NOT
FROSTBITE
On
Tuesday night a gentleman came in. He was having a problem with one of his toes
which he thought was from frostbite. He found out that night he has diabetes
and his toe is gangrenous. He needs $45 to get a surgical consult and we
are working with him to get him the money as he has none. (I will ask my Sunday
school class on Sunday and feel confident they will pitch in together for it if
the other options don’t pan out). Without treatment (most likely amputation)
for his toe he can become septic and die. He was given tools to monitor his
diabetes, medication and education while at the clinic. -- volunteer
2
PIZZAS
In
Luke 17:11, Jesus heals 10 lepers. Nine continue on their way. But one, a
Samaritan and foreigner, returned to give thanks. At the Center, we don’t do
our work to get thanks, though we are rewarded by the gratitude of patients at
a much higher ration than 1 in 10. However, a few months back, one of our
patients topped the Luke 17 territory. He not only came back, he brought 2 pizzas
for our staff and volunteers to enjoy. He had been having dizzy spells, but
when he finally came to our clinic, he was diagnosed with hypertension at a
level that would almost certainly have led to a life-threatening stroke if left
untreated. He was grateful, and the pizza was mighty tasty.
DIABETES
SCREENING SUCCESS
Just
recently, a mother with young children came to our clinic who had been blacking
out. She reluctantly agreed to be part of our Diabetes Screening Project. She
had to be tested twice, because the first result did not even register. The
reason it didn’t is that her hemoglobin only registered four, compared to 12-16
grams per deciliter is the normal range for women. (13-18 for men.) Her count
was so low that we had to send her immediately to the emergency room in Goshen.
Without this test, and with a hemoglobin count this low, she was a certain
candidate for permanent brain damage or death within months. Or, had she
blacked out while driving (something she said almost experienced several
times), the impact would have been more immediate for her, her family, and
perhaps for another driver. With this project, she is on the road to recovery,
and her children can count on their mother to be around and able to raise them.
(Hemoglobin
transports oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, which sustains life.
Without it, or without adequate levels, you are at danger for brain damage – or
death.)
MORE
STORIES
Jon
and Kathy had just moved here from out of state, leaving an abusive situation
with a former landlord, and were feeling particularly frustrated. Not only were
they having a tough time finding a place to rent, both were out of a job, but
Jon also had significant healthcare needs. But…no job = no insurance. They were
able to stay with a family member in the area, but only temporarily and that
time was quickly coming to a close. What could they do? They had nothing and
knew no one. Luckily, they heard about our clinic and came for a visit. Though
not all referrals run this smoothly, what happened next was an ideal one. Our
volunteer Doctors saw Jon and took care of his immediate needs. They recognized
that he needed much more extensive assistance than we could offer and that his
condition, serious lung issues, should be monitored by a primary care
physician. After going over their options, we decided that the best placement
would be Maple City Health Care Center, as they had found a house within Maple
City’s catchment area. With a referral from the Center, they were able to get
an appointment with the Doctor that has become their primary healthcare
provider…not only Jon, but the whole family! They are happy with their new
medical home and we are satisfied that we were a part of finding this family a
place where their needs can best be met!
(insurance
not always enough) Last year we met a young woman whose diabetes was out of
control. She was also suffering from depression. Eileen knew that she would be
better served if we could place her with a family physician. We sent paper work
to Dr. Howes office and requested an appointment. We received a call back and
were told they could not see her because she had a family Dr. and also
Insurance. We talked to her and found out she was working for one of our local
hospitals and it was true she was insured, however, she had a pre-existing
condition and a balance at her Doctor's office. Eileen contacted the hospital
and the hospital agreed to pay for her visits and labs until she was eligible
for insurance, we also spoke to Dr. Howe's office to explain her situation
and she agreed to accept her as a patient. The patient's diabetes is now under
control and she is very happy to have a family physician. This is an
illustration of how having insurance is not always enough and how advocacy on
behalf of our patients is needed.
