Michaels story,please read and pray..

seanspots · Michaels story,please read and pray..

Michael was denied by Shepherd Spinal due to lack of Medicaid funding. The fight is on, we have to do all we can to get him in a rehab! The press release below needs to flood the internet, state and US senators, house members and agency offices, media ESPECIALLY. Please help Michael!!!!!!!!!!! And PRAY!!!!!!!!!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

July 30, 2009
Contact: Teresa Baum-Farrow
Panama City, Florida
baumt@bellsouth.net 850-685-5683

WAITING . WAITING . WAITING . . on our HealthCare System

Random Act of Kindness renders 30 yr old Bay County, Florida man a quadriplegic -
Michael Harris waits for a Spine Rehabilitation Hospital who will accept him.

“This could have happened to any one of us”, says Michael Harris’ Mother, Darlene, who has been by Michael’s side at Bay Medical Hospital day or night for 120 days now. The irony of this situation is that for the better part of Michael’s adult life, he has worked tirelessly on behalf of terminally ill and disabled children and adult veterans through groups like Buckmasters and The Way Outfitters. He arranged many complimentary trips for the children and their families to come here to Bay County to fish and swim at the beach and to hunt in Alabama. Now, he is one of them, and all he desperately needs and wants is to go to a specialty Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Hospital for the rehab treatment he needs to help him get off of the breathing ventilator and learn the new mobility skills he’ll need for his new life as a disabled person.

Michael’s C-5 and C-7 vertebrae were broken and his spinal cord was injured while helping a friend unload large sheets of plywood at his home. The stacked plywood fell like dominos and Michael was standing in its path. It crushed him and in an instant his life was changed.

“The nurses and doctors at Bay Medical have been wonderful to Michael and to our family”, says Johnny Harris, Michael’s father. “Michael has had a few set-backs since the injury, but he is getting stronger every day and is anxiously awaiting rehabilitation”. It is a critical next step for him. Darlene Harris, a humble & caring woman, who just happens to be a nurse, has been through so many ups & downs since the accident. “It is easy for my husband, Johnny, and I to lose faith – but just when we get down someone new walks into our lives and a new door opens, and this gives us hope and the strength to keep going”.

There are fourteen specialty Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Centers in the country.
One of them is Boston Medical Center where Christopher Reeves was treated and rehabilitated. These types of injuries are fragile & complicated and can be layered with ancillary health problems at any stage of recovery. Sometimes it is two steps forward and one step back and this can be very hard for the patient and the families.

What’s the hold-up? Finding the right Center who will accept Michael’s case.
Michael, like millions of Americans, didn’t have health insurance when this happened to him. He’s just another number stuck in our healthcare system now – which doesn’t wear a watch, by the way. “He’s a very determined young man, says Darlene, and we aren’t giving up”. We were told this week by Medicaid that one of the best facilities in the country, Shepherd Hospital in Atlanta, didn’t have enough dollars in their reserve healthcare
account set aside (for cases like ours) to take our son. We waited over 4 weeks to hear this very bad news.
It has been a major set-back for us & now we have to start the process all over again. But, we have also heard that other states won’t work with the Florida Medicaid system. We need help from our government officials,
starting right here in our County and all the way up to Governor Charlie Crist, and we’re not going to stop until we get some help.

In writing this story, I find this ironic that the very day the Harris’ are given this bad news, FOX News airs a piece on “Managing the Wild Mustang Horses” and indicated that $700 million dollars of our hard earned tax money is being spent on this cause! Go figure.

“No matter how broken we are we can’t give up for Michael’s sake”. “ He can’t speak for himself, so we want to share his story in hopes that he will be given the chance to go to SCI Rehab and live the best quality life he can possibly have when he comes home”. And then, maybe we can help make it easier for others who are going through similar circumstances to work through the system like we have had to do. Maybe they won’t have to wait.

