HomeMy WebLinkAboutPARAGON POINT PUD PHASE TWO REPLAT OF LOT 24 PDP - 48 91M - CORRESPONDENCE - CITIZEN COMMUNICATIONApril 13, 1998
Blair Leist
Commision on
City of Fort
Fort Collins,
JAMES IF.BUSH, M.D., 11.A.C.P
James F. Elliott, P.A.-C.
INIERNAL MEDICINE
1021 Luke, Fort Collins, Colorado 80524
970-484-6406
Disabilities
Collins
CO 80521
Dear Mr. Leist:
I am writing you in regards to the appeal before the City of
Fort Collins to allow the Huibregtse's access to the Southridge
Greens. I am currently their family physician and I am writing
to ensure that you understand the unique medical situation behind
their request.
Linda Huibregtse is a long term diabetic. The later stages
of this disease typically result in numerous disabling
complications which Mrs. Huibregtse is currently suffering. She
has lost the function of her kidneys and is a partial amputee due
to a previous infect in her left foot. The implications of these
include the requirement to wear a prosthesis on her left
foot/ankle. This restricts her mobility to only smooth, level,
non -slippery surfaces. She also requires dialysis three days a
week.
My concern and I know yours is that Linda be ensured access
to her home in any situation. Following dialysis Mrs.
Huibregtse is weak and debilitated. The four hour process of
cleansing her blood takes a great physical toll. Dialysis
patients typically need to nap for a good portion of the day
following this procedure. In addition, Mrs. Huibregtse needs to
have her noon meal as soon as she returns home to insure that her
blood sugar remains in a safe range in order to prevent a
potentially life threatening insulin reaction. Consequently, her
disabilities require that she be able to return home in a safe
and timely manner without much of an expediture of energy that
may put her in jeopardy or cause further injury. Unfortunately,
even in normal circumstances her health is volatile. Mrs.
Huibregtse has been rushed by emergency medical personnel to the
nearest hospital to be revived from incidents associated with her
fragile health four times during the past year.
As I know you are aware, Linda's access to her home cannot
be assured from the original driveway connecting their home to
Falcon Ridge Court during periods of wintry snow and ice. I am
very familiar with the situation, as my father, Mike Bush, a
retired physician, lives adjacent to the Huibregtse's. I have
observed this situation myself and have heard numerous accounts
from my father about the difficulties that the current driveway
has created during winter snow storms. The steep slope of the
current driveway limits access and at times prohibits it. Even
for an individual in exceptional shape this would be a tremendous
challenge. For Linda this could easily become a tragedy. Should
she return home and be unable to negotiate the steep slope of her
driveway, she could find herself in a dilema that absolutely
needs to be avoided. If Linda became stranded at the bottom of
her driveway it would cause considerable stress, potentially
cause a serious fall which would result in further injury and
stress, and delay her from getting the nourishment desperately
needed following her dialysis. The result is a high risk
situation that is getting more grave by the minute. The likely
hood of her gaining safe entry to her home in this situation is
very slim and I doubt that her circumstance being noticed are
remote as there are few neighbors who can see the bottom of the
driveway due to the terrain. This assumes that any of them are
home looking out their windows when the incident occurs: a
disabled diabetic, running out of time, laying in the snow.
As I mentioned previously, this situation must be avoided.
The current driveway coupled to inclimate weather and Linda's
returning home is a very dangerous combination. She has already
wound up in the Emergency Room four times this year, the most
recent two weeks ago, in conditions less hostile than the
scenario I just described. This can be avoided by approving the
access to Southridge Greens which they have requested. I urge
you to approve it. If you have any further questions please
contact me in the office at 484-6406.