A
male patient came into the clinic one evening because he had been experiencing
discomfort in the right side of his stomach. The doctor was able to see him and
decided that it was best to refer this patient to get a CT scan of his stomach.
Because the patient did not have health insurance the clinic nurse searched for
the most affordable place to have the exam done at. The patient had the CT scan
done the following week and the results indicated that he had an enlarged
liver. More tests were done to see if his enlarged liver was affecting the rest
of his body in a negative way. The tests came back clear. After talking to the
patient the following week it was apparent that he was still worried about what
was going on and wanted to be referred to a specialist. We found a specialist
that was able to take him and give him a discounted fee if he paid the same day
as his visit. The patient later called in to our clinic to let us know that
they visit went well and that they specialist didn't think that anything needed
to be done, but that they patient needed to just be aware of what was going on.
During the phone call with the patient he wanted to let us know how much he
appreciated our help in finding him further health care and wanted to know how
much he owe us for our services. We explained to him that we are here to help,
that we were glad he was able to get further care, and that he did not owe us
anything.
Aaron
came into the Center for Healing and Hope after recently moving into the area.
Among other things, Aaron suffers from bipolar disorder and needs to have a
primary doctor in order to receive his medication. Aaron and his mother
conveyed their frustrations to me about their inability to find a doctor that
would take Aaron as a patient because of his lack of health insurance. It is
also importance, however, that he was able to stay on his meds. After talking
to both him and his mother it was decided that we were going to refer him to
Lincoln Avenue Health Center where he could be seen on a sliding scale fee. The
first appointment was set up with Lincoln Ave. and I was able to meet them
there to make sure things went smoothly. The appointment was a success. Aaron
was able to talk to the doctor about the medications that he needs and he was
able to be put on a discount plan for the doctors visits based on his income.
After the appointment both Aaron and his mother expressed their gratitude for
the Center for Healing and Hope and how important it is that we keep on doing
what we are doing. “Sometimes people just need a little help, and that's what
you guys are there for. Help people get the
care they need.”
Angela
came in with her mother to the Center for Healing and Hope. She hadn't
been feeling well recently and had reason to suspect that she might be
pregnant. We were able to give her a pregnancy test which came back positive.
Angela was in shock and had no idea what to do. She was able to talk to our
Patient Advocate who knew of the area resources that were available. Angela was
referred to the Women's Care Center where she could talk with a trained
counselor and get the prenatal care that she needed. Without us, Angela would
not have known what resources were available to her and where she could go for
further help.
Mirna Bermudez is one of Elkhart’s most faithful
translators. She comes several times a month and has filled in last minute on
numerous occasions. Mirna has become friends with all of the volunteer staff
members, and most would know that she has been working hard to lose weight so
that she might have a better chance at getting pregnant. When she came to
translate one evening, she complained of dizziness and tiredness. She was not
feeling well at all. She had a cold for a few weeks and thought that she was
feeling the way she was due to that. Eileen Martin, the head nurse, was
concerned and recommended that the doctor see her that night. She conceded and
the doctor discovered that Mirna had very high blood sugar. Labs were sent out
to confirm the high count and Mirna was in tears. She pleaded with the doctor,
“I’ll do anything I have to in order to not have to take medication. I’ll lose
more weight. I’ll exercise. Whatever I have to do.” In Mirna’s case, diet and
exercise would not be enough. Her sugar was in the 400s. Mirna now controls her
sugar through diet and medications and has completed a diabetic education class
offered through Elkhart General Hospital. She is optimistic, in spite of the
disease, that she might now get pregnant. CHH is in the process of finding a
family doctor for her.
It
is always amazing to see the struggles and stories that each patient seems to
possess when they walk through our clinic doors. Every story is different and
every patient unique. Jose came into the clinic a couple of weeks ago after
recently arriving in Goshen the week before. He had suffered from kidney
failure almost 6 years ago and had, up until the week before, been receiving
dialysis three times a week. Because of his recent move to Goshen he found himself
without dialysis and without any doctor. His wife and children worried what
this could mean for Jose. They knew that he needed dialysis but since they had
no health insurance they didn’t know where to go for help. Jose was seen that
evening by our doctor and was referred to a specialist to receive his dialysis,
stating that without receiving dialysis soon he would find himself in very poor
health quickly. Since Jose and his family had no health insurance finding a way
to receive access to the specialist and receive dialysis seemed challenging.
