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DEL.ICIO.USPatient desperately needs flight to Boston
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you have ideas on how to get Jack Stabinsky to Boston, contact Dick Deacon at 770-963-0216 or 770-862-4290.
He was 32 at the time, a fit foreman for a landscape construction company.
One day in 1985 while on the job, a tightness developed in Jack Stabinsky’s calves and legs. His mind told his appendages to move. They didn’t.
Now 53, his legs don’t work at all and he can’t control his bowels. He uses an electric scooter and wears a catheter. For the last year, he has lived in the Life Care Center of Gwinnett, a nursing home in Lawrenceville that offers palliative care.
He’s preparing for the day when his multiple sclerosis, a disease of the central nervous system, worsens. When that happens, he wants to be in the Boston Home, a century-old nursing home in Massachusetts that specializes in long-term care for adults with physical disabilities. Many of its patients have multiple sclerosis.
Stabinsky had been on a waiting list for one of the center’s 96 beds for several months. Good news arrived Friday. He’s in.
Now, there’s another challenge. Getting there.
He has to find a way to get to Boston from Lawrenceville with consideration given to his medical condition and tight budget. The last resort would be a 20-hour drive by medical van, something he ought not endure given his health.
“We’re looking at every option,” Stabinsky said. “Whatever it takes, we’re going to do it.”
The best mode of transport would be air travel, and that’s what Stabinsky’s friends, mainly Dick Deacon of the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation’s local chapter, are working to secure.
Deacon’s cellphone rang Monday while we were en route to visit Stabinsky. Someone was calling with details about a “mercy flight.” Deacon pulled to the side of the road.
“Twelve thousand dollars — that’s out of the question,” Deacon told the caller.
He and others have been calling corporations and nonprofits in hopes of landing a jet and pilot to fly Stabinsky. They’ve been checking with commercial airlines about ticket prices and accommodations. Deacon, who’s been slowed by multiple sclerosis to the point that he uses a walker, hopes someone will read this column and contact him with ideas, resources, help.
“It’s a miracle and answer to our prayers that Jack got in,” he told me. “Right now, we have to get him there.”
Time is of the essence.
The Boston Home, founded in 1881, can’t hold a bed. Demand’s too high.
“We can’t hold a bed for him for a month,” said Norma Harrington of admissions. “But we have given Mr. Stabinsky some wiggle room.”
That ends Monday.
Rick Badie’s column appears on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Contact him at 770-263-3875 or e-mail rbadie@ajc.com.
Permalink | Comments (13) | Post your comment | Categories: Rick Badie
Comments
By Rick
July 10, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this
Try Angel Flight of Georgia: http://www.angelflight-ga.org/
By Paul
July 10, 2007 5:06 PM | Link to this
The patient must be able to board aircraft on their own. Jack can’t do that. He needs something like Mercy Flight.
I’ve known Jack for about a year now; he is a great guy. He really needs to get to the Boston Home where he can get quality care. Geriatric care is not suitable for his condition.
By Paul
July 10, 2007 8:03 PM | Link to this
Great news! AirTran has accepted Jack as a passenger. He is on his way!!!!
By Holly Jones
July 10, 2007 9:06 PM | Link to this
God speed, Jack. i will miss you. love ya, precious. xxxo, holly
By Gwen
July 10, 2007 10:00 PM | Link to this
The next time YOU fly try to remember which airline made this possible !
By Jacqueline Dormer
July 11, 2007 12:20 AM | Link to this
I can’t wait to visit my Uncle Jack in Boston ! Thank you Rick Badie and Dick Deacon, Becky, the MS Support Group and to everyone that was inspired by Badie’s column to get Jack to Boston. Your kindness is overwhelming ! Jack is going to have many visitors from Pennsylvania !!!!!! We can’t wait !
By Chrissey Dormer
July 11, 2007 9:27 AM | Link to this
Thank you to all of the caring and generous people of Georgia, Dick Deacon, Becky and the MS Society of Georgia. We have been praying and hoping for nothing short of a miracle for Jack and we are so very happy that Jack will be arriving at The Boston Home on Thursday. Thank you Rick Badie for shining your light on my Uncle Jack. Your words really made a difference- for that I am grateful. My heartfelt thanks to you! You’re on your way Jack and I love you! Love,Chrissey
By Elizabeth
July 11, 2007 11:22 AM | Link to this
I’m so happy he’s able to go! Jack, I wish you the best of luck in your new home! :-)
By Elizabeth
July 11, 2007 11:23 AM | Link to this
I’m so happy he’s able to go! Jack, I wish you the best of luck in your new home! :-)
By Jack
July 11, 2007 12:38 PM | Link to this
Mr. Bradie,
Thank you for helping this man. Air Tran your awesome. If Air Tran wasnt able to do it, i was going to suggest contacting Cleflo Dollar ministries to see if he would let him use his private jet. I wish Jack the best of luck. My prayers are with him. May God bless him..
By Jacqueline Dormer
July 12, 2007 1:15 PM | Link to this
JACK JUST LANDED IN BOSTON !!!!!!!!! Jack and Becky, his nurse from Life Care Center of Gwinnett that went with him, called to let us know they just landed in Boston. Jack said he slept the whole way. God Bless everyone for their support and help. You have no idea how much you touched our family ! Uncle Jack, I hope to take you to a Red Sox game !!!!!!
By Kimberly
July 12, 2007 9:28 PM | Link to this
It is such wonderful new to read that the kindness of good people have gone to a person who has truly been suffering. This is awesome…thank you.
By Dick Deacon
July 14, 2007 6:38 PM | Link to this
Perhaps this is one of the ways I can thank over 100 people who called on Tues and Wed to help my friend Jack. Many of you will hear from me again in a more personal way and again after all the fanfare is over to post you on how my friend is coping. My wife, our friends in the Gwinnett County Multiple Sclerosis Self-help group[I’m the contact if you know of someone who has MS and needs some supportive friends]and I sincerely thank you for answering our prayers.