So much has happened this summer (nothing medical really, I am so very happy to report!) and it has been non-stop busy!! We really packed it in ... as it should be ... especially since there were no medical issues taking up the bulk of our calendar. So, we've tried to have FUN and LOTS of it!!
In between the F-U-N, we've had a few things come up that we've had to work on or out and this post will be to highlight those things. Other posts coming to highlight some of our F-U-N!
Fortunately, Jonah is eligible to receive some speech therapy at school which will continue this year. But it is very beneficial for him to receive the additional therapy so I have been on the look-out for additional resources and helps because I am not a speech therapist and coming up with ways to help him articulate his sounds does not come naturally to me. I have been looking for suggestions for software programs and would even be willing to pay for a program that is interactive and engaging (although, not Articulation Station as that program is only compatible with Apple products from what I understand).
In the meantime, we have received some packets for him to work on and I will post about those once we begin in the next few days. I am actually pretty excited about these as they were sent to us all the way from ENGLAND. (We l.o.v.e England!)
Don't let the glum look fool you!
She has been begging for braces for several years now!
We had no intention of having her get braces so early but this girl has really, I mean REALLY BIG teeth. Our dentist said they are the biggest teeth he has EVER seen. That's pretty unique for our 11-year-old girl. The dentist originally wanted her to obtain a referral from an orthodontist because he was certain that some of her teeth would need to be removed because there is clearly NO SPACE in her mouth to accommodate the size of her teeth. Some of her teeth are coming in at all different angles due to the spacing issues ... which is where the orthodontist comes in.
So, get this ... the Orthodontist is recommending that SEVEN (7) ... Y.E.P. ... I typed SEVEN ... of her teeth be extracted!
WHOA!!
(well, after they did impressions for her braces, one of her crowned teeth was made loose and she, of course, worked it out on her own within a couple of days so now there are only SIX left to be extracted.)
Isn't she a beauty??
She's quite impressed with her new look.
Yes, you read that correctly. You might think that sounds really strange ... I even find it a little odd to type it. But, let's face it, ... we had a really turbulent eighteen months with Rees and the spectrum of medical issues that he had. The experience definitely altered us permanently and with the knowledge and experience we gained from it, we feel that a facility of surgeons with a more extensive range of experience and possibly alternate ideas/methods might be what Rees needs going forward.
When our beloved surgeon retired (sniff, sniff), I requested a copy of all the surgical records for Rees. I went through them and compared to the notes that I had been keeping all along on everything we have gone through with Rees and I compiled key information and photos and sent out in a letter to numerous locations throughout the United States. I found a listing of Craniofacial and Plastic Surgeons and Facilities sorted by State on the website for Children's Craniofacial Association.
Guess what? We have gotten responses ... several of them and it's helped us narrow our seach. We have heard from CHOP (Philadelphia), St. Louis, New York, Minnesota, Ohio, Kansas, and Texas to name a few. Now, some of the "Best of the BEST" are located in Texas and they have several really well-known and prestigious centers for craniofacial anomalies. However, pretty much the entire state of Texas is considered out-of-network per our health insurance plan. Now, I'd really like to say that we want the BEST care for our son and we don't care whether or not the facility is out-of-network, but in all honesty, are we truly being responsible if we seriously consider a facility that is not included in our health network? We are already pondering the possibility of considering facilities that are IN our network but are out of state and will likely cause us to incur significant travel expenses. We have really good insurance and still ended up paying significant fees related to our portion of the astronomical medical expenses that Rees incurred over the 18 months that he was frequenting the hospital. To think what our portion would have been had his expenses been considered out-of-network ... well, ... let me just say, "OUCH!"
We are so thankful and praise the LORD for our health insurance!!
We have some new options and we are going to be looking into them and praying for God's guidance as we continue on this journey.
Next Up: Fun Camping Adventure and Getting Ready for Back-to-School
You can't really know what the best care for your particular child will be unless you try each one, which is impossible of course. Go with what your family can handle! No one will fault you! :)
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