I need some help from you Oregonians

[Horse with no Name]

Is that correct? Wasn't sure what you all called yourselves.
I have a friend in Oregon.
This is a 46-year old woman who had an extremely active life 6 short years ago.
She injured her back, had surgery, and everything has been downhill since. She is hooked on Oxycontin now.
I spoke with her this weekend. I told her I would love to get together this summer. She was worried about still being alive.
Apparently, she says everything below her neck is swollen. Her legs are discolored. She can hardly breathe.
The fluid accumulation is severe.
She lives in Springfield.
She says that her Doctor has more or less written her off and says that her problems are all caused by her addiction to Oxycontin.
He then writes her another prescription for it.
Her husband works for a major logging company there and was the casualty of a recent layoff.
They have their insurance through the month of January. After that, she doesn't know.
First of all, I want her to see THE BEST internist in Oregon at a teaching hospital.
Any names would be appreciated.
Then, I want her to check herself into a treatment program. I think I have convinced her that enduring some pain HAS to be better than a life not knowing if she was going to be alive in 6 months.
All help will be appreciated.
Thank you.

[sandnsea]

1. She needs to go to the ER at Sacred Heart

If she is in as bad a shape as it sounds like, I think she needs to be admitted somewhere. Despite what people will say about Sacred Heart for political reasons, it is a very good hospital and they do not turn anybody away without diagnosing the problem and full treatment including admission if necessary. Portland has OHSU, which is one of the top 10 teaching hospitals in the country, but I don't know whether a doctor has to make the referrals or not. As to addiction treatment, if she's got insurance, just call Serenity Lane in Eugene. In Oregon: 1-800-826-9285 National: 1-800-543-9905 People with insurance are admitted almost instantaneously to any treatment facility. Hope that helps. Good luck!

[Horse with no Name]

3. Thank you so much.

I have passed this information on to her.

[0rganism]

2. She may want to have a look at the Oregon Health Plan

if her husband's insurance coverage is going away in the near future, it's probably better than nothing, or even what she could get short-term. Heck, OHP even used to be pretty decent basic coverage for the disadvantaged before certain "other forces" limited services the state could provide. If she needs help paying for a drug treatment program, that's one of the areas that retained coverage after the gutting.

http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/healthplan/app_benefits/ohp4u.shtml

She would need to start filling out forms, pronto.

[Horse with no Name]

4. Thank you.

She said she wouldn't qualify.
However, she is on Social Security so if I am not mistaken, that makes her eligible for Medicare. We'll have to see.
Thanks for your input.

[OregonBlue]

5. If she's on SSI she should get herself to Oregon Health Sciences

University in Portland. Definitely the best. They also have clinics for treatment of addiction and are up on the latest, best methodologies. I wish her luck, this is a hard one.