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        New Message Board Archives >> 2002 Posts >> Kinda Worried
        
(Message started by: Jim R on Oct 30^th, 2002, 6:21pm)

Title: Kinda Worried
Post by Jim R on Oct 30^th, 2002, 6:21pm

Friday I fly to FL for a week vacation with 3 high school buddies (now I'm 47, so this goes back a while)... Me and another buddy are flying down from NH to see two other buddies outside of Ft. Lauderdale. I can't take O2 on the plane and my wife's health insurance runs out tomorrow. She has to wait another month to be picked up by her new insurance 'cause she changed jobs and she can't go 'cause her boss forgot she was supposed to be on vacation tbis week.

After about a month of the CH's being somewhat quiescent, I get hit tonight with a KIP 6-7 while my friend was here going over our itinerary. I am worried that I'm going to get really hit while in FL and with no coverage, no O2, etc. I will have stadol, my Amerge (never tried yet), my verapamil and clonodine, but I am really worried... Any suggestions?

Jim R

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by Jackie on Oct 30^th, 2002, 6:36pm

Jim,
Get a prescription from your doctor for 02 and fill it when you get to Florida. You can get a portable tank and take it wherever you go. You could share it with your buddies....works well for hangovers... ;D Turn it in on your way back to the airport.
That's what we do.....works for us.

Jacks 8)

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by Jim R on Oct 30^th, 2002, 6:42pm

Jackie - I've got the O2 prescription but wonder about cost if I don't have any insurance (which I won't then)...How much would a tank cost do you think? Thanks! - Jim R

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by kim on Oct 30^th, 2002, 6:42pm

Hey Jim,

There is an issue - OUCH Newsletter - I think it's Nov. 2001. Anyway Linda H talks about flying and attacks. You can pack one of those "soft lunch box thingies" and put cold paks in it. Dunno know how things are now with flying and all.......... ::) Also in the bathrooms there is an air flow thingamajig under the sink (cold air?).....

Have safe trip and lotsa fun.

Well wishes, Kim

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by jonny on Oct 30^th, 2002, 6:45pm

Last ditch effort.

Bring your mask with you and hit a gas supply house down there, ask to rent a 80CI tank of welding 02 and tell them you want a helium regulator with it, the HE reg has a pointed supply port and you can slide and tape your feeder hose on it.

Thats the best I got Bro

.....................jonny

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by Jackie on Oct 30^th, 2002, 6:51pm

I don't remember the cost as being outrageous. We take the regulator with us and that cuts out the expense of a rental.

Use a search to locate medical supply houses in Florida. You should be able to get some prices that way.

Jacks 8)

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by Ted on Oct 30^th, 2002, 6:51pm

Jim, an E-tank won't be that much. the prices I've found when I've traveled and also here range between $12-20. Don't rent the cart or masks or anything but the full tank or they might try to hit you for $80 for the set up. Make some calls to places before you go though to get prices.

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by Jim R on Oct 30^th, 2002, 7:01pm

Thank you all! I will at least take my mask w/me. I just get kind of panicky when I'm away from my O2 setup. Yup, it's going to be party central down there and I want to be prepared!! LOL! REALLY - thanks! Jim R

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by SFChris on Oct 30^th, 2002, 7:03pm

Jim,

Your wife should sign up for COBRA at her old job(Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1986). Essentially, any U.S. company that offers health benefits to it's employees has to (by law) offer you the option of continuing to purchase the insurance at the companies "group rate". It is a month to month deal, so you may only need to take one month of continued insurance to bridge you to her new job. Her HR department can help.

Good luck,

Chris

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by Not4Hire on Oct 30^th, 2002, 7:05pm

.....Jim, I otta smack ya one! ;D

First....you CAN take yer o2 on the plane...just gotta go thru the freakin' paperwork.....or if they refuse, the airline will provide you with a tank and mask......they will balk but they WILL do it...collect the contents of yer YAMBAG and make yerself known.......

Second..... if ya got enuff $$$ to go on *vacation*, ya probably got enuff $$$ to tell yer Fucking Insurance company to STUFFIT and take care of your own problem....... o2 is not that expen$ive, and if it works.....USE IT! (ya cheesehead!)

(I been knockin' over 7-11's to pay fer MY o2 habit..... haven't had insurance since last century.....so quitcher bitchin' and have a good time with yer drunken buddies......)

...the usual hatemail should be addressed to jonny and the helium crowd..... ???

("slide and tape your feeder hose on it".....WTF?)

