Not A Good Day

Topic: Not A Good Day (Read 1214 times) previous topic - next topic

Not A Good Day

December 02, 2020, 08:53:38 am

We were headed south for the winter when my wife became seriously ill while overnighting at the Texas welcome center just north of Gainesville. EMS transported her to the hospital. After spending 5 days at North Texas Medical Facility, the doctor advised us to go back home. We did. While headed north, on the far north side of OKC, a motorist frantically tried to get my attention. She said that we had lost our tow. Indeed, there it was setting right in our lane about an 1/8 mile behind us. The Roadmaster hitch drawbar had totally fractured right at entrance to the receiver. Our tow had rammed the engine door and demolished it and broke several brackets in the engine compartment, including the fuel filter bracket. The engine would not restart. Arrow Towing took our coach to the Cummins facility where, hopefully, they can get the damage fixed. Now I'm facing the dilemma of how to transport the engine cover to Extreme for a rebuild. Hopefully, Arrow reattached the driveline and all the air fittings that they disconnected so that the coach can safely be driven to MOT for a complete evaluation.

Larry

Re: Not A Good Day

Reply #1 – December 02, 2020, 09:06:13 am

So sorry to hear about this! How is your wife doing? Things can and will be fixed, but our DW's are so important! Please keep us informed! Prayers for you both!

Re: Not A Good Day

Reply #2 – December 02, 2020, 09:08:32 am

Hope your Wife is going to be OK.
Coaches, grills and toweds can be replaced. The DW cannot. They are as essential to us as air. Without them we are lost.
Wish her the best from all of us at Foforum.

Re: Not A Good Day

Reply #3 – December 02, 2020, 09:11:04 am

Take care of the wife first then the coach,consider taking pictures and let mot and extreme evaluate from them,they probably have a waiting list anyway,price a new part from Foretravel and let Extreme paint it.

Re: Not A Good Day

Reply #4 – December 02, 2020, 09:28:37 am

Maybe my coffee has not kicked in yet. I am not coming up with the profound or deep things to say that would soothe. Just know you are in good company around here.

One thing regarding the mechanical stuff. We recently had a big mishap. I found that the thoughts of it were invading my ability to handle my moving forward from it. I played the event over and over in my head hundreds of times, came to the conclusion that I did the best I could, and then I put the issue of guilt or blame away.

That allowed me to tend to wife and dogs, make new priorities, and steel myself for the several weeks of dealing with insurance.

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Reply #5 – December 02, 2020, 09:29:15 am

Any one of those problems is too much by them self. Good luck sorting them out. Take care of DW.
Scott

Re: Not A Good Day

Reply #6 – December 02, 2020, 09:45:51 am

The big question, and one I'm sure you've asked is: What does your wife want to do?

The rest is irrelevant.

FWIW and also irrelevant, I have a habit of driving myself to the hospital in the middle of the night. Well driving isn't correct as I ride my motorcycle. The last time I did that, when I was being released the next day, the nurse looked me in the eye and asked how I was getting home, and then "Are you sure you're okay to ride?" Up until then they had insisted that someone drive me home in a 4-wheeled vehicle. Of course I never told them that the night before, as I neared the hospital I had the thought "This might not have been the smartest thing to do, Art."

Re: Not A Good Day

Reply #7 – December 02, 2020, 09:57:17 am

Our most heartfelt condolences to Larry and DW. We are older than he, and we know how illness can strike when least expected. We hope for a speedy full medical recovery and a satisfactory solution to the coach repairs.

Re: Not A Good Day

Reply #8 – December 02, 2020, 10:05:46 am

Larry, sorry to hear of you trials, I know you really could have done without the tow malfunction. I hope your wife is doing well, dealing with the same issue myself.

Couple things, I know Xtreme has a popular conversion to hinge the engine covers on the side rather than having it raise, might be a good option since you're looking at some glass work anyway.

Also, might review your insurance including coach net if you have it, to see if you have trip interruption and/or coach delivey coverage.

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Reply #9 – December 02, 2020, 10:10:46 am

Hang in there and sorry for your problems. Remember after every storm, the sunshine returns in a new way

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Reply #10 – December 02, 2020, 10:12:53 am

Thanks for the split door idea, Chuck. We only have State Farm coverage.

