Central Iowa nursing homes shut their doors to ventilator patients

I don’t know any specifics here, and I would certainly take anything reported in the Des Moines Register with a grain of salt, but I suspect that these nursing homes have been served up a goodly dose of unaccountable bullying from The Iowa Medicaid Enterprise (IME) Bureau of Long Term Care.

I am in a similar situation right now with my Mother. Apparently, there are ZERO sub acute facilities in San Diego or ALL of California that care for someone with a trach collar and dialysis combined. They are trying to move her to ARIZONA, we have no family in Arizona.

edited to add.. The facility they want to move her to is a 7 hour drive from me.

Last Edited by Tangy on 10/06/2017 01:49 PM

Prayers for you and your Mom, Tangy.

Thank you Tiger, I feel like I'm drowning, trying to fight to keep her in Ltach. I should be spending every single second with her, in case she is moved so far, but I have to call call calll and do everything I can. Hugs, and thank you so much for the prayers. This has been such a long ride for her. Since Dec 19th 2016 she's been in the hospital. She had a normal day/life before all of this. Hadn't been to a hospital in 48 years prior.. Last time to have my brother was all..

Prayers tangy do work.

Father God almighty we lift up this our sick to thee knowing in faith through thy Holy Son jesus the Christ all this are possible in his name please Father help us and guide us amen.


San Diego County

5640 Aztec Drive
La Mesa, CA 91942
619-403-5274
CareMeridian’s La Mesa subacute care facility is a 9,100 square-foot facility featuring 15 private beds in a natural healing environment on a one-acre site. The location offers a 1:4 staff-patient ratio, 1:1 therapy and individualized care plans to support patients in need of traumatic brain injury rehabilitation, spinal cord rehabilitation and those with other traumatic injuries and medically complex illnesses.
[link to caremeridian.com]

Thank you sweetie. amen!

*edit** update, she is not a candidate for that facility, but they were very nice, and helped me with some contacts, one of which looks promising. Right now, we hope our Qio case allows her time to wean off ventilator.***

Unfortunately, it's the trach collar, or ventilator and dialysis combined that no one will take.

The thing is, she doesn't need the trach collar anymore. She has weaned off ventilator now so many times. She is only back on vent because she coded twice in the past month. The first time was during the eclipse, and due to electrolytes imbalance during dialysis.. The second time was sept 16th, same issue. In between those, they did a graph in her arm for dialysis, which should work better, and wont clog. The issue was her picc lines they used before kept clogging, and I think they delayed changing them too long, and she didnt get proper dialysis.

Right now, we are trying to force removal of trach collar, to get that out of the equation. Trouble is her actual pulmonologist is on vacation, and this hospital she is at was trying to move her within 24 hours. We have filed a case with Qio, and that has given us 48 hours. I am also trying to get her to the only other Ltach in San Diego, and thankfully have a contact there, from an earlier attempt in march to move her there. I also have a wonderful gal at blue shield doing everything she can, including filing a grievance against current hospital, speaking to Qio, and numerous othe things.

I have been on hone non stop since yesterday 8:30 am to 6pm and back at it today.

There is NO ONE, like Ombudsman for Ltach hospitals. Ombudsman only deal with skilled nursing. Dept of pulic health can't even call me back for at least 10 days, which is too late. it's insane, no oversight.

Last Edited by Tangy on 10/06/2017 09:10 PM

OP, so sorry to hijack your thread. I truly understand his heartbreak over his situation. I don't know if he would be thankful it's only an hour away if he heard some have a 7 hour drive. The healthcare system is horrible.

update on my situation at least. We have a case through Qio, we should get results tomorrow.

Bump for the original article. This is happening all over.

It is unthinkable that when someone is at their most vulnerable, they would be denied the comfort of having their loved ones around them. Imagine how adversely it would impact their mental health to be in social isolation.

It's devastating, and probably happening to way more families than you imagine.

You are very strong, Tangy. You will make it through all this.

Thank you Tiger. I am a nervous wreck this morning, waiting to hear results from Qio investigation.

We sent two faxes, family letters, we are hopeful but anxious.

They said they would have results this morning.

Two of her doctors wrote in the report they feel she should NOT be moved. I really hope that helps.

Me too

No worries!



Last Edited by Servant-of-the-LORD on 10/07/2017 12:16 PM

Thank you so much.

Declined. :(

She will be moved 7 hours away from nearest relatives. No more EVERY DAY visits from family as it has been for over 9 months now.