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by Ted on Oct 30^th, 2002, 7:16pm

Actually, they don't let you take it on the plane. But they will provide you with O2 with a prescription, a request and about $80 for each leg of the trip, whether you use it or not. They told me FAA regulations were the reason, but I never looked into it to see if that was true. But I got the same answer from a few airlines.

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by jonny on Oct 30^th, 2002, 7:32pm

on 10/30/02 at 19:03:28, SFChris wrote:

Fuckeneh, Chris!!

Thats the kind of info that helps all of us.
'
............................jonny

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by David Shea on Oct 30^th, 2002, 8:49pm

not 4 hire,
Rolling, Best laugh I've had since the beast returned.
Hope you are all right down there Jim R.
I'm four hrs. from pensacola if there is any thing I can do.
David

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by Peppermint on Oct 30^th, 2002, 8:58pm

True .....COBRA is a good option...
However, you should know that their premiums tend to go up quickly, as time passes. At least that is my experience, and that of a couple of other ex-co-workers. So if you're with them for more than three months, lookout for a hefty premium raise. I used COBRA and within six months the cost tripled. The cost of the premiums may outweigh the price of what you are paying for the meds.....or not.
Just something you should be aware of if you think you might use it.

Peppermint

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by Lori on Oct 31^st, 2002, 1:39am

from my experience cobra is very pricey. but doesn't hurt to check into for sure. Have you thought about getting a prescription for pred. just incase it came full blown? that's what my neuro told me to take on vacation..pred and verapamil. never leave home without it he said.

have a great time!

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by Jim R on Oct 31^st, 2002, 6:06am

Thanks everyone. Yes, my wife checked into COBRA before she left her former job - $700 for three weeks! WTF!? WHO can afford THAT?! I certainly can't. COBRA premiums are always like this...it's like a "vapor" option...

Not4 - ROTFLMFAO!

I guess I will take my mask and hope for the best. I should be able to locate some O2 down there if needed, one way or another.

PFDAN's to you all - I'll miss ya next week! - Jim R

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by ChristineL on Oct 31^st, 2002, 6:28am

Jim,

In September I had to go to Orlando on business. I called the hotel where I was staying and they looked up an O2 supplier for me in the yellow pages. I called ahead and got the price for a portable tank without the stand and put in an order. It was $15.00 for the week. I brought my own mask and tubing. When I landed I drove to the place, gave them my prescription (you can also fax it ahead of time) and got my O2. I dropped the tank off on my way back to the airport. It was simple and easy and the people at the O2 place were great. They had a number of patients with CH's and knew exactly what I needed.

Have a great vacation.

Chris L

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by Jim R on Oct 31^st, 2002, 8:12am

Thanks Chris! Good idea! Hey Chris - we were up in Ossipee last weekend - went to the Pizza Barn for lunch and then had no energy to go looking around Green Mtn. Furniture!! LOL!

Jim R

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by ChristineL on Oct 31^st, 2002, 12:44pm

Jim,

Glad you didn't have to do the Green Mountain trek. I was there a couple of weeks ago looking around but couldn't find anything I liked. If you had gone to Yankee Smokehouse without me then I would have been pissed ;D ;D ;D

Chris L

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by marty on Oct 31^st, 2002, 1:02pm

If it gets bad while on vacation Jim, don't forget the local Fire Department and all their stations. You can always find one station and they have plenty of O2.

Marty

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by Jim R on Oct 31^st, 2002, 2:08pm

Thanks Marty - have you or anyone else ever tried this? Are they willing to share? - Jim R

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by marty on Oct 31^st, 2002, 2:33pm

Since I work in law enforcement, I have seen this on many occasions. Here (in CA) it is not uncommon for the "needy" to just walk into a fire house and since the EMT's are stationed there - they have their emergency kit and they will assist you - best part, I have never seen them charge anyone :D

Marty

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by marty on Oct 31^st, 2002, 2:36pm

Just another thought.. when hit, you don't really feel like doing to much explaining - What if we all had a card that explained what we are sufferering from?! Kind of a OUCH ID-card :)

Marty

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by Jim R on Oct 31^st, 2002, 2:43pm

Now THAT might not be a bad idea, Marty - sometimes I have felt like that even at a hospital ER!

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by marty on Nov 1^st, 2002, 5:20am

Hey Jim...

I see that you are "on-line" - Just wanted to wish you a good trip - your'e leaving today right...

Have fun

Marty

Title: Re: Kinda Worried
Post by OneEyeBlind on Nov 1^st, 2002, 5:53am

Yea Jim ... have a great time ... and hold the beast at bay !!!!!