July 18, 2008
Re: Arden’s fall
The Red Cross lady came to the door to pick us up for our appointment with Dr. Klein. She said she would get the van ready while I got him in the wheelchair. After several attempts, I didn’t think he could get himself into the chair so I went out and asked for her help. She said that she had a bad back and couldn’t help. Finally he was in the wheelchair. I took him out the front door and asked her to come help get him down the stairs. She repeated that she had a bad back so I asked that she just guide the chair as I took it down. She stood there watching. When I got him down, the chair skidded and it fell backwards and I fell down. She didn’t try to catch the chair, she just jumped out of the way as the chair, Dad in it, fell backwards. The chair somewhat cushioned the fall, but his head landed on the cement. She just stood there. I asked her to call 911 but she said for me to call and she would stay with Dad. I went inside and grabbed the phone and then asked her to leave, or at least get her van out of the driveway so the paramedics could get in. I also went into the bedroom and got a pillow for his head and a quilt because he was cold. She did nothing to help! Later she told me that she called her supervisor who told her to stay and tell the paramedics what she saw. When they arrived, she ran over with her clipboard and started talking to them. I yelled at her to leave the paramedics alone, that their job was to tend to my father. The paramedics talked to Dad, checked him over. They got him back into the wheelchair and took him to his room. They checked him again to make sure he didn’t have a concussion and they also bandaged his leg where he had a scrape. When they left, they went out and talked to the Red Cross lady. I would not talk to her, not even give her my name. I just wanted her gone!
I called Ride Connection, the agency that schedules these rides and talked to the supervisor named Dean. I told him the story. He said that their drivers are not to do stairs. I explained that I had been using them for almost a year and always had good luck with their drivers. They always navigated the stairs, helped with getting Dad out of bed when necessary and were always polite, helpful and courteous. I mentioned that if my dad had been seriously hurt, there could be a lawsuit at which point he said that he couldn’t talk to me if we were going to sue.
He offered to send their policy handbook. I told him that it wasn’t necessary because I would never use them again. One of the paramedics said I can call Metro West Ambulance and they would take Dad to appointments. They charge a fee—but at least he would be safe.
We are OK. Dad has a couple of scrapes and says he is a little sore. His color is good, he has been joking. He said he had a headache–it is no wonder! I gave him a baby aspirin and he is resting. I am finally relaxing waiting for Evan to call. He had a big meeting this morning otherwise he would have been here to help.
I am calling our handyman and having ramps built. We should have done it a long time ago!
