Update and Hateful Insurance Companies

Elijah seems to be on the mend. We went back to the pediatrician today. He is still wheezing and having some problems breathing at night. So I am to continue breathing treatments and they have started him on steroids. Yuck, but maybe that will help with the breathing issues at night by reducing inflammation. Maybe I'll be able to actually sleep again someday soon!
I worked all night to finish a paper for my class, we went to the doctor and pharmacy today and here I sit in the middle of a "Very Messy House" and I am blogging! I will clean my house this week, I promise! LOL!
I am very upset, I have actually just been informed that Elijah's insurance has denied the claim for his DOC band. This after they have terrified me by telling me the following:

• My son's head will be deformed, his face is our of line, he has one eye and ear out of place, he'll be made fun of in school
• He needs the band to help with his torticollis
• If he don't have the band his skull shape will interfere with brain growth

Needless to say I am ready to do battle! Please keep us in your prayers. I hate to deal with these insurance companies, it takes me back to the NICU day's when they refused to fly my son closer to home and we spent four months 12 hours away from home, away from our children, without family, in a strange place!

Wow, I am upset!

Please pray, pray, pray, if Elijah needs this I want him to have it!

I took Elijah to the doctor today. His home health nurse and early intervention seemed concerned about the shape of his head. At 24 weeks, when most babies are still floating around in the womb, Elijah was placed on his back for 24 hours a day. This was due to his chest tube and the ventilator. After coming off the vent he was placed on CPAP. This put constant pressure on the sides of his head. So his head has always been shaped funny and he has torticollis (tight muscles in the neck). We had hoped that his head shape would go back to normal, but it don't seem to be doing that. A baby's head is "moldable" until the sutures in the bones close. This happens around 18 months of age. So it is very important that we do something now or his head will always be shaped funny and this can cause him lots of problems later on. This means that Elijah will have to wear a DOC band on his head, think helmet.

He will wear it 23 hours a day until his head is reshaped. The bad thing about this is that the closest people who do this is in Charlotte, NC. It will mean weekly or biweekly trips each week, because the band has to be constantly adjusted. It is times like this that I hate the area I live in. We have had to travel so much this past year to see every specialist imaginable. It is going to be hard on us financially and we will probably have to rent a car each time because my old van is about to wear out, it is very close to going into the shop and I am very afraid of what they will say when it does! I will have to make these trips by myself because Brian won't be able t take off work, and each time he takes off sets us back. I know I need to continue to trust God that he will provide as he has done since the day Elijah was born. I get frustrated and worried sometimes but I don't want to let my faith in God waver. How can I when he has done so much for us. If not for God's power and grace Elijah would not be with us right now, and with a healed heart! It is by Gods grace that we are still in our home, and not even late on our payments, when Brian has took a HUGE paycut since being laid off at General Dyanamics and me unable to work. I know things will work out, and I thank God for all he has done for us, and all he will do!

If you want more information about the DOC Band go to www.cranialtech.com this actually affects full term babies as well, due to being on their backs alot! You can also see pictures of the bands on this web site.