We have 2 new people on board to help with my workload and both are on the ground in NSW and experienced with complex disabilities!

The changes to Jay’s NDIS plan that locked me and my staff out of being able to access it have not only been fixed, they’ve been made retroactive. That means the $10,000 or so I was going to owe in wages this weekend I can now invoice to the NDIS plan to cover. WHOOOOO

We have finally got high level medical support for Jay. Today we were called because they and one of the staff were exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19 while in the local public hospital ED fighting hopelessly for help. That doctor tried to arrange for Jay to visit the same hospital for testing, given some of their symptoms could be COVID-19. When we explained the ambulances we’ve called refused to take them given they may have a neck or back fracture, they tried to get someone into the house. We all found it impossible to arrange for a swab to be done in the home because currently I’m more like to be able to arrange for a helicopter than I am for masks, gowns, and latex free gloves.

So he went off to speak to someone higher up and between them they saw what so many this past few weeks have failed to see: the bigger picture. COVID-19 is scary and potentially lethal for Jay and yet at present it is not even the most urgent medical need. We need proper holistic medical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, and it’s not possible to get the tests we need such as scans done under sedation, in a home environment. Nor it is okay to focus on COVID-19 while they are at risk of death or paralysis if there’s a neck fracture, or death by drowning due to feeding in a prone position with a known severe swallowing issue.

Bizarrely enough, the COVID-19 exposure is the best thing that’s happened for Jay’s access to care. What the hell is wrong with our system that this is the case!?

We have a plan of attack, which we will swing into action tomorrow. For now, I’m going back to tackle all the admin that will make paying staff possible, and dealing with the remaining cash flow crisis – I owe thousands in wages. Tomorrow will be admission to hospital and me chasing up every loan option I have available.

We still need donations towards all the incidentals not covered by NDIS, but far less urgently than before. Mostly what I need right now is low or interest free loans so that I can resource staff to pay critical costs in their own lives while we are waiting on money to come in from the NDIS.

Gawds it’s SO GOOD to have a good update to pass on!

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