Getting Cigna to do the right thing

Last week, Steve took Marian to a physiatrist at Tampa General, a specialist in rehabilitative medicine. Not surprisingly, he found she has deteriorated since leaving Chicago in April, when even the minimal therapy at Northwestern Hospital came to a halt. He recommended outpatient therapy three times a week, occupational, speech and physical therapy.
Now, we see'll what Cigna will do with that recommendation. If the company has any integrity at all, it will approve the treatment. We have written emails to Cigna, urging company officials to reconsider.
We'll let you know what happens.
Meanwhile, Steve's colleague at the St. Pete Times, photojournalist Melissa Lyttle, deposited $3,500 into the Marian Coddington Trust -- the proceeds from a print auction she held as part of her annual photojournalism conference known as "Geekfest." Photographers across the nation submitted their work, including New York Times Pulitzer winner Damon Winter, National Geographic legend Sam Abell and outstanding local photojournalists.
Steve and Marian's story was featured recently on Tampa Bay's Channel 10; Tampa's WMNF radio personalities plan to interview Steve next week.
Thanks for keeping track of the Coddingtons' story, for contributing and for plugging this blogsite. If CIGNA approves the treatment Marian needs, it is YOUR victory. If Cigna doesn't approve, it is YOUR generosity that has provided Marian critically needed help.
You are the best!

Steve & Marian's painful story goes national

Today, Marian's terrible struggle to recover -- despite Cigna's refusal to pay for her desperately needed therapy -- was shown nationwide in a film by sickforprofit.org. Please watch the film and please make a donation in any amount to help save this family.

YOU saved the day

So much has happened in the past few weeks.

Steve's colleagues at the St. Petersburg Times put on a phenomenal fundraiser, with fabulous local bands at Skipper's Smokehouse in Tampa. Just a week earlier, four wonderful women gave Steve and Marian a handicapped accessible van and an electric wheelchair they'd been planning to sell. The van and wheelchair had belonged to their late father and they felt the donation honored him. With the van and wheelchair, Steve was able to take Marian to the concert, which she loved. The concert angels deposited more than $5,000 in the Marian Coddington Trust Fund.

Steve started work again at the newspaper two days a week. Thanks to your wonderful generosity, he could pay a health care professional to stay with Marian. He is preparing to hire a physical therapist to start aggressive therapy with her. Things got a bit sidetracked when Steve and Marian's little boy got very sick. He's now a patient in All Children's Hospital, suffering from a kidney condition that will probably require surgery.
Thanks to YOU, Steve could take Grant to the hospital and stay with him. He again could afford to hire a health care professional to stay with Marian. Friends have come from Chicago to take over at Steve's house while Grant's in the hospital.
We don't realize how little it takes to turn people's lives upside down. Think of what would have happened to this family had they not had your thoughtful donations. How would Steve have cared for his little boy and his stricken wife? How would he be able to get her therapy, begin to structure a family life, take Marian and the children on outings, return to work even parttime?
The battle with Cigna goes on. Steve is still trying to get the company to pay for intensive inpatient therapy -- the care Marian truly needs to progress.
We, his friends, can't begin to thank you for responding to this family's needs. Steve had become mired in the seeming hopelessness of his family's circumstances until YOU reached out to him.
You prove each day that there is goodness and generosity in the world.
We'll keep you posted.