Boise to VA Hospital in SANFRANCISCO and back.

Ray,

San Francisco also would require a toad.  Don't know exactly where the VA hospital is located there, but SF is not a place you want to drive around in an RV unless you know the streets.

ArdraF

Thanks, Ardra. That's what I figured. I have been there, but not in recent years. Was tight in a car. Wouldn't take a MH in there. Might not get out!

Looking more like Amtrak, again. 

Ray D  ;D

If you stay at Marin Park, you can rent a car from Enterprise right at the office.  They'll pick you up there and drop you off when you return.

Thanks, Lou. Where is Marin Park? Is it close to San Francisco?

It appears that switching hospitals is not in the cards. Not only that, but we got this appointment quickly, (?) once they had the test results in hand. Ordinarily, the wait can litterally be a year or more. (It is triaged, according to urgency and the size of the Q.) We don't know that she is "urgent," as she is still able to walk, some. Any distance does require a wheel chair or a scooter.

We think someone cancelled or died, resulting in an opening between Christmas and New Years. What a deal! (Don't know whether to laugh or cry!  :  But, we want her back on her feet, so looks like a holiday present is in the works, somehow.

Depending upon her condition, they may simply test, ask questions and do surgery - test, ask questions and schedule surgery for the future - test and decide not to do surgery. "Not" is NOT in our plans!

"Dear Santa." "I want surgery for Christmas. Can you arrange it?"  :

Will get back when I know more, or as the Captain used to say, "You'll know what we know, when we know it." 

Ray D  ;D

Marin RV Park is on Hwy 101, about 10 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge.  It's an easy run south into San Francisco in the morning, but you may encounter some stop and go coming north during the evening commute (the commute bottleneck is to the north of the park in downtown San Rafael).   I stay there when I go to San Francisco to visit my parents.  Sites are gravel - I don't know if that will be a factor.

From the Golden Gate Bridge, you can turn off at the toll plaza and go down Lincoln Ave. through the Presidio to the vicinity of the VA hospital.

Ray,

Re Amtrak.  Trains do not go to San Francisco; they go to Oakland.  If it's like it was in 1946  : the ticket will say San Francisco, but it's a bus or maybe BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) across the Bay.

There's also Candlestick RV Park near the old Candlestick Park stadium in Hunter's Point.  Not a great area but you could probably be on freeways most of the way across town to the hospital.  It's not far from US 101.  Never stayed there but have seen positive comments over the years.

ArdraF

Well, I will end the suspense. Problem solved!  ;D 

I was so frustrated, trying to find a reasonalbe way to get there, or get Dani there, at least. No airline had a direct to San Francisco flight available at a reasonable time - to avoid several nights of expensive motel stay. They have direct flights, just all booked up.

Amtrak was available and would only need two nights of motels. But, what an expensive way to go.

Bus lines actually came in cheaper. A bus for a day and a half, each way, would leave her needing immediate surgery!

Gave up and decided to contact the VA Social worker. I told him about the letter and my frustration with planning the trip. He read the letter - amazed! Said, "I know  a hundred vets that would kill for this letter!" Don't mess it up! Just go! Go down to the travel office and talk to ****.

So, I did. He asked my name - looked at me funny when I told him, and said "Just a minute. I'll be right back."

HERE'S THE DEAL.

He handed me two tickets on United Airlines, saying, "I was going to mail this, this evening." One ticket for Dani, and one for me, round trip. We take off Monday morning, the 29th. The flight lasts just under 2 hours. We will be met at the airport by Yellow Cab, who will take us to the hospital. The hospital pays for the cab. Yellow Cab will then return us to the airport, Monday afternoon. We fly out, landing in Boise, a little under 12 hours, over all.

If they OK the surgery, she will go back, expenses paid, and I guess she will be there, a while. That's as much as I know.

Ray D  ;D

I remember the recruiter, 50 some years ago, telling me, "If you get hurt, we'll take care of you."  Not sure how consistent that is, but it's looking better, now.  :

What a surprise.  I too am a veteran and proud of it.  Sometimes it appears that they are not taking care of us properly, but this sure straightens that out.

I think the VA takes better care of us than we sometimes think they do. Although they can be a PITA when it comes to paperwork and jurisdiction.

Wendy
US Army

Yeah, the relief is severe!  ;D

By the way, in my search I called United Airlines. There were no direct seats in that timeframe, on UAL to SF, at all. So where did the VA come up with these? I have a hunch they know somebody. 

VA service has gotten better, over the last ten years. (I've been in the system for 25 years.) Long ago, it was almost  insulting to go down there. (Back in Vietnam years.) Now, I understand it is the highest rated medical system, by patient satisfaction, in this country. And, they have the posters on the walls to prove it. They do pretty well, generally. I've had pretty good doctors and few complaints.

Ray D  ;D

That is good news Ray.  Glad they are taking care of you and Dani.

