Reluctant Expert

Union Benefits Help Family Through Medical Mystery

Karen Spencer is a mother,

wife, Steward and 21- year Union member who works at Bel Air 512 in Roseville. Recently, she also became a reluctant expert on

hospitals, emergency rooms and

ambulances, as a result of a

mysterious medical incident that struck her husband, Larry, around

Labor Day 2006.

    Larry Spencer was sitting at an intersection in his truck, waiting for a light to change. He took a drink of his tea.

   That was his last memory before it all went wrong.

“The next thing he remembers is waking

up in the middle of the intersection

surrounded by EMTs and rescue personnel,”

Karen said.

“There was no sign of injury and no

damage to the truck. Even now, nobody

really knows what happened.”

Upon his admission to the hospital, it

was found that Larry had a burst L1

vertebra, with a shard of bone pressing in

on his spinal chord. He underwent two

emergency surgeries to rebuild the L1. In

all, he spent 12 days in the hospital.

    Unfortunately, the Spencers’ troubles

weren’t over. The following February, Larry

began to have unexplained seizures that

required more emergency care.

“They had to take one of his ribs out to

access the vertebra,” Karen recalled.

“Between the surgeries, intensive care, two

ambulance rides, two different hospital

stays and the high-risk nurse care, our

medical bills totaled well over a half-million

dollars.”

“We’d be bankrupt if we didn’t have our

Union,” she said. “We’d be dead in the

water. But we only had to pay two $100 copays and that was it. Out of a half-million

dollars in bills!

    “My husband is a self-employed

electrician,” she said, “so I carry our only

medical and dental coverage in my Union

benefits.”

    Karen said she feels fortunate to work

under a Union contract.

    Karen and Larry have two children:

Ashley, 18, and Ryan, 14. They enjoy going

to River Cat baseball games together.

Official publication of UFCW 8-Golden State Jacques Loveall, President