Have you ever had to have
surgery? Do you remember how long it took for you to go from the initial
diagnosis to the recovery room? Likely it was several weeks, if not a month or
more. Because of our partnerships and flexibility, that is often not the case
for our patients.
Thanks
to our kind and dedicated donors, the Free Clinic is here to help our sick and
hurting neighbors in the most caring, efficient, and cost-effective manner
possible.
Here’s Dale’s story.
For some months, Dale had noticed
that he had a lump on his side. It didn’t bother him much, so he ignored it,
not wanting to take the time off from work to have it checked out. Dale worked
for a small employer who didn’t provide him with health insurance or paid time
off, so even when the lump got larger and became a bit painful, Dale still
ignored it, not wanting to lose wages or spend money for health care that the
family needed for essentials.
Eventually, the lump got so large
and so painful that Dale couldn’t ignore it any longer. Figuring that he needed
surgery, he went to the local hospital to talk to the finance office about
potential payment options. The patient advocate assisted Dale and suggested that
he go to the Free Clinic – to assess his overall health and to determine if
surgery was needed.
Even though he didn’t have an
appointment, Dale was seen immediately upon arrival at the Clinic. Since he had
all of his financial documentation with him, we were able to complete his
registration and send him down the hall to our Nurse Practitioner. After a
thorough exam, she determined that surgery was needed, so she called a local
surgeon to arrange an appointment for Dale.
The surgeon kindly agreed to see
Dale that afternoon. Unfortunately, Dale was without transportation. His wife
had left him at the clinic, while she went to get their children off the bus,
and had not yet returned. So, our LPN took Dale to the surgeon’s office in her
personal vehicle.
Forty-eight hours later, Dale’s
surgery was complete and he was recovering comfortably, reassured that he would
be able to return to work right away.
Because
of your kindness and generosity, the Free Clinic makes a huge difference in the
lives of many who have nowhere else to turn. Let’s celebrate our successes –
together!
