So Sunday just after 2pm I took a book and like I said I would I went to find Stefan to see if he wanted to go to hospital and have his feet tended to. Albert told me he tried to leave twice but he convinced him to stay as he knew I would come back. (thank you) .
Stefan had got up that morning and went to church before I got there and much to his surprise Albert went with him! Stefan told me he prayed to God to ask for help and to explain to God that he knew he had to do this and hoped he would be taken for.
I told him I had called around to a bunch of places, that were ultimately closed but that Henry Ford told me to just bring him in and they would take care of him.
He told me he was ready to do whatever they told him had to be done as he understood he had to get this attended to. He smoked a cig before getting in the jeep and at this time Albert decided and asked if he could come along as well. Of course!
I dropped them off at the emergency entrance, which by the way is off the side street on the far west side of the building Not off of the Blvd. I parked the jeep and went in through security and buzzed like 2 times of course until I got all my metal loot off of me. Then I looked for them and could not find them. I asked security if they has seen two homeless men. They told me they were outside smoking across the road as the hospital now has a 50 feet of the premises rule…about time!! Duh!! Hello!
So I found them and apparently we were not far enough off as a security guard tried to yell at them and I told him calmly were finished and walking back. Wonder if he was so ruff with better dressed folks?
As we are about to enter I tell them we are about to enter a metal detector and Albert’s eyes get a little big, which by the way are the most beautiful color of blue I have ever seen in a set of eyes and am even more intrigued as he is the first African American I have seen with such naturally colored eyes. I tell him he best go for a walk and get rid of it. He tells me what it was and goes to do just that.
Stefan and I get in line, I breeze through this time as I know were all my metal is. Stefan he takes some time as he has like 3 jackets on with numerous pockets and needs to get the wand treatment for like 5 minutes. Albert gets it for a minute as well. They both deposit empty pint bottles into the garbage can near the station.
I go to information and explain that I had called and talked to Yolanda and she told me I could come here for help for my friend who was homeless. They took us right to the check in the desk and then they registered him immediately and he was gone. Which is probably good as I suspect he would have gotten nervous in the waiting room.
Much to our surprise it was not busy, which might explain why he was taken so quickly. Albert asked me if as I followed him to the waiting room if I wanted to watch billiards or football. Not football. We watched the Championship Billiards competition, damn!! They are good! Learned some tricks I wanna try next time I play (Cue!?)
About an hour after the took him I inquired. The nurse told the doctor was with him them. An hour later after Albert napped and stared at the tv with my frontal lobe completely numb I checked again. She knew nothing but said a social worker was called in for him. Albert said I didn’t have to stay that they both had bus passes. I told him Stefan may stay and did he want to wait. He said yes but asked that I ask them to tell him if so. I did that and the nurse said he could inquire in another hour. So about 5;30 I unloaded the big phat peanut butter cookie in my pocket to Albert even though he said he didn’t want it then changed his mind immediately, and I headed home. I was exhausted but from what. All we did was veg out and wait. But somehow hospitals totally have that effect on me…not a big fan of them at all.
I was not able to go see Albert last night as I was out of town on business but plan to go check on him tonight after work to see if he knows anything. I suspect Stefan will be in the hospital still. I wish I would have written Stefans last name down as I only have a partial last name. friends suggested if so that I go to the church he attends and talk to the priest who most likely knows him to inform of him where he is so he can go visit! Great idea!!
These are the places I called : good resources and will hopefully be part of the info sheet I want to make to give out to homeless.
Neighborhood Services Organization first but they were closed ( 800. 241.4949) from their message I got a number to the Wayne County Crisis Center (313.224.7000 ) who told me about the called around to some places for me but they were all closed and them gave me the direct number to Waller Center (see below)
These were also places I found online;
Health Care for the homeless at 20548 Fenkell in Detroit 313.255.3333 or 8665.
Advantage Health Centers/Detroit Health Care for the Homeless
http://www.ahcdetroit.org/ they have number facilities some are for people who just cannot afford health care, I had friends who used the Thea Bowman Community Health Center when we were all in school and even more broke. But this one is specifically for homeless care;
Waller Health Care for the Homeless Center
2395 W. Grand Boulevard
Detroit, MI 48208
Phone: 313-897-2061
Fax: 313-897-7320
This site is the Directory of HRSA Health care for the Homeless Grantees and offers a list of places all over the state of Michigan for people who are homeless as well as for people who can not afford full care due to poverty or what ever economic conditions they are in. I used one of the places listed when I was in graduate school to get a broken tooth fixed. It was at a teaching school for dentistry in Detroit. I saved a boat load of money.
http://www.nhchc.org/hchirc/directory/MI.html
This is just a wonderful resource for when you have a medical question as well as a link to their library which I have yet to visit but will the next time I am there!!
Henry Ford Ask The Medical Librarian
http://www.henryford.com/body_nologin.cfm?id=48641
Sladen Library & Center for Health Information Resources
http://www.henryford.com/body_nologin.cfm?id=39330
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