sooner than anticipated. 
Gary

Here is latest message received from Scooter Store in Michigan;

Good morning,

Just wanted to shoot off a quick update. I have spoken with Dan and we have an appt to do a home assessment this Friday @11:00 AM. I have also been in contact with the doctors office and should be getting those documents shortly. If all goes well I should be able to get him in a chair within the next two to four weeks maybe even sooner.

I will let you know how things progress as we move along in the process.

Please note also that other generous donation were received today and the balances are at this moment;
Gross $440 donated     Net=$417.27 after paypal got their cut.
This is wonderful, if these funds are not needed toward a new or used scooter I will forward every penny to Cody and know it will uplift him to offset some medical expenses he has and just let him know how much we love him and want him looking upward, Always.
Gary 

[Gary LaBombard]

Saturday, November 3, 2007

I have only a little update information concerning Cody's Power Chair he needs and I wanted to post what information I have now. 

Cody was interviewed Friday Morning by a local Medical Supply Store consultant near his home, he was measured for a powered chair by his weight, height and width??  This was to make it possible to have a proper fitting chair and not be too big or too small in size.

Per the interview it was recommended by the store Representative that Cody is too unstable to have a 3 wheel scooter as he falls so easily.  A 4-6 wheel powered chair will be the requirement for Cody's safety and this is fine with Cody. 

All paper work has been made out and being processed and definite word will be given to Cody by Thursday of next week and with a possibility that Cody will also have his powered chair by then as well. 

Medicare will only pay 80% of the cost of a (NEW) powered chair and having a used chair is out of the question to them.  Cody has applied for medicare to get a chair some time ago and was denied as he could walk at times 20 feet under his own power!!  Good Grief!!  Anyhow this discouraged Cody from reapplying which I understand about his giving up but sure as --ll don't understand why the bureaucratic system says he has to submit proof he needs this chair and now being diagnosed with MS by his medical doctor.  Here I am wandering again.

I may post again if it is needed for additional donations if the monies we have collected so far do not cover the copay that will be needed to cover what Medicare does not pay??  I will only do so if absolutely needed and again I do not know anymore than I am posting this moment and have to wait for next week to come.  If we have any funds left available I will forward them to Cody so that perhaps a neighbor or local Fraternal organization can build him a much needed ramp to get in and out of his house under his own power with his new chair.   

Information about Cody's chair will be posted as it is available to you all.  Thank you all for your interest, donations and support in making this situation for Cody become less taxing on him emotionally any longer.

Gary   

[DrivingMissLazy]

As an added bit of information, if the patient has the supplemental insurance, in addition to Medicare, it should all be paid for by these two insurances.

I know because Janet has a chair and it was totally paid for by the Medicare and supplemental insurance.
Richard