Keith Lane
Pattern Altitude
I'm stumped as to how to help get my friend home from Boston.
Last Saturday, a friend of mine, Roger Singletary, from my Sunday school class had a brain tumor (partially) removed by craniotomy in Boston. This is the second time in 5 years the doc's have gone in there to get this thing out. Every 90 days since the last time he goes in, gets an MRI and that's been it. On December 30th it was time, and it was different. I saw him New Year's Eve at a class get together, and he was perfectly fine. Then on Jan 3rd, he gets the news that the tumor has not only re-appeared in the past 90 days, it is a little over 2 centimenter in diameter.
The surgeon wanted to schedule him into get this removed ASAP, but then finds out that the Intra-Operative MRI machine they use to "see" the tumor during surgery is "down for repair". They promise to let him know as soon as they have a date of repair. The doc says to forward his records to all hospitals that have a machine like this for good measure. There are 5 other machines. 3 hospitals refuse to take him for some reason or another, one never responds at all, and UCLA medical center can do it, but not for another month. Meanwhile, back here at the ranch, Roger has lost all use of his left arm, and his left leg is nearly immobile. In fact, while at his house on Feb 3rd, he fell in the driveway and if several of us hadn't been there taking down his Christmas lights it might have been a while till he could've gotten up.
The hospital in Boston informed him last Tuesday that their machine will not be fixed... ever.
His neuro guy says, get up here and we'll go get it out the old fashioned way. So Saturday, while Roger stays awake and talking they go into his brain and got as much out as they dared. He is doing very well and now that he's cleared to go home they face the challenge of arranging the travel. Apparently he can walk for a short distance at a time, but speedy emergency egress is pretty much out for him right now. His wife is in Boston with him, but they have 5 children who are farmed out right now, and the need to get here grows daily.
Apparently Delta is not going to allow him on an airplane in his current "state", and the trip by car would be a bit much. Hiring an air ambulance is huge $$$, etc., etc.
Isn't there a way you can rent a seat on a corporate jet that happens to be going from BOS to ATL? Seems to me I've heard of that, and even seen print ads where there was a picture of a kid on a jet with his teddy bear while execs sat in the back having a meeting.
I'm pretty much out of ideas. I figured somebody here may know of a resource.
Roger is not a wealthy person, but is far from indigent either. He's not in need of a free ride, just a way home that's not as expensive as a hell.
Any ideas will be appreciated.
Last Saturday, a friend of mine, Roger Singletary, from my Sunday school class had a brain tumor (partially) removed by craniotomy in Boston. This is the second time in 5 years the doc's have gone in there to get this thing out. Every 90 days since the last time he goes in, gets an MRI and that's been it. On December 30th it was time, and it was different. I saw him New Year's Eve at a class get together, and he was perfectly fine. Then on Jan 3rd, he gets the news that the tumor has not only re-appeared in the past 90 days, it is a little over 2 centimenter in diameter.
The surgeon wanted to schedule him into get this removed ASAP, but then finds out that the Intra-Operative MRI machine they use to "see" the tumor during surgery is "down for repair". They promise to let him know as soon as they have a date of repair. The doc says to forward his records to all hospitals that have a machine like this for good measure. There are 5 other machines. 3 hospitals refuse to take him for some reason or another, one never responds at all, and UCLA medical center can do it, but not for another month. Meanwhile, back here at the ranch, Roger has lost all use of his left arm, and his left leg is nearly immobile. In fact, while at his house on Feb 3rd, he fell in the driveway and if several of us hadn't been there taking down his Christmas lights it might have been a while till he could've gotten up.
The hospital in Boston informed him last Tuesday that their machine will not be fixed... ever.
His neuro guy says, get up here and we'll go get it out the old fashioned way. So Saturday, while Roger stays awake and talking they go into his brain and got as much out as they dared. He is doing very well and now that he's cleared to go home they face the challenge of arranging the travel. Apparently he can walk for a short distance at a time, but speedy emergency egress is pretty much out for him right now. His wife is in Boston with him, but they have 5 children who are farmed out right now, and the need to get here grows daily.
Apparently Delta is not going to allow him on an airplane in his current "state", and the trip by car would be a bit much. Hiring an air ambulance is huge $$$, etc., etc.
Isn't there a way you can rent a seat on a corporate jet that happens to be going from BOS to ATL? Seems to me I've heard of that, and even seen print ads where there was a picture of a kid on a jet with his teddy bear while execs sat in the back having a meeting.
I'm pretty much out of ideas. I figured somebody here may know of a resource.
Roger is not a wealthy person, but is far from indigent either. He's not in need of a free ride, just a way home that's not as expensive as a hell.
Any ideas will be appreciated.