22-year-old American teacher, struck with paralysis stuck in Thailand, unable to return home

[webfact]

22-year-old teacher, Henrico native struck with paralysis stuck in Thailand, unable to return home

BY SHELBY BROWN

 

Caroline with her nurses in Thailand

 

RICHMOND, Va. -- A family in Henrico is working feverishly to try and get their loved one back home to the United States after a sudden illness left her paralyzed.

 

They asked the CBS 6 Problem Solvers to share the story of 22 year old Caroline Bradner. The Douglas Freeman High and University of Mississippi grad has been in Thailand for two months following her dream of teaching abroad.

 

Dad, Jim Bradner says his daughter graduated and then waited tables for a few months so she could save up money for her trip.

 

Caroline applied to teach through a program called Xplore Asia. She left in October and made her home in a tiny town about eight hours from Bangkok.

 

Full story: https://wtvr.com/2019/01/01/22-year-old-teacher-chesterfield-native-struck-with-paralysis-stuck-in-thailand-unable-to-return-home/

 

-- CBS 6 TV 2019-01-02

[simon43]

Quote

 

To complicate matters, dad says their insurance company denied a request to transport Caroline back to the United States.
 

 

 

Ho hum, here we go again....

[madmen]

"To complicate matters, dad says their insurance company denied a request to transport Caroline back to the United States."

 

Surely repatriation via medi vac flight is covered by most insurance policies if not all

 

Gonna be cheaper than leaving her in hospital for 3 months

 

 

 

 

[Youlike]

3 minutes ago, simon43 said:

 

 

 

Ho hum, here we go again....

Again no travel insurance?

[from the home of CC]

Yep, another example of the insurance mafia who will drag out legal litigation for years rather than pay up a claim. All those who think smugly that they're protected here are in for a very rude surprise if something untoward happens, how do think these companies got so powerful? It wasn't due to paying out claims lol.  

[NCC1701A]

Photo caption:

"Welcome to Hospital Thailand big money USA lady. Like your hotel California you can check out but you can never leave."

[Jingthing]

All that smiling seems kind of creepy in the context of the news story. I hope she can raise the money to get back home. About her illness, what is the typical prognosis? Is the paralysis usually permanent? 

[Mapguy]

This is a tough one.

 

Repatriation is extraordinarily expensive.  What about treatment in Thailand?

 

This syndrome is progressively disabling, but normally recedes.  There is no reason why she shouldn't receive appropriate care in Thailand which one would hope is covered by her family insurance.  What about her own international insurance?

 

If the diagnosis is correct, the recovery is exhausting requiring physical rehabilitation.

[madmen]

All that smiling seems kind of creepy in the context of the news story. I hope she can raise the money to get back home. About her illness, what is the typical prognosis? Is the paralysis usually permanent? 

According to the news link and Google it's not. Maybe that's why the insurance company won't play. Hard to imagine a quick recovery from totall paralysis

[Just Weird]

28 minutes ago, Youlike said:

Again no travel insurance?

Read the link.

[Briggsy]

Any comment from the company that placed her in her employment, Xplore Asia?

[geriatrickid]

This thread will soon be filled with ignorant comments and claims based upon imagined  circumstances.

 

39 minutes ago, madmen said:

"To complicate matters, dad says their insurance company denied a request to transport Caroline back to the United States."

Surely repatriation via medi vac flight is covered by most insurance policies if not all

Gonna be cheaper than leaving her in hospital for 3 months

Indeed and common sense. However, we are missing some important facts such as;

- Does she really have this  illness?

- Did the medical report state that she could be treated in Thailand for a period of time and then brought home?

- Did the medical assessment from the insurer indicate she did not need a  complete medievac, but could use a conventional transport method?

The news report is not complete.

 

35 minutes ago, from the home of CC said:

Yep, another example of the insurance mafia who will drag out legal litigation for years rather than pay up a claim. All those who think smugly that they're protected here are in for a very rude surprise if something untoward happens, how do think these companies got so powerful? It wasn't due to paying out claims lol.  

The only lol will come from  those who read your ignorant comment. You have no idea as to the facts of this case and yet here you are  claiming there is an insurance mafia.  Please share with everyone your knowledge of this case that allows you to offermake your claims.  Your allegations are false and a pathetic manifestation of buffoonery.  They are also malicious.

[futsukayoi]

 

Just now, Jingthing said:

All that smiling seems kind of creepy in the context of the news story. I hope she can raise the money to get back home. About her illness, what is the typical prognosis? Is the paralysis usually permanent? 

