Hi --

Post #2 from August 8 (the day we *were* supposed to be arriving at Weipa, in the Cape York Peninsula of Australia, picking up our 4WD and taking off for parts unknown -- in any case, excuse the somewhat regretful digression) -- there was a knock on the door at 8 pm and a big guy standing there in the rain with a big box, from Hopkins Home Care with all the g-tube supplies (syringes, saline, etc. etc.) we will need -- these people are on the ball, we never ordered it, the order had written on it "please deliver TODAY! New patient needs it!" ! The guy said he had stops all over DC suburbs still to do -- how he found our house on a cul-de-sac, a long dark pipestem drive, in the pouring rain is beyond me...

A folder with the supplies also offered a suite of home care options, mostly for people who don't have an at-home care-giver or who use g-tubes or other medical equipment because they are disabled and can't handle it themselves. You sign up on a sheet for how many at-home visits you need and for what -- it does cost $$ if you are on Medicare but some insurances (mine for example) would pay for it . We live 35 miles out, I am not sure how far they go. They also rent medical equipment (hmmm -- wonder if they rent suction machines for nasty phlegm?) The Hopkins home-care was recently written up in newspaper as it is a pioneer program in the state to keep the elderly or ill in their homes and out of nursing homes.

We also apparently have a home-care case nurse whom we've not met yet -- hopefully we will not have to take advantage of this service but it is good to know it's available...

Gail