Ray, that's great news!  Thanks to someone at the VA....

ArdraF

I wish I'd had a mirror, so I could have seen  my face! 

We're pretty high, right now, so will add to the saga. You can do Boise, Idaho, to San Francisco and back in less than 12 hours. We did it!  ;D

But you can't!  :

We were there, two hours early for time to do the security stuff. The plane was scheduled for a 10:14 AM takeoff. So, to allow enough time for the security process, we got there at 08:15. The return flight was schedued for a 9:22 PM landing. We arrived back in Boise at 09:22 PM. Process completed. Lot of stuff happened in the middle and at both ends of that.  :

Got up at 05:30 to be at the airport, on time. Didn't sleep much, last night. Security was a breeze - took all of 20 minutes. Twiddled our thumbs and decided to eat breakfast as there was nothing to eat on the plane. Really good idea! Expensive, but satisfying, and did for just about the entire day.

The bird was there when we got there, ready to go. It was delayed by S.F. rain and fog. S.F. wouldn't allow the Boise bird to take off until the S.F. airport was ready to receive it. Took off one hour late. OK, there went the extra hour we had in Frisco, for Breakfast.  :-\

Flight was uneventful, save that it was late, in a tight schedule situation. Figured the cab, to the hospital might save us enough time, to eat again. No sale! 

The cab was slowed by bumper to bumper traffic, so that we got there with 5 minutes to spare, before the appointment. Sat in the waiting room, on schedule - barely - on time - by a whisker.   

Watched the clock tick for two and a half hours. As the clock ticked, I recalculated and then recalculated again, time to make the Boise connection  for the return trip. Began trying to calculate the issues of finding an overnight place to stay, and how to reschedule the return trip the next day. Finally, went up to the receptionist and asked for an estimate, "if you can, please, as we are going to miss our return flight." but "this is not a complaint. The most important thing is the doctor's appointment, no matter how long it takes."  8)

Well, things started moving, fast. I was amazed! They were crowded, but we got in after another 20 minutes or so. I was assured, repeatedly, that we would "be there for the retun flight." I knew they couldn't do it!  :

Well, they had a "special" cab driver, they explained, and not to worry, he would get us to the airport, on time. Mr Lozano, of Yellow Cab, was waiting for us, when we came out of the doctor's office. He'd been there, since we went in to the doctor's office!  He took us on a tour, assuring us the entire time, that we would unload at the terminal in 36 minutes! Sure!  :

He noted that Dani had a camera, and sat her in the front seat, "for pictures." He took us along the coast, leisurely, without the "bumper threatening" that had marked our inbound ride, that too a little more than a hour, in bumper to bumper, slow traffic. He pulled over, several times, and said to Dani, "You'll want a picture of that! That's the ***** as he described each  place he stopped.

"How am I doing?" he asked me, sitting in the back seat, at one point. I replied that he was doing fine, but he was on the way to losing his 36 minute bet. (I had decided that he was likely to get us there, in time to make a run for it, but the tour was worth it. The traffic was light. The scenery was beauiful. The stops were relaxing. It was a good trip. I'd be a sport.) "But, I don't see the airport, and you have less than 5 minutes!  ;D

"Oh, he replied, the airport is right there!" He pointed out the left side window! "We'll be there in less than two minutes!" We were!  8)

Uuuummm, I did something unusual. I over-tipped him. As we got out, I laid a twenty across his palm. (The VA had already paid him, while he waited for us.) I try to tip fairly, but try not to over-tip and look stupid, too. Hope it was enough, for the entertainment and the relaxing ride, and not too much. We'll be asking for him, in the future. He seemed quite happy with the deal.  ;D

Oh, and securtity was, again, a 20 minute thing, including the wait in line. (What a change from the few security marathons over recent years!)

Oh, I did say, "We'll be asking for him, in the future."

Dani will have more than one more MRI, another CT Scan or two, some other tests, and will get her surgery - probably more than one. Between tests, X-rays etc, there will be "Video Concerences," between him, us, and her local VA Doctors. That's something new, they are just starting on, now! They were crazy about her! The surgery (s) will be done in San Francisco. Not a bad trip, at all.  ;D

Dead tired! Going to bed. Not leaving a "wake up" call, for tomorrow.  :

Ray D  ;D

Remarkable day! So glad it worked out...and in the middle of winter to boot.

Great trip, Ray.  So glad it worked out for you and the VA took such good care of you and Dani.

Everything finally worked out...........................G R E A T !

Sounds like you had an adventure and glad all worked out. 

Ray I am so glad you got that all figured out.  What a relief that must have been.

I have been with the VA since the late 80s.  All my care there and it is the best care anyone could ask for.  They are really a first class operation. 

Ray,

What a great day!  So very happy it all worked out.  Keep us posted and give Dani a hug for me.

Happy New Year!

ArdraF