 

The prognosis varies greatly.  In her case the outlook is pretty good she is already regaining movement and the paralysis was not extreme.  I had exactly the same thing but my case was more severe as paralysis was pretty much complete (my lungs did not work without a breathing machine and a tube in my throat, I could not speak and needed another tube in my side to be fed).  In my case it was a very long and painful road to recovery.  Eventually I only have a slight loss of feeling in my fingertips and limited movement and feeling in my feet (I trip up a lot and run really flat footed).  It was a year before I could walk with the aid of a stick and about another 2 years before I was back to pretty full fitness.

 

Obviously some of these people trying to raise funds through Go Fund Me have had some pretty awful experiences but what I am suspicious of is the amount of money they are trying to raise.  In my case I was in Hong Kong and had medical cover there.  I did not have repatriation insurance as I did not want to go back to the UK for any foreseeable treatment.  I had lived in Asia for 10 years and that is where my girlfriend and friends were.  The medical care was also at least as good.  However my mother was insistent that I go back to the UK and I caved in.  Ambulance transfers, the cost of 6 plane seats for a stretcher plus the cost of medical attention on the flight were a big hit and it would have been nice to scrounge the money off strangers rather than incur debt.  However the cost was around 12,000 not the 50,000 or 60,000 that people seem to be asking for.

 

 

 

[madmen]

This thread will soon be filled with ignorant comments and claims based upon imagined  circumstances.
 
The only lol will come from  those who read your ignorant comment. You have no idea as to the facts of this case and yet here you are  claiming there is an insurance mafia.  Please share with everyone your knowledge of this case that allows you to offermake your claims.  Your allegations are false and a pathetic manifestation of buffoonery.  They are also malicious.

Good points. Since this isn't a broken back and a resultant SCI then she may very well fit into a regular disabled person mode of transport being a normal flight.

[futsukayoi]

2 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

This thread will soon be filled with ignorant comments and claims based upon imagined  circumstances.

 

Indeed and common sense. However, we are missing some important facts such as;

- Does she really have this  illness?

- Did the medical report state that she could be treated in Thailand for a period of time and then brought home?

- Did the medical assessment from the insurer indicate she did not need a  complete medievac, but could use a conventional transport method?

The news report is not complete.

 

The only lol will come from  those who read your ignorant comment. You have no idea as to the facts of this case and yet here you are  claiming there is an insurance mafia.  Please share with everyone your knowledge of this case that allows you to offermake your claims.  Your allegations are false and a pathetic manifestation of buffoonery.  They are also malicious.

 

You raise some very valid points.  Once I got out of ICU the only treatment was physiotherapy, occupational therapy and initially assistance to move around and eat.  That could definitely be provided in Thailand. 

If she is already talking and gaining mobility.  With assistance it is very probable that she would not need full medevac.

 

[Kieran00001]

Recovery

Although some people can take months and even years to recover, most people with Guillain-Barre syndrome experience this general timeline:

• After the first signs and symptoms, the condition tends to progressively worsen for about two weeks
• Symptoms reach a plateau within four weeks
• Recovery begins, usually lasting six to 12 months, though for some people it could take as long as three years

Among adults recovering from Guillain-Barre syndrome:

• About 80 percent can walk independently six months after diagnosis
• About 60 percent fully recover motor strength one year after diagnosis
• About 5 to 10 percent have very delayed and incomplete recovery

Children, who rarely develop Guillain-Barre syndrome, generally recover more completely than adults

 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/guillain-barre-syndrome/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20363006

[geriatrickid]

8 minutes ago, hyku1147 said:

The poor woman must be filled with fear.

Why? She is surrounded by caring people and has a loving family.

I bet alot of us would like to have her support network if something happens to us. I'm not trying to minimize your concern or  trash the empathy. However, please do not despair, she is young, full of pluck, has an involved loving family and will be ok.

[madmen]

9 minutes ago, geriatrickid said:

Why? She is surrounded by caring people and has a loving family.

I bet alot of us would like to have her support network if something happens to us. I'm not trying to minimize your concern or  trash the empathy. However, please do not despair, she is young, full of pluck, has an involved loving family and will be ok.

You did minimize it. Having somebody that cares does not minimize the fear 

Every morning she wakes up paralyzed. I could care less if the pope or Donald trump was there I would still be shitting myself.. Probably double if trump was there ???? Young or old has nothing to do with it 

[ukrules]

I wonder what type of insurance she had. I read both the article and watched the video and still don't know.

 

The father said insurance would not pay. Was he referring to his families policy in the US or a specific travel insurance policy, this remains a mystery.

 

I also have to question why the employer did not provide comprehensive (for everything) cover for their employees.

