Well, we tried but Matt is not quite ready for inpatient rehab now even though the doctors and therapist all agree on one thing, Matt has made and is continuing to make amazing progress.  The doctors report is stressing that we continue doing whatever it is that we are doing and to keep asking for follow up evaluations because as he put it, there is definitely some healing going on here.  Therapist have said that the more intelligent someone is the better the outcome as well as youth and heath all factor into what everyone sees an a potentially good outcome.  Matt has all of this in his favor, it just takes time and allot of love and attention.  That’s why we have all decided that what’s best for Matt is to come home and with the therapist Kaiser provides and what we learn from them we can provide much more than what’s happening at the Kaiser hospital.  Lisa and I also have professionals from the outside as well as equipment coming in the next week to provide a constant program of rehab to keep things moving in the right direction.  It will be allot of work but we won’t have the constant issues of commute times that are time that we could and should be spending with Matt as well as the constant love and in home environment that will all help Matt in a positive way.  It’s all about providing the best possible care and highest quality time for Matt now.  We thank you all for your work and effort in keeping Matt’s best recovery in mind and ask for your continued prayers and positive thoughts and energy flowing in our direction.  We all know that Matt feels the love.   We will keep you posted on when he will be home as well as how we work out visitation times once we are at home and settled. 

Love you all,

Mario, Lisa, Brittney, Matthew, Lindsey, Joan and Jerry

Posted in Matt's Progress | Comments (0)

Matt had a visit and evaluation by a well known physical medicine Dr. Stenehjem from Sharpe Rehab. The doctor introduced himself to Matthew and asked Matt to do different things. Matthew did what the doctor asked him to do confirming what we the family, friends and other professionals and concerned hospital staff that have been watching Matt over the past several weeks are observing.  Matt is making definite progress even from just 3 weeks ago when Sharpe’s Debra Morebello was out during Sharpe’s last evaluation.  Yeah Matt!  Doctor says there is definitely some healing, rewiring so to speak, going on.  Dr. Stenehjem did tell Lisa  after the he had been in the room for about an hour that reading Kaiser’s chart and their evaluation of Matt is quit different than what he sees visiting with Matt.  Dr. Stenehjem said Matt is right there and not unresponsive or vegetative as the Kaiser charts indicate.  As Lisa explained to the doctor what she sees when the Kaiser doctor does in the 2 - 3 minutes he spends with Matt during his quick evaluation asking Matt to perform 3 or 4 different tasks in that short period of time it’s apparent there is a lack of brain injury understanding in regards to assessment and treatment.  Dr. Stenehjem we’ve heard from other rehab facilities in the area has a very solid reputation in the brain injury rehabilitation community.  He is a very well-respected PMR (physical medicine/rehab) physician.  There does seem to be a definite buzz on the floor now that a Sharpe Rehab doctor has been in and walked away with such positive comments and upbeat outlook.   A hopefully independent and objective report now will be submitted to Kaiser and I would guess to the State for review.  We’ll keep you posted as things develop.

Posted in Matt's Progress | Comments (0)

Just to make it a little easier for everyone, Mario and Lisa have drafted a letter for you all to send to our officials, if you are having trouble - or don’t have a lot of time to come up with your own. Simply Copy and paste the following letter and then use the following contact links to raise your voice!

Fax above signed letter to for fast response:

• Senator Dianne Feinstein  (D - CA)  202-228-3954
• Senator Barbara Boxer    (D - CA)  202-224-0454
• Representative Darrel Issa  (R - 49)  202-225-3303
• Representative Brian Bilbray   (R - 50) 202-225-2558
• Rpresentative Bob Filner  (D - 51)  202-225-9073
• Representative Duncan Hunter  (R - 52)  202-225-0235
• Representative Susan A. Davis  (D - 53)  202-225-2948

Also Email:

• comments@help.senat.gov
• http://gov.ca.gov/interact

Posted in Matt's Progress | Comments (0)

Hey everyone.  We have had more than one therapist and 6 rehab centers from the outside that have Lisa and I have contacted and become aware of Matt’s progress and level via visits and consultations from the outside.  They have all come up with the same general conclusion.  Matt does respond very well with just a little professional stimulation and would benefit greatly to inpatient rehabilitation.  Ya Matt!  The issue has become apparent in the past week that if Matt is denied inpatient rehab at this point, he would have a near zero chance of ever receiving inpatient rehab. All he would receive is  limited to very little home therapy provided by Kaiser and as an only possible option down the road would be limited therapy as outpatient and that would be dictated by an insurance company down the line.  All the “professionals” outside of the “Kaiser Network” agree that Kaiser is being neglectful and doing Matt much more harm by holding him captive in the non rehab oriented Kaiser Medical Center that he is now in.  All have acknowledged that Matt needs and would benefit greatly now from “intensive Physical, Occupational and Speech therapies managed by a Physiatrist not a General Practitioner of Family Medicine that has been the case since June 11, 2008 when Matt was first admitted to the Kaiser Medical Center under over whelming pressure and threats from Kaiser case managers and doctors at Palomar Medical Center.  The same pressures were being applied in regards to Matthew coming home without therapy and Kaiser insisting that therapy would be provided by Kaiser Home Health once he was brought home.  The urgency to bring Matt home now has lessoned this week because of an appeal I filed with the State of California and a grievance filed with Kaiser.   Matt’s electronic chart at Kaiser which I have read on occasion is all scripted for Kaiser to achieve the goal of just moving Matt through the system in what they are continually trying to do we all know in the most cost effective manner to minimize costs and maximize profit.  Matt is a very young, achieved, educated, talented and motivated young man.  All that have ever met Matt know this.  Kaiser has this, as it was put to Lisa and I in the very beginning “wonderful and efficient “3 Billion dollar networked computer system that allows doctors and administrators the ability to manage patients efficiently”.  One would have to conclude: at a distance without ever, or at the very least, very minimally, ever visiting a patient and getting to know a person like Matt.  We feel that something has been lost in this distant, don’t get to personally involved way of ”HMO Health Care Management”.  This approach we feel along with the monetary motivation is what is driving the decisions being made and directing the lack of therapy that Matt needs.  Matt needs your help at this very critical time in his life.  We are asking that you send an appeal to the California State Governor’s Office and show your support and concern for Matt’s care.

