My Nonprofit Reviews

Mercy Flights volunteer pilot Charlie, likely SAVED MY LIFE! Let me explain. I’d been having treatment at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Fla. My home is three hours drive away, one way, six hours round trip. On a trip in early 2019, I was flown to Gainesville to get my spinal nerves burned (nerve ablations) as part of my pain management, after that, the neurosurgeon gave me a steroid shot. He knew I was a diabetic and said my blood sugars MAY go up a little. The drive again, is three hours, the flight, 45 minutes. After we landed home, and I was driving home from the airport, I felt HORRIBLE! I went to the ER. At first the nurse was casual, “let’s check you out”. She left with the blood she took. About 20 minutes later, she RUSHED into my room, looking scared. Never seen a nurse in a hospital look scared before. She was! She said we need to put an IV in you NOW!! I asked why? She said: “your blood sugars are over 550!!” We need to get insulin in you immediately!! Now, I’m scared!
If I had driven the three hours back home from the hospital in Gainesville, I likely could have gone into a diabetic coma and crashed my car! THAT MERCY FLIGHT, in my opinion, likely SAVED MY LIFE!! As it only took 45 minutes! Charlie was my pilot. I called him and told him all this. My doctor thinks the neurosurgeon probably accidentally injected the steroid shot into a vein accidentally, instead of muscle. And that’s why my blood sugars went above 550!
I am SO GRATEFUL to Charlie and Mercy Flight for likely saving my life! Because of a freak accident.
Mercy Flight HELPS SO MANY! Like they helped me with flights to my hospital I could not drive due to pain. They’ve ALWAYS been there for me. But THAT ONE flight likely saved me, saved my life! I’m so very grateful! There is a photo below of me, Charlie, his plane, and my nurse friend. THANKS Charlie! Thank you Mercy Flight!!!

Sincerely,
David Jenkins
770-377-9849