Boise to VA Hospital in SANFRANCISCO and back.

Well, I think the Grinch just stole Christmas! 

Previously, I asked for and received good advice for taking Dani to the VA at Palo Alto, for a procedure, there. That didn't pan out, and the VA decided on an alternative.

Right now, she is on an Amtrak triip to Oklahoma City, in another thread, here. She is doing reasonably well, with friends helping out. Thank Heaven she's gone, because I just opened a letter from the VA. I have to digest this some, before she gets back, on the 9th.

She is scheduled for a consultation appointment at the VA Medical Center, Outpatient Clinic, 4150 Clement St. San Francisco, 94121. the consultation would be for determining whether major back surgery would benefit her. (Actual surgery would be scheduled, later.(Or, not.) Well, here comes the Grinch! The appointment is for the 29th of December!   

Preferred method of travel is/was by Motorhome. I see two major problems, right away.

First, there are a lot of mountainous highways to travel, to get there. The first set starts just outside of Boise. Snow and ice are probably likely, and neither of us like driving under those conditions. Not even sure it is at all safe to plan such a trip.

Second, I Googled the address to find out if it really is in San Francisco. Bingo! It really is! It has been 20 years since I have been there, but used to go fairly frequently. I can't imagine that travel/traffic has gotten better, in that time. It was challenging, in a car! I recognized the streets, many of them. I suppose it is possible to get a 37 foot, extra wide motorhome in there, somehow. Just having a time imagining it.

Any thoughts. Am I apprehensive about weather, for nothing? Are there any RV Parks in or close to that area?

I'll be working on a "Plan B," while I wait.  :

Ray D  :-\

Am I apprehensive about weather, for nothing?

Click to expand...

Be apprehensive or at least cautious.  Leave early and get down to I-80 as best you can.  Cross the Sierra on I-80.  It is a major arterial so the highway departments patrol it heavily and keep it as clear as possible.  That said you do not want to be in Donner Pass, even on an interstate, in a Pacific storm.  Be ready to hole up in Reno for 2-3 days to allow a storm to clear.  In short, go early and keep posted on the weather.  Have chains just in case.

Is there another choice?  Could you get it scheduled at Salt Lake, or Portland?

Be apprehensive or at least cautious.

Click to expand...

Carl, that's what I thought! I, once upon a time, took a truck through Donnor's Pass, in the winter. Had to chain up, and did so. Slow going, and absolutely treacherous! 

That was more than 35 years ago. I couldn't handle chains, now, if my life depended upon it. And, it might! And, I wondered if things had improved.

I don't think I am likely to attempt that. Problem is, other travel options are as bad, nearly so, or worse. She has to have her service dog. I wouldn't think of her going alone. That complicates things for this kind of trip, in a serious way. (Think "Snowball!")

Geodrake. As far as I know, they don't listen very well to whining about travel. Tried it, before. I could get it reset, but January and February are no better for that trip. Try to set it in late April or May, and I don't know what happens. I will be down there, talking turkey to those turkeys!

Salt Lake is not on the local list of places to go. Why? I have no idea. That, I would try. Portland and Seattle also do the same work. I might try a switch to one of those, but doubtful I can pull it off. (Will try.)

This may be a really short thread! 

Ray,

Are either you or Dani retired military? Are either of you eligible for TriCare for Life?

I'm retired and my wife and myself have had good experiences getting health care through them.

If this is getting too personal just don't answer.

Don, I don't have anything "personal" left!  :

Dani and I are both Disabled Veterans, Service Connected. That gets both of us free medical care. We are not Retired Military and are not elegible for TriCare. Wish we were! 

Lest I complain too loudly, we get pretty good care, a lot of it, and do not have a co-pay for anything, including drugs. And, our drugs, alone, would break us if we had to buy them.

We do have Medicare. May have to go that way. That would tap out savings and then some. Have really excellent Neurosurgery clinic, here. And, that's the way we went last time.  :-\

Ray D  :-\

Actually, when I read the letter, I thought "That's a no-brainer! Ain't gonna happen." Decided to check here, to see if things had changed in the last 20 years, like could they keep the snow off and the ice melted on I-80? No "HiTech" solution to that, yet, apparently.

You could not go to the VA in Salt Lake??? And they have a rv park there too for those using the hospital.  Good luck to you no matter how you travel and may your trip be a safe one.

Of course, the other travel option is to go west to Portland, then south on I-5.  Longer, but it's major artery interstate the whole way and the first set of mountains are close to home so you can schedule your departure accordingly.  The other set of mountains are the Siskiyous between Ashland and Redding and if necessary you can cut over to US 101 to get around them.

The VA hospital is at the northwest corner of SF - I'd stay at Marin Park in Greenbrae and either drive your toad or rent a car at the campground (Enterprise picks up and delivers from the park) and take that into S.F.  You can cut through the Presidio (exit right at the GG Bridge toll plaza) with a car and avoid almost all of the city driving but I wouldn't recommend that route with a motorhome. The times I've taken that route and driven past the VA parking has been tight in the immediate neighborhood.

