Faith

I'll start today with a quick update on Mason. At his transplant clinic visit on Monday everything looked great!

I love love love hearing..."Mason's echo looks beautiful"! After so many months of dreading his echos because of the words... "I'm very sorry but Mason's heart is still in failure." And then even worse, the words that still make me cry to even think about, ... "there is nothing more we can do for Mason. Please just enjoy the time you have left with him"!

Never give up!!! Your special child will let you know when he's done fighting and ready to go Home. But until then, fight with them all the way!

Mason will never be 'out of the woods' for possible rejection. He will always live his life with congenital heart disease and on nasty anti-rejection medications. But, he has a gifted healthy heart now that has given him a new chance at achieving his earthly mission. I thank daily in prayer Mason's selfless donor families and all of the amazing doctors and nurses that have made this a reality in our lives. Dreams can become reality! Miracles do happen!

For now, Mason still struggles with keeping his Cyclosporine level within the correct range (which is why he still has at least 2 blood draws a week). He is also not wanting to eat much at all by mouth, except for water which he loves . Yesterday he ate 2 potato chips which called for a celebration! All his meds seem to be bringing back his severe reflux that he had during heart failure. He gags all the time even on reflux medication! Poor little guy. Thank goodness for his g-tube so he doesn't starve or dehydrate!

Mason also had 48 hours of pukes and diareahs this week :( but, he seems to have kicked it now and is feeling much better.

But, the good news is..... he is down from 38 doses of meds each day to 32 doses. Baby steps to a a happier tummy.

Now, the reason for the title of today's post. Mason's journey has required a lot of FAITH the entire way. Even when it has felt like the sky was falling and the ground crumbling beneath my feet....faith would give me the strength to carry on.

Two days ago I felt my world begin to crumble again. requiring me to muster up enough FAITH to say to myself, "It will be okay. I can handle this." But can I really? I received the phone call we knew would come but had hoped wouldn't....... our health insurance called to tell us that Mason has met his life time max and is no longer covered!!! Yikes! Very scary!

So as of right now we are stuck with a $107,ooo bill from just his day of transplant because of certain things our insurance wouldn't cover, plus $1000's more of bills since then that they wouldn't cover. And now that Mason met his life time max of $2.5 million (which I thought was a max of 2.2 million)..... there's no use to continuing fighting those unpaid bills. They won't touch them!

And, do I dare mention his care from here forward and all of his expensive medications??? Frustrating!! Is it really possible this is happening?!

I'm reapplying for medicaid and social security. Praying they accept Mason this time!

(And thank you to those who e-mailed me advice on applying for financial help back around the time of Mason's fundraiser. I'm presently looking into everything!!) I do have my homework set out for me now.

These words have given me the strength to attempt getting over this very large speed bump:

"I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do
That's what faith can do!
Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise!"

This is from the song "What Faith Can Do" by: Kutless. I first saw these words on Paul Cardall's blog a few months ago and then my friend Corrine sang this song at Mason's Fundraiser. The words are absolutely beautiful and very very appropriate for Miracle Mason's journey. I will take strength and inspiration from these words, pray to my Father Above for guidance and help, and I will get medical coverage for Mason!!

Here's the rest of the words to the song:

Everybody falls sometimes

Gotta find the strength to rise

From the ashes and make a new beginning

Anyone can feel the ache

You think its more than you can take
But you are stronger, stronger than you know
Don't you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do

It doesn't matter what you've heard
Impossible is not a word
It's just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody's scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It'll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do

Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance
(That's what faith can do)
When the world says you can't
It'll tell you that you can!

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do
That's what faith can do!
Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise!