We are heading into this final week with a whole lot of optimism. One day last week, after coming home from HBOT, Kelby shared that he had a very strong intuition that we should pursue Medicaid for reimbursement. He felt that continuing to “beg” for funds that should rightfully be available to us didn’t make sense — if anyone should be helping cover these treatments, it should be Medicaid.

I called Medicaid back in 2025, before we began this plan, and was told there was no coverage. Still, I decided to trust Kelby — his intuition is usually spot on. When I called again on Friday afternoon, the representative told us that HBOT may indeed be covered and that reimbursement could even be possible.

I’m hopeful enough to share this update, though I’m still holding my excitement until we receive a definitive answer. If reimbursement does come through, the plan would be to use those funds to purchase a home oxygen tank — unless Medicaid is able to cover that as well. Should both of those things happen, we will keep everyone updated and will also discuss how to handle donated funds.

With the increased oxygen, I believe we are seeing faster “micro-gains,” if that makes sense. Torvin’s brain seems to be computing faster. He is continuing to try to pull up on everything, and he’s even pausing briefly while standing before jumping or falling.

After a small fall from the lowest playground platform, he did something I had never seen before — he repositioned himself into a seated position on the platform and asked me to take off his elbow and knee pads. He even managed to get the second half of his sweatshirt off by himself. Moments like this are huge for us and make it all worth it!!

It’s Mardi Gras here, and the city is full of excitement — parades every day, and people dressed in purple, yellow, and green everywhere. This weekend brings the biggest festivities, with Tuesday marking the final day. For us, though, life stays mostly the same: schoolwork, ABR, playground time, and HBOT.

Big parades and standing-room events aren’t always much fun for a child who can’t yet walk. Kids zipping around playing tag and chase in crowded areas can be challenging and frustrating for Torvin. He loves to play, but he can’t keep up, and it’s often difficult for him to even join a game since so much of outdoor play depends on running feet. He would need to be carried or ride on Kelby’s shoulders the entire time.

So instead, we brought the celebration home. We “adopted” a French bulldog/pug for the day and played the most epic game of bed tag ever. There was lots of snuggling, snorting, laughter, and a perfect little celebration right at home.