Lou, I wondered about I-5 south from Portland. Makes a really long winter trip. Still planning a response. Not sure what response, yet.

Lee, If we were in SLC and had a medical problem, we would be treated at that VA hospital. For a major surgery, however, we would be referred back to Boise. Then, we would have the problem we have now. No net gain.

I think this method of handling major surgery is a left over from the old VA. It has greatly improved in the last 6 or 7 years. So, has their patient satisfaction ratings. They ranked number one, of all medical systems, in patient satisfaction, several times in recent years.

Most patients do not need major surgery and travel to a distant hospital. It's just not common.

Old VA: In 1998 I was traveling by car. I fell and injured my shoulder in Omaha. I went to the VA Med Cntr, there, to see if I needed immediate treatment or could I wait til I got back to Boise. Well, they said it would take two days to get my records and I could come back in on Monday. They wouldn't even let me see a nurse, for an opinion.

Well, 4 extra days in Omaha was out of the question. I would be in Boise, Sunday, if I just followed my original travel plans. So, I did that and went to the Boise VA, on Monday. No major injury. Just a bruise.

Big improvement, since then, in VA service. Records are now electronic, nationwide. Treatment is now high quality and respectfully delivered. Really big improvement!

Ray D

I also use the VA, although not entirely.  I am very impressed with them.

Ray has to go where the Surgeon"s are for her problems. Specialists are spread very thin in this system. Think of the agony of Ray &Spouse then think of returning Military and their dilemmas ( such as Walter Reed).

I use the VA exclusively.  For all my medical needs.  I am service connected and the VA here in Portland is really a great medical center.  It is hooked up with OHSU (Oregon Health Science University) right next door.  Nothing but the latest and greatest procedures and excellent people skills. 

I would not hesitate to recommend them for anything. 

Lou gave good information about going South from Portland.  If fact my plan is to go that route to Quartzsite that same time frame.

Good luck which ever way it goes.  I will say a prayer.

Papahog, I would much prefer Portland. If I can get it changed to there, I'll be counting on you for more advice, like where could we stay, etc. Thanks.

Ray D  ;D

I may be WAY off base here, but pardon me for suggesting that ANYONE travel by ANY method other than RV ... HOWEVER, you can rent a (pretty nice) car - maybe even a 4 wheel driver - for ~$30/day or less .. if you do some searching on the Inet and are not in any hurry.  Seems to me, that you could leave your RV where it is for a short while - rent a car - drive down (stay in ... ughh... shall I say ... a MOTEL) for a couple of days (or more) and save enough $$$ in fuel to almost pay for it ... or at least some of it - might be a site safer considering the expected travel conditions...  .

Worth a thought, I'd think ...  ;D
Steve

Steve, I will give that a thought. Portland is not all that far, from here.

Thanks.

Just dawned on me that you might be talking about San Francisco. RV is the only option, for that. All others, under those circumstances, are not physically reasonable, for medical reasons. I can make Portland in a day. More than a day, driving, without fascilities, is problematic.

When we travel for fun, she spends some of the time in bed or lying down on the couch. We don't travel more than 200 to 250, per day. Yeah, I know she isn't strapped in, in that case, but it's a risk we take. The other option is stay home and twiddle our thumbs.

Staying home and twiddling thumbs seem to me to not be an option.  As long as I can still hook up and go I will go.

Roamers Rest RV Park - Tualatin, OR
http://www.roamersrestrvpark.com/index.php

This is the best option for a place to park while here.  Nice restrooms with large handicapped showers, nice laundry facilities and very friendly park management staff.

I have stayed there both at the daily rate (twice for a few days each time) and one 3 month stretch at the monthly rate.  Would think this is the closest to the VA and it is a straight down 99W to Twirlier Blvd and up the hill to VA.  Need the toad to even get close to the hospital.

My best to you and good luck which ever way you go.
Ken

Ray, if you decide to swith it to Seattle let me know.  We could help out with a place to stay.  Send me an email or PM and I can give you more details.

Dave

Dave and Ken, Thanks, both of you. Going to be a week before I know anything. Running late and running hard. I'll update as I know more.

Thanks again, all.

Ray D  ;D

I can echo the recommendation for Roamer's Rest in Tualatinl.  We stayed there for a week or so when Tom's brother had brain surgery.  The restrooms, in particular, are very nice.  You go in, lock the door, and have a sink, toilet and shower all to yourself.  Very home like.  A towed vehicle would be necessary to get to the hospital.

Margi

Thanks, Margi. Like I said above, I am working on plan B. That would be Portland. Not sure if we have any say in that, at all. Still working. Expect to talk to Dani, Wed, the 10th. I have a CT Scan, myself, that day. So, I'm not sure how far we'll get, that day. Stand by. More follows.

Ray D  ;D