BILLINGS — Steve Carlson was on a dream vacation with his wife Sandy Abplanalp in Canada when a stroke during a food tour changed everything.
The couple of 48 years learned some tough lessons about Medicare, which didn't cover all travel costs, including a $7,000 ambulance ride that brought them to Billings.
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Carlson said it all happened quickly.
"We were doing a food tour, and that's when it happened. I felt numbness on my face on the left side," Carlson said. "I know I kind of held onto Sandy."
His wife said she couldn't keep him off the floor.
"He just slipped away," Abplanalp said. "Just gradually fell to the ground. I didn't know what was going on."
Carlson was eventually transported on a nearly 19.5-hour ambulance ride to Billings and the Rehabilitation Hospital of Montana, where he has been working to regain mobility and feeling in his left arm.
"It's a struggle because you don't have full control of your muscles, so you have to concentrate on what you are doing," Carlson said Thursday morning. "You also think how far you've got to go."
Abplanalp, who has been by his side throughout, reminded him of his progress on Thursday.
"Well, you've come a long way," Sandy said. "It's a huge difference from where he first began."
Director of Therapy Josh Cederberg said the technology available has played a key role in Carlson's recovery.
"Just watching some of his therapies is great," Cederberg said. "We've got him in some great technology, and some of that technology is really helping him overcome some of those deficits he's got going on."
Carlson and his wife said they appreciate the care he's received in Billings, admitting that at one point it didn't seem possible. The couple were stuck in Canada, facing a significant financial hurdle on top of the medical crisis due to issues with their Medicare.
"We didn't have what we knew to be what we needed now, which is air or ground medical transfer," Abplanalp said. "We had to pay for the 19-and-a-half-hour ambulance out of our own pockets."
The couple discovered their insurance did not cover all of the care Carlson needed following his stroke abroad, and now Abplanalp urges anyone planning an international trip to make sure they have proper medical transport coverage before they go.
"Do not travel without medical, ground or air coverage," Abplanalp said.
Despite the challenges, Carlson continues to recover, and Abplanalp says she is grateful for the care he has received.
"The warmth and the welcoming is beyond words. We'll be forever grateful," Abplanalp said.