 

Then there's the big question, why did she develop GBS and is this in any way related to her time spent in Thailand...I'm thinking about mosquitos, the Zika virus and its link to GBS.

 

Further information which mentions the GBS link here : https://www.iamat.org/country/thailand/risk/zika-virus

[Neeranam]

3 hours ago, Briggsy said:

Any comment from the company that placed her in her employment, Xplore Asia?

Shane on them if they didn't have insurance and refuse to pay.

[Enoon]

 

 

4 hours ago, Jingthing said:

All that smiling seems kind of creepy in the context of the news story. I hope she can raise the money to get back home. About her illness, what is the typical prognosis? Is the paralysis usually permanent? 

 

No:

"Most people with Guillain-Barré syndrome make a full recovery, but this can take months or even years."

Guillain-Barré syndrome - NHS

 

 

 

[Enoon]

5 hours ago, madmen said:

"To complicate matters, dad says their insurance company denied a request to transport Caroline back to the United States."

 

Surely repatriation via medi vac flight is covered by most insurance policies if not all

 

Gonna be cheaper than leaving her in hospital for 3 months

 

 

 

 

 

"£5,000,000 for emergency treatment and travel if emergency necessitates it".

 

(So £5,000,000 to get out of emergency, possible repatriation flights being factored in)

 

"£3000 for travel if illness compels return home"

 

Is what's on mine (UK origin).

 

"Continuation" treatment in-country is not covered.

 

If hers is similar:

 

A) It's no longer emergency treatment, so she has to pay from now on:

 

"It has temporarily paralyzed her from the neck down.  In the past few days, however, Bradner says his daughter has been able to move her shoulders and has felt some tingling in her fingers."

 

(And is, unadvisedly, wide eyed and smiling for the camera)

 

B) Cost of flight/specialist services on repatriation flight exceeds her level of cover by a considerable amount (relative to her/her families economic level)

 

But without looking at her policy neither I, nor anyone else, can make a judgement.

 

 

 

[bowerboy]

4 hours ago, futsukayoi said:

However the cost was around 12,000 not the 50,000 or 60,000 that people seem to be asking for.

 

I think this is off the mark. I worked in the Medical Evacuation Industry in Asia for 9 years for the leading medical evacuation company.

 

A stretcher evac from Asia to U.K. would cost significantly more than than 12k with a nurse and doctor escort. If you were in a stretcher then you probably had a significant problem and would of needed not insignificant levels of care. Commercial Stretcher is the last option (First or Business serves the same purpose in all but the most complicated cases) and airlines generally try to avoid these types of evacuations due to passenger and crew inconvenience and potential increased all around liability issues.

 

Also it is very unlikely the insurance company would of told you the cost unless you were paying for the evacuation yourself or had to fund some portion of it. If it was covered with Insurance they would not tell you the cost because you do not need to know and also because they keep it confidential as evacuations paid by insurance tend to cost more than if paid by the patient privately (if private then it is more competitive as the patient can shop around for prices).

 

Evacuating a paralysed patient to USA would be a minimum $60k if it was even allowed to be done and IF any commercial airline would accept the patient (they have the right to refuse). If it was medivac on a charter flight then this would easily be upwards of $100k to the US.

 

Many factors come into play with medevacs depending on the condition of the patient and airline and medical regulations. For example a medivac of a brain or head injury may need to fly at low altitude for the entire duration. This needs special clearance and also consumes much more fuel when aircraft fly at low altitude and so the cost goes through the roof (real case medevac on charter Learjet from Maldives to Bangkok with brain injury was $120k USD for the above reasons as well as specialist teams and equipment). 

 

 

[madmen]

 
I think this is off the mark. I worked in the Medical Evacuation Industry in Asia for 9 years for the leading medical evacuation company.
 
A stretcher evac from Asia to U.K. would cost significantly more than than 12k with a nurse and doctor escort. If you were in a stretcher then you probably had a significant problem and would of needed not insignificant levels of care. Commercial Stretcher is the last option (First or Business serves the same purpose in all but the most complicated cases) and airlines generally try to avoid these types of evacuations due to passenger and crew inconvenience and potential increased all around liability issues.
 
Also it is very unlikely the insurance company would of told you the cost unless you were paying for the evacuation yourself or had to fund some portion of it. If it was covered with Insurance they would not tell you the cost because you do not need to know and also because they keep it confidential as evacuations paid by insurance tend to cost more than if paid by the patient privately (if private then it is more competitive as the patient can shop around for prices).
 
Evacuating a paralysed patient to USA would be a minimum $60k if it was even allowed to be done and IF any commercial airline would accept the patient (they have the right to refuse). If it was medivac on a charter flight then this would easily be upwards of $100k to the US.
 