Appeal it. If you can afford a lawyer, do so. Get an injunction.

Doing one more appeal through Qio, and also have a message in to Elder Law.

I guess one relief is.. We told her tonight, and she says.. "Oh, I like Arizona.."

If she can be ok with this, it will make it much easier for me to deal with it. We can try and set up different ways for social interaction, phone, skype, etc.

I'm afraid we don't have any time left, she was supposed to be transported last night. It will probably happen Monday. :(

What a nightmare. Prayers for both of the people involved in these situations. I cannot imagine how difficult this is...

Hugs and prayers for you and your Mom !!!

Thank you :) We stayed until she fell asleep last night, and will do so tonight as well.

She is on her second day of real food since April.. She ate 2 full plates of dinner. Still on soft foods and nectar thickness liquid, but it's great to see she has an appetite. Her feeding tube exploded again, and no plans for a new one, so it will be up to her to get all the caloric intake she needs.

We have one more appeal through Qio, or at least my Brother had me fax more stuff to them, so I am not sure exactly what we might expect. they open at 11am on weekends. Still hoping that they just allow us a little more time to fully wean her off the vent. She's so close!!!

If you can get her off the vent, you will have so much better options ! I am so sorry you all are going through this ! Prayers for you all !!!

Too soon to fully wean yet, but she is 18 hours a day off vent currently. I am with her now. She is having her breathing treatment so she cant talk for a bit, so I peeked in here. She again ate 2 full dinners! We got a 2nd chance at Qio appeal, and will hear tomorrow. I'm feeling hopeful, and thank you for prayers and support. I don't generally talk too much about all this. She has been in hospital so long now. Will be 10 months the 19th, it's crazy.

Last Edited by Tangy on 10/08/2017 10:28 PM

Hang in there, Tangy !!!

my GOD literally-
***i'm NOT CALLING YOU out*** but how the hell in san diego and the entire state could someone make such a statement ?
NO ONE CAN ACCEPT YOUR MOM due to being trached and on dialysis ?
is there any class of disability rights attorneys ?
not freeekin advocates but licensed attys ?
search it out,same for laws applicable for DIALYSIS patients-
===federal laws dialysis patients===
submit complaints to the DOJ based on discrimination due to disability--break their balls--
-she is being denied care in her state-
run a search yourself for long term skilled care nursing facilites, long term respiratory care,contact medicare and even the esteemed media.
this is total bs to be told that CA cannot accommodate this patient.

Can you say "Death Panel" The nazi's were all about this!

No, it's true.. You can call any subacute hospital anywhere in California and check me tomorrow.

They do not take what is officially termed ventdialysis patients. A patient that is on both, or on ventilator during dialysis.

Ask ANY subacute.. Not Ltach, she is currently in an Ltach, (Long Term Acute Care Hospital) they have an ICU, they do accept her criteria.. They are Acute, not SUBacute.. Subacute will not take her.

It sounds crazy, believe me I know, I am freaking living it.

But please do, call any SUBacute facility in californa.. anywhere.. Whole state..

Skilled nursing is even below subacute care. She is definitely not ready for skilled nursing yet.

Edited to add, we do have a case with Qio.. Lavanta..

[link to bfccqioarea5.com (secure)]

We are in 2nd level appeals. We hear back again tomorrow.

1st appeal was denied already.

I also have a call in to Elder Law of San Diego as a last hope.

[link to seniorlaw-sd.org]

We are not alone, this is happening to MANY in California..

lol... I see now you weren't calling me out, I am so tired, and miss read that, I thought you were calling me out. lol

Last Edited by Tangy on 10/09/2017 01:32 AM

Slept maybe 4 hours.. Getting ready to go. I am very hopeful. Two of her main doctors wrote that she can NOT be moved to a subacute, she needs a facility with an ICU. She codes with the slighted irregularities of electrolytes during dialysis. Twice in the past 6 weeks.. ugh.. I do hope we can avoid that now though since we have the graft in arm, not picc lines. It is working great, they were able to pull off 4 liters on Saturday.

Bless you guys for being supportive. I will update from the hospital later.

Thinking of you, and praying !!!

Qio case was overturned in my mother's favor!!! Seriously just in time, they had orders to move her today!!!! And legally they could have before a decision from Qio since it was our 2nd appeal. We don't know how much time this gives us, but for tonight we can all rest easy. Thank you again everyone for your thoughts, prayers and support.