With many phone calls and conversations with specialists in the area it was
decided that Jose needed to go to St. Joseph Hospital in South Bend to receive
the care that he needed. Not knowing what would await them in South Bend and
with their limited English, I was able to accompany them to South Bend to help
them get the care they needed. That same day at St. Joseph Hospital we were
able to get him not only the dialysis that he so badly needed, but he was also
able to work with the hospital staff to help him access the health programs and
financial assistance he needed to continue getting care. Along with helping
Jose and his family with the immediate needs of dialysis we were also about to
refer them to Maple City Health Care where they would receive a family doctor
as well. Jose is now receiving his dialysis in Elkhart and working with their
primary doctor to better monitor his care. Jose and his family were extremely
grateful to the staff and volunteers at the Center for Healing and Hope for
helping them get the care that they needed. Thank you to all of our volunteers
for the time dedicated to help serve the struggling families in our community.
Joanna
has come to The Center for Healing and Hope several times over the past couple
of months. She is a truck driver, and traveling and moving is a major
expectation for the business. Because of her irregular schedule, she has been
unable to keep a family doctor. Lacking
in money and resources, Joanna’s frustration with the health system has
increased.
In
working with Joanna, I have taken time to listen and understand how she has
gotten to her level of frustration. She feels that people who have health
insurance do not understand the obstacles that those without insurance
encounter. She has suffered many hardships, and is in need of continued medical
attention, but she cannot find it. It is through the Center for Healing and
Hope that people like Joanna get access to the healthcare they need. We
continue to work together to find the best care possible despite her lack of
resources. For Joanna, we at the Center for Healing and Hope are able to make a
difference.
Steven
called into the clinic wondering if he would be able to see a doctor anytime
soon. He was from out of town and just traveling through Goshen. He had been
visiting the Elkhart Country Fair and happened to stop by a medical booth
there. They had checked his blood pressure and found that it was extremely
high. A friend gave him the number of the Center for Healing and Hope
and he was able to come in that evening to be seen. Steven had no insurance and
was grateful that he was able to be seen at our clinic that night. The doctor
saw him and treated him for high blood pressure and instructed him to find a
family doctor upon his return home. Steven was so appreciative of our services
that night and was amazed at all our clinic was doing to help persons like him.
Without our clinic Steven would have had no place to go. We made a difference.
A
patient had come into the clinic with neurological symptoms that she felt (and
the doctor agreed) were the result of the gluing job she had at a local factory. I did some fairly major work to
get this reported (talk about hoops), but she was right! Apparently
OSHA found that the workers were overexposed and at risk.
Yeah! So many people (especially undocumented) have no legal recourse
when their work environment is unhealthy. I am thrilled that we could
help make sure that one factory is safer for its employees.
Here
is the report we got from the Compliance Safety & Health Officer that
investigated: I have sampled the glue
used at Century Foam for 1-bromopropane. The glue employees were over
exposed, and we will be issuing safety orders that will require them to look at
the problem and either replace the glue or install ventilation and possibly use
respirators to reduce employee exposure below 10 parts per million.
Employee exposures were at 29 and 40 parts per million.
ACTUAL
EMAIL EXCHANGE
Laura:
I am very ill right now and looking for
some relief. I don't have medical insurance so having a hard time getting in to
a doctor. I saw something about your place on a website and would like to come
in however it did not say where it was located. Can you please let me know the
address? Any help would be appreciated.
Patient Advocate: Hi Laura, I am the Patient Advocate. We are
an urgent care clinic for those without insurance, and ask for a $20 to see the
doctor. We don't make appointments and function as a first come first serve so
it is best to arrive a little early. (clinic locations & times) Please let
me know if you have any more questions!
Laura: I visited your center today and
received excellent care. Thank you for all that you do.