Many factors come into play with medevacs depending on the condition of the patient and airline and medical regulations. For example a medivac of a brain or head injury may need to fly at low altitude for the entire duration. This needs special clearance and also consumes much more fuel when aircraft fly at low altitude and so the cost goes through the roof (real case medevac on charter Learjet from Maldives to Bangkok with brain injury was $120k USD for the above reasons as well as specialist teams and equipment). 
 
 

I would have thought an air ambulance king air turbo prop would fly the same speed as a Lear jet at low altitude say 13000 feet at around 280 kts and a lot cheaper

[direction BANGKOK]

So, it isn't like this happens that often. I knoe there will always be grey area cases. But why can't our tax dollars just take care of this. Send an embassy official in there, get her home, and bill the goddam govt the two dead flies the total cost would be to them. 

[direction BANGKOK]

Here is the national debt: $21,900,000,000,000

 

Seriously, just bill us. 

 

I do not get it. I really don't 

[bowerboy]

1 hour ago, madmen said:

1 hour ago, bowerboy said:

 
I think this is off the mark. I worked in the Medical Evacuation Industry in Asia for 9 years for the leading medical evacuation company.
 
A stretcher evac from Asia to U.K. would cost significantly more than than 12k with a nurse and doctor escort. If you were in a stretcher then you probably had a significant problem and would of needed not insignificant levels of care. Commercial Stretcher is the last option (First or Business serves the same purpose in all but the most complicated cases) and airlines generally try to avoid these types of evacuations due to passenger and crew inconvenience and potential increased all around liability issues.
 
Also it is very unlikely the insurance company would of told you the cost unless you were paying for the evacuation yourself or had to fund some portion of it. If it was covered with Insurance they would not tell you the cost because you do not need to know and also because they keep it confidential as evacuations paid by insurance tend to cost more than if paid by the patient privately (if private then it is more competitive as the patient can shop around for prices).
 
Evacuating a paralysed patient to USA would be a minimum $60k if it was even allowed to be done and IF any commercial airline would accept the patient (they have the right to refuse). If it was medivac on a charter flight then this would easily be upwards of $100k to the US.
 
Many factors come into play with medevacs depending on the condition of the patient and airline and medical regulations. For example a medivac of a brain or head injury may need to fly at low altitude for the entire duration. This needs special clearance and also consumes much more fuel when aircraft fly at low altitude and so the cost goes through the roof (real case medevac on charter Learjet from Maldives to Bangkok with brain injury was $120k USD for the above reasons as well as specialist teams and equipment). 
 
 

I would have thought an air ambulance king air turbo prop would fly the same speed as a Lear jet at low altitude say 13000 feet at around 280 kts and a lot cheaper

 

Depends on availability of aircraft and urgency not to mention flight conditions and noise in a Turboprop compared to Lear Jet when traveling with a patient with brain injuries...flight needs to be much lower than 13k feet by the way due to issues with pressurization.

[melvinmelvin]

I get a bit scared when I read stories like this.

 

I live permanently in LoS but usually, go "home" to northern Europe for about 3 weeks every April.

February last year I collapsed, a bit of this and bit of that, 5 weeks in hospital, pretty worn out really.

Was out of hospital 4 days before my ticket "home",

then the chief doctor of the insurance company called me and said

listen; I think you need to relax and do some very moderate exercise before going home,

if you stay in LoS for another week we  will buy you a new biz class ticket and send down a nurse to  follow you home,

ok? Can we agree on that? YES!

 

Needless to say, I felt taken care of.

 

some insurance companies are ok.

 

 

I do hope the lass get sorted.

 

 

("medical" transportation back home is costly,

 but so is staying in a decent hospital in LoS, millions rack up)

 

 

 

 

 

[madmen]

 

Depends on availability of aircraft and urgency not to mention flight conditions and noise in a Turboprop compared to Lear Jet when traveling with a patient with brain injuries...flight needs to be much lower than 13k feet by the way due to issues with pressurization.

Some bits make no sense to me as a pilot.

 

Noise can be easily dealt with by earplugs or rated headphones

 

Flight conditions wouldn't make a difference to either aircraft

 

Availability? Turbo prop air ambulance are a dime a dozen

 

A Lear jet is only economicaly viable at 35 to 45 thousand feet where density altitude as miniscule compared to 10,000 ft or less where the fuel available would be chewed up way faster than a turbo prop

 

Lear jet would be the very last choice for very low altitude

 

Your a bit out of your depth on this one

 

[balo]

Too many smiles on that picture.   I would be skeptical donating money without meeting her personally first and listen to the doctors prognosis .