Re: Not A Good Day

Reply #11 – December 02, 2020, 10:29:15 am

Before you travel this holiday season: the only way to get into the medical center was by ambulance, and then the patient only. I was stranded outside with no way to get any communication until 5 days later when they called for me to pick up my wife. That placed was locked up as tight as Fort Knox. People seem to just disappear into 'the system'. Couldn't provide her with her cell phone, sandles (she went in barefoot), or glasses (she can see virtually nothing without them). She came out like a terrified wild animal. The information desk wasn't staffed and the doors locked. I 'camped' in the hospital parking lot with my two puppies. By the end of 5 days, our MH felt more like a prison than a home.

Re: Not A Good Day

Reply #12 – December 02, 2020, 10:41:02 am

Larry,

Your hospital experience should be a sobering cautionary tale for us all. Travel (of any kind) during a Pandemic is a pure crapshoot.

Re: Not A Good Day

Reply #13 – December 02, 2020, 10:50:26 am

Our prayers are with you and your wife!

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Reply #14 – December 02, 2020, 10:51:56 am

Just how risky would it have been to have one hospital staff member go to the parking lot and get the ladies glasses and while there get her cell phone so she can at least let her husband get some kind of word on what's going on.. Put on the hazardous material suit and do it.. Did the same nurse not just spend the night with their on family who's been in contact with an endless chain of people. That's plum damn cruel if you ask me.. Hope the wife fully recovers, all the other broken things, if money can fix it it's not huge on the scale of things.

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Reply #15 – December 02, 2020, 10:56:07 am

Let him leave the items on the door step by the door if nothing else..

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Reply #16 – December 02, 2020, 11:10:48 am

So sorry to hear and read this tale of travel/medical needs and coach and toad issues.

Lots of good info, about the new world we are in today. I learned too late when I went into the hospital alone at 2am, to now always take my "grab bag", with short extension cord, phone charger, robe, 4 days of meds, and some spare things, like slippers and robe.

One take away I had was in your post about getting the coach air system back to normal. On my 98, 295, and I think on maybe all our coaches. There is an air chuck for an air hose in the propane locker. On my coach, if air is supplied by the tow truck, and the key is on, then the system airs up the air bags for travel. There is no need to do anymore than have the tow truck plug into that female quick connect. This also is handy in a shop to air up the bags when the engine is not running.

All the best with all the issues and thanks for sharing the post, that we all might take away some new and good info.

Re: Not A Good Day

Reply #17 – December 02, 2020, 12:32:41 pm

Larry prayers to you and the DW, the way all that happened at the hospital was awful.
Not sure how you kept it all together that long with no word about or contact with the DW.

Re: Not A Good Day

Reply #18 – December 02, 2020, 12:54:04 pm

Quote from: Dave Cobb – December 02, 2020, 11:10:48 am

One take away I had was in your post about getting the coach air system back to normal. On my 98, 295, and I think on maybe all our coaches. There is an air chuck for an air hose in the propane locker. On my coach, if air is supplied by the tow truck, and the key is on, then the system airs up the air bags for travel. There is no need to do anymore than have the tow truck plug into that female quick connect. This also is handy in a shop to air up the bags when the engine is not running.

All the best with all the issues and thanks for sharing the post, that we all might take away some new and good info.

While what you state is true, the axels or driveline need to be removed, or severe damage to the transmission will happen.

They did all the right things towing it. Sorry you have to go through this.

Chris

https://www.allisontransmission.com/docs/default-source/service-documents/-5580c-1-31-14.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Re: Not A Good Day

Reply #19 – December 02, 2020, 01:46:15 pm

Prayers to you for strength and clarity in how to proceed and to your wife for a speedy and full recovery.

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Reply #20 – December 02, 2020, 06:32:59 pm

Hope she gets well soon.
The best to you both

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Reply #21 – December 02, 2020, 06:36:47 pm

All the best for the health issue. The motorhome is just stuff and will get taken care of.

Pierce

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Reply #22 – December 02, 2020, 07:54:01 pm

Thanks for all the expressions of sympathy from all the good folks at Foreforums.

Larry

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Reply #23 – December 02, 2020, 08:18:05 pm

Larry, So sorry for all that you have been through. We wish you two and your FT fast recovery all around.
You were stone throw away from us, I wish there was something we could do during your 5 days of misery.
We wish you the best Christmas.
Al & Tauna

Re: Not A Good Day

Reply #24 – December 03, 2020, 12:13:58 am

So.sorry to hear. Hope your wife is well. The rest as we say is just stuff.

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