Lady Rider Struck Down, Plea For Help

[admin]

Linda wife of Les Bauman, is a well known and liked water person who frequented Delray's kitebeach. She would often be seen playing with her German shepherd while Les was kiting or ripping loose herself offshore. She is an outgoing, compassionate woman who has been tragically struck by severe injury.




Les explains the harsh circumstances of Linda's condition and treatment, DENIAL of insurance coverage for very costly care & treatment and the current fundraiser.


The Cause:
On August 26, 2007 my wife Linda Bauman suffered a head injury while water skiing (wakeboarding) at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach Florida. While she was wakeboarding she crashed in the water like we all do when we are learning a new skill. She hit the water with her head and body and then swam to shore and got out of the water. While she was walking back to me, I watched her collapse to her knees. I ran over to her and asked her if she is OK. She said she didn't feel well and started rubbing her head. She became unresponsive in my arms. Those were the last words she spoke to me. She then fell into a coma and has been comatose ever since.


Linda is the strongest person I have ever known. Giving her a chance with the proper care and coma stimulation is her only chance for recovery. After the accident she spent almost 100 days in the hospital in a coma. She needs to be at The Florida Institute for Neurological Rehabilitation (FINR). Here is where she will receive the stimulation and care she needs. Unfortunately BlueCross/BlueShield will not do the right thing and pay for her to go to FINR. They would rather spend as little as possible and put her in a Nursing Home for 60 days and then be done with their responsibility. Of course now it is costing more because while at the Nursing Home she developed pneumonia and a urinary tract infection. So more ER visit charges, hospital room charges and transport fees have occured therefore costing Blue Cross Blue Shield more money than if they were to transfer her to FINR.



Although we have what is considered “good” medical insurance, our medical provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield, has declined her transfer to the FINR facilities. Even with letters from her neurologists at the Broward Medical Center stating that it is a necessity that she be treated at the FINR facility, we have not been able get it approved through Blue Cross Blue Shield. I am hoping to raise enough funds from this raffle along with cashing in retirement savings and sick/vacation time, loans and personal savings to send Linda to FINR for their 90 day treatment plan.

About Linda:
For anyone who has ever met Linda or by looking at her pictures you can see that she can light up any room with her smile. She is the most outgoing, energetic, thoughtful and intelligent person I have ever known. Linda has always had that “I can do anything if I try personality.
She graduated from FAU with honors in exercise physiology and education, and is on the National Deans List. After University she had many different careers. Managing her father’s electrical company, Casino dealer, air traffic controller, but after moving back to Florida she pursued careers that helped people. She was the aquatic director at palm a beach county pool, swim coach, swim instructor and she belongs to the American swim coach’s assoc. Her Love for helping people brought her to a career as a firefighter/paramedic for Miami/Dade County Fire Rescue for 5 years. She left there to pursue firefighting closer to home in Boca Raton. In the interim she started massage school at Palm Beach Community College. She was about half way through when the accident happened. Never in 23 years together have I seen her eyes light up when she would come home and talk about massage school. I sure miss her practice massages.
For fun Linda loved sailing, kiteboarding, and wakeboarding. She has a love for the ocean and the great outdoors. Linda skippered a 20 catamaran sailboat at the Tybee 500 sailboat race. A 500 mile race up the coast of Florida. Recently she started kiteboarding, and wakeboarding. Wakeboarding is how she was injured.
Linda's Caring Bridge site

Win a fully loaded 2003 H2 Hummer!


Tickets are $100.00 each and all proceeds will be used to fund Linda Bauman’s treatment at the Florida Institute of Neurological Rehabilitation (FINR). To read more information about the unfortunate event that occurred on August 26, 2007 putting Linda into a comma, see below. Only 1000 tickets will be sold, so get your tickets Now while they last. H2 Hummer valued at $32,015, to see the Kelly Blue Book report click here.


Raffle Details: All raffle tickets purchased online will be printed out December 16th at midnight to be used for the drawing the next day. You do not need to be present to win, you will be contacted via the information provided when submitting your payment through Paypal. You do not need to create a Paypal account to purchase a ticket, you can use the link shown below, after you have hit the “Buy Now” button, to purchase a ticket with just your credit card information.

More information, photos of this vibrant lady in life and at play plus the link to PayPal to buy raffle tickets is at: http://myspace.com/lindabauman





Please help if you can.

FKA, Inc.

transcribed by:
Rick Iossi

[ricki]

The Raffle drawing will be held December 17th by the Deerfield Beach Firefighters Benevolent Association at Bonefish Mac..s in Lighthouse Point, FL. So, if you can help, please act soon.

Bonefish Mac’s
2002 NE 36 St.
Lighthouse Point, FL 33064
www.bonefishmacs.com

Thank you

[admin]

Tom Leeman just sent along the link to this video he shot of Les and Linda this summer.


http://www.vimeo.com/427302

And here is his message:


"In August of this year Linda Bauman fell into a coma. She was hurt at the water park. Her husband Les needs your help. Blue cross and blue shield are denying them the care she most desperately needs. Les is raffling off his Hummer to pay for her care. Go to this web site and buy a ticket. Make a difference this holiday season

http://myspace.com/lindabauman"

[ricki]

I saw Les today and he is stoked that so many caring people are getting in touch with words of encouragement and support. The raffle is Monday night, so if you would like to pick up a ticket there is still time. I understand the raffle party should be something so please plan to come on down.

Thanks!

[JCM]

Hey Rick, do you know if the auction went on as planned? Who won? Was he able to raise enought money to transfer her?

Thanks

[sweetpeach103]

Was moving during these posts and would still like to help if needed.... auction or not. Keep us updated on what's needed.

[OttoNP]

I hope the auction went well, I came across this too late...post here if you still need help. I really hate it when insurance companies refuse to pay. I think you should pursue legal action against the insurance company. There is a chance that after simply filing a suit, they will just agree to pay to avoid the costs of the lawsuit. Unfortunately insurance companies will deny claims because of the amount it saves them from people who do not fight back. If the amount is $3000 or less you can definitely file in small claims court, some go up to $6000. I would guess it is more than that, it is not that difficult to file in higher up courts representing yourself as well. The key to this is to represent yourself so that you do not pay legal fees and they have do. Even representing yourself I think it would be an easy case to win, especially in front of a Jury. Can you imagine the insurance company trying to convice 7 normal everyday people that they should not pay for a procedure recommended by that many docters?

A friend of mine recently had an insurance company deny an ultrasound for pregnancy stating it was an "experimental" procedure. This was for $1000 and after jumping through all the companies hoops and still getting denied, they filed in small claims court and they settled immediately after getting served.

Good Luck!