Recent Accident to My Son

[Roger]

Brian is feeling pretty good. Last week he worked from home but starting on Monday of this week he's been going to the CMS Office. The CMS Office is about a half hour drive from Brian's condo.

I don't know could the plugged Baclofen pump catheter have been what made Brian so sick nine weeks ago?

Roger

[Roger]

Brian is doing very well. Since the surgery to replace the Baclofen pump catheter everything has been back to normal. My wife had hip replacement surgery last week, so Brian has been on his own for the last three weeks. Since she's still recovering Brian is flying to Phoenix for Thanksgiving. I know he's looking forward to being with his 15 month old niece.
Besides everything else Brian's job is going very well and he really likes the work. He's probably one of the most qualified people working at CMS, a Business Degree, Masters Degree in Public Health and a MD degree.

Roger

[2drwhofans]

Glad to hear that Brian is feeling better and back at work. I hope he can continue to influence CMS policy in a positive way. Speedy recovery to your wife.

[Roger]

Brian flies to Phoenix tomorrow for Christmas. We've normally been celebrating Christmas in Baltimore but my wife can't fly yet after hip surgery in November. The doctor told her she can fly at the end of January.

There's not too much to report. Brian changed jobs at CMS a few weeks ago. I'll ask him when he's here in Phoenix how he likes the new job. One of Brian's very good college friends told Brian about a potential job in Palo Alto. The job sounded like a good fit for Brian but housing would be a major obstacle. It's insane how much houses cost in Palo Alto. I know Brian would love to get back to California and it certainly would simplify our traveling but we'll have to wait and see.

Roger

[triumph]

Very best to you and your family for the holidays and New Year! Thanks for the CC update. It's great to hear that Brian is doing so well and will travel to Phoenix.

[2drwhofans]

Thanks for the update Roger. Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy 2019.

I hope that Brian's CMS division isn't affected by the shutdown.

[Roger]

I was in Baltimore a week ago and went with Brian to pickup his new Ford Explorer from the shop where the final modifications were completed. The entire process to get the Explorer took almost six months. Brian brought the Explorer and the Maryland vocational rehab paid for the modifications, $35,000. Braun Ability made the modifications to add the side entry ramp and a local mobility vendor added a few other features. It's all very expensive. Brian had been using a 2009 modified Honda Element. The Element is being shipped to Phoenix so Brian can use it when he's here in Phoenix.

Things are going well for Brian at his job. As it turns out Brian didn't change jobs rather he's on an assignment in a different group. When that work is completed he'll return to his original job working on the Bundled Care Model. At the Center for Medicare Services, CMS, models are developed that are used to administer the Medicare programs. Developing these models is more complicated that you might imagine. CMS hires consulting companies to do most bio-statistics work but the people at CMS have to understand the details. Brian has always been very strong in math so he's better at understanding the mathematics than most people. When Brian was in the Masters of Public Health program at Hopkins he took a class in bio-statistics. Near the end of the class he checked his scores on the tests and homework and realized that he had not missed a single point and any test or homework assignment. At CMS he's the go to guy when there's a question about the mathematics used in the Bundled Care Model.

My wife flies back to Baltimore in a couple of weeks then I go to Baltimore for Easter in early April.

Roger

[Tetracyclone]

Roger,
You well deserve the mantle of proud papa.

[Roger]

I travel to Baltimore next Thursday for the Easter weekend. Ann is in Baltimore now with Brian.

Brian likes the Ford Explorer and his Honda Element is now in Phoenix. I use the Element to pickup my 98 year old mother who's in a wheelchair. There's not much new going on. Brian has had a few issues with the Explorer and I'll have to repair an electrical connector that was damaged when Brian was getting into the Explorer with his power wheelchair.

Brian has two old powerchairs that are not operational. Does anyone know how these can be disposed of? Brian tried to find someone who would except them as a donation but he was told that power wheelchairs are not accepted because of legal liability.

Roger

[gjnl]

Brian has two old powerchairs that are not operational. Does anyone know how these can be disposed of? Brian tried to find someone who would except them as a donation but he was told that power wheelchairs are not accepted because of legal liability.

Roger

A couple years ago, when I got a new power chair the durable medical equipment company I worked with had an agreement with a local Muscular Dystrophy chapter, who accepted the donation of the power chair and a patient lift. The way it worked is that I contacted the MS chapter and told them what I had to donate. The MS chapter made a decision about whether they wanted the chair or not. Then the durable medical equipment company picked up the chair from me, rehabbed the chair and delivered it to the MS chapter.

[SCI-Nurse]

Brian has two old powerchairs that are not operational. Does anyone know how these can be disposed of? Brian tried to find someone who would except them as a donation but he was told that power wheelchairs are not accepted because of legal liability.

Who did he offer them to? I agree with approaching the local MS Society chapter, as they often maintain a used equipment bank for their members. When my mother passed away, I sold her Permobil for a ridiculously low price on Craig's List to the family of a person with a new SCI who was still in rehab, and whose insurance would not cover a power chair.

Here are some other organizations that may take them: https://www.wheelchairfoundation.org...organizations/

(KLD)

[Roger]

My wife and I are in Baltimore for Thanksgiving with Brian. He's doing very well at his job at Center for Medicare Services, CMS. We fly back Phoenix Monday but we'll be flying back to Baltimore Dec 20 for Christmas. I was glad to see that Brian is getting more physical activity. He goes to Kennedy Krieger for physical training with a trainer and uses his standing frame and RTI bike at the condo.

On Dec 23 my daughter Christine her husband Matthew their 2-1/2 year old daughter Amelia and 4 month old son Isaac will also be flying to Baltimore for Christmas. Last year we were all in Phoenix for Thanksgiving and Christmas because my wife was recovering from hip surgery and couldn't fly.

My daughter said that she and Matthew like being with Brian at Christmas because Brian gives better presents than Matthew's family. Christine has always been good at finding the best deals. When she was starting High School she decided that she wanted to go to a Private Catholic High School in Phoenix, tuition $5000/year, rather than the Public High School that was very close to where we lived. When I asked her why she wanted to go to Xavier High School she said that "Xaiver has more holidays". I thought that was a good enough reason from her point of view so I paid the $5000.


Roger