Send Appeals to:

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

State Capitol

Sacramento, CA 95814

governor@govmail.ca.gov

Thank You,

Mario and Lisa Ruiz

Posted in Matt's Progress | Comments (1)

Hey everyone, It’s time.  After 2 weeks of going round and round within the Kaiser system we’ve come to the conclusion that they just won’t and can’t provide at the Kaiser Hospital, San Diego the appropriate therapy.  They have him there as a captive withing their system and because of the lack therapy he recieves we will have him brought home.  Lisa and I are in the process of buying equipment and setting up therapy for Matt at home as well as buying a van for his outpatient care.  We all feel, along with 4 rehab facilities from the outside of the Kaiser system that this is important  at this time for Matt.  We will probably have to contract a physiatrist on our own if one is not in the order for Matt when he leaves.  Matt is doing very well on his own now with all that we are doing, he continues to do things from one day to day the next that seem to indicate it’s all coming back together.  The nurses and Lindsey now have seen Matt repostion him self twice on his own from his back to one side and that’s huge from where he was just 4 months ago at the time of his injury.  We had Matt outside yesterday for an hour and a half and he did very well with that.  He watched the sunset on the clouds and you could see and only imagine what must have been going through his mind at the time.  We have our house almost ready for Matt’s home coming and are setting up furniture and equipment as we recieve it.  Thanks for your continued interest and support.  We will post a date of discharge when that is available.

Mario

Posted in Matt's Progress | Comments (1)

Hey everyone,  Matt continues on the long road to recovery.  We are still working out details with Matt’s insurance carrier in regards to his home care and rehabilitation.  That’s a full time job in itself but we’re getting through it.  Matt is doing lots more what they call “purposeful movement”.  Readjusting himself, no not the way you boys are thinking, I mean overall repositioning, rolling over in bed from his back to side.  That’s huge, it’s reacting to his environment.  That’s what we need Matt, keep it up!  He is slowly, day by day coming back.  We’ve been getting him up in a chair down stairs and outside now since last Thursday and it really seems to be livening him up.  He sits out and watches the people passing by, the wind in the trees, reacts to all the sounds, the sunset.  He’s coming back a little bit everyday, it’s all good. 

I have another meeting with the Kaiser crew the end of this week so will see what gets resolved, can’t wait to get him out of that place, I know he’s looking forward to it also, we all tell him all the time.  Keep you all posted as things develop

Posted in Matt's Progress | Comments (1)

Hey Everyone,  Just to give you all the latest.  Matt continues to improve, steady small steps but it’s all coming together.  The most dramatic thing of all is that he is starting to verbalize.  Not as clear and we all speak but there’s been enough of it this week that all the nurses have taken notice and are all talking about it so that’s really good to hear.  From what it sounds it’s not just nonsense.  He told a couple of the nurses that were in his room doing I’m not exactly what but were talking about something accident related and he spoke up and said ” stop talking “, don’t know, I wasn’t there, but that’s what they told us on Saturday.  Matt has on more than one occasion told a nurse “no” when they are about to do something that he doesn’t like.   We have all noticed with certain subjects like auto accidents along with certain people that come in seem to set him off and make him anxious so we think that that is all a good thing because with this and other things we ask of him and the way he responds seem to clearly  indicate understanding and processing of verbal conversation.  One thing that is a huge step is getting Matt to swallow on command now and I have gotten him to do it for me and for a couple of nurses who have documented it in Matt’s file for all to see.  Even with these improvements all the doctor that’s rounding this month and the case manager seem concerned with is saving cost and sending Matt home.

This weeks hurdle seems to be the direction of Matt’s additional treatment.  Lisa and I have been in communication with several people that have been in our situation along with other institutions in the Southern California area that treat patients with Matt’s injury.  The overwhelming consensus is that Matt should go to rehab first before coming home.  Kaiser Permanente seems to be moving away from this and have indicated that Matt needs to come home regardless of what we read or who we are talking too. 

I ask for all your continued positive thoughts and prayers for Matt’s continued improvement, strength to guide us through this continuing trying time in our lives and that the doctors, case managers and the other “powers that be” as Kaiser doctors seem to put it, will look at Matt as the smart, talented, wonderful and very loved young man that he is and make the right decision for Matt, not just look out for the most “cost effective way for the company” that seems to blind so many institutions in these “quality of life” and “continuity of care” decisions that can affect so many people for a lifetime whendecisions are made with and ulterior motive and not the care and compassion that health care should be all about.  “Thrive”, what does that really mean and for whom is it directed? 

I will update this blog as things develop.  Thanks for all your support.

Mario

Posted in Matt's Progress | Comments (16)

In an attempt to make things easier for Mario himself to communicate Matt’s progress, we made a new blog. Special thanks to Kristin for keeping us all updated thus far. You can still access her past blog posts on the right, along with a feed from Lindsey’s blog. Take it away Mario.

Posted in Matt's Progress | Comments (1)