Nite Legend

It is so ironic that Mike is this situation, considering all the work he has done to help those that are in his position. He is a very caring person that needs as much help and hope that he has givin to others. As part of the fishing community we need to come together as a whole and do what we can to help this wonderful person. Everyone please keep him in all your prayers and lets hope and pray the government can see that he has made a difference in the lives of children that are in his same position and now it is time to give back.

seanspots

An account has been set up for donations for Michael. The account is through People's First Bank. Any People's First will be able to accept donations, and they can be anonymous. If anyone would like to make a donation, the account number is 5740360. If you have any problems or need any information in regards to the account, please contact Michael's sister, Lisa. You can reach her by email at l.bubbles@comcast.net or by calling 850-596-8712.

Again thanks for all the support from everyone. It means a lot to Michael and to his family. Please keep us in your prayers.

BrownMarlin

BrownMarlin

Thats SUCKS to HEAR

THANKS for THE INFO Howie!

He will be in our thoughts and prayers

JJ35

Prayer made, it's in The Lord's hands & His Will, will be done.

seanspots

For those that are interested and care about this tragedy,Michael has been admitted to Sheperd hospital in Atlanta and will be leaving monday.Gov.Charlie Crist ws personally in touch with the family today.Miracles do happen and thank you everyone for your prayers.

Nite Legend

Thats great news Howie!!

Hopefully soon we can return the favor and take him on a fishing trip.. We will be praying for great results while he is going through rehab..

Keep us updated!!!

BrownMarlin

THATS AWESOME NEWS

kidcobia

Thats great to hear I hope Michael has a full and speedy recovery he is a very special person, we'll keep him in our prayers!

MS PAT · MICHAEL

FT WALTON PAPER HAD A GOOD ARTICLE TODAY ABOUT MICHAEL OING TO ATLANTA FOR REHAB.

STILL KEEPING HIM IN MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.

FishinDon · Micahael

Please tell Michael to hang in there. His injury sounds like a similar injury that happeded to a young neighbor of mine. Her neck was severely broken and she had to be on a ventilator and have extensive rehab. This happened better than 2 years ago. She has regained partial use of one arm, is doing much better and was married this Spring. He will be in my prayers and I will put him on the prayer list at my church this morning. By the way, I have thorougly enjoyed reading your post on the pier forum and what I am reading now confirms that you guys (and ladies) are not just great fishermen, but great people that I can't wait to meet and fish with someday. Don

Nite Legend

We are family on here and try to look out for one another. Most of us know each other and have fished many years together. We all have our moments of trials and tribulations, but when one of us is in need we are all here to help.. I know Michael and his family appreciates the support of his fellow fishermen and I am sure it keeps the hope and will to get better even that much more important to them.. Keep him in your prayers for it will be a long and hard recovery, but our support will keep him going even that much more..

seanspots

Mikes last night in Bay Medical!! We watched the Michigan 400 and Jr. almost won but got third place.Michael will be boarding a jet for Sheperd Hospital at 8:00am monday.We all love you man and you will be in great hands,looking foward to when you get back and get that fishing trip in.

BrownMarlin

Thats awesome!

Thanks for the update... Michael keep fighting man, we are all pulling for you and your recovery, and you are in our thoughts and prayers

nb&twil

thanks for the updates sean. we'll continue to pray for michael.

FishinDon

I forgot to mention thqt we had a young bull rider from here last year who broke his neck. Dr.s told him he would not walk again. He ended up walking out of the hospital on a walker. Our football team went to the quarterfinals last season and about 6 months after his injury he stood and walked on the sidelines with our team. Last I heard, he isn't back riding bulls but he is riding and roping. We are praying for Michael and hope to hear good news. Don

seanspots

....from Michaels father Johnny....

well we finally made it to shepards. michael had a good flight but a bumpy ambulance ride. he is in good spirits and is ready for hard work. he is in icu until they can evaluate him and set his care plan. the people are amazing and very caring. the hopital also is amazing. we will try to do better job on updating everyone.
god bless you all and continue to pray for michaels healing

....Thank you everyone for your prayers!!!!!

BrownMarlin

I hope there was a good turn out. How was it Howie? I hate that I couldn't make it... We will keep him in our thoughts and prayers! Let me know how it went...

Michaels story,please read and pray..

MICHAEL

Micahael