Merry Christmas! We love this time of year - festivities, celebrating the birth of Jesus, Christmas lights, Christmas movies, baking cookies, pumpkin bread...I could go on and on. We love it so much and feel so blessed to be enjoying some cooler weather to go along with it! 

I have not updated recently b/c I feel like I have been drowning with all of the advocacy I have had to do recently. But I realized today that I really need to update you b/c we need loads of prayer. 

(1) On Thursday, December 18, I have to appear before the Medicaid Fair Hearing court in order to present my case on why Zeke's OT intensives should be covered through Medicaid. Will you please pray for favor in this hearing? That they are strongly endeared to Zeke, and me, and that they will grant him OT intensives - at least 2 or 3 a year? Please pray for me to be calm, kind and confident and that I can speak clearly and concisely. 

(2) Will you pray for the pump situation? Since we now have Medicaid, it has caused some significant complications with my DME - who supplies Zeke's pump and feeding supplies. Remember, he can't get nutrition without this system. The new DME only provides one pump. These pumps break fairly easily b/c they are just rented out. We have had to switch many, many pumps over the years, but is has never been stressful bc we always had a back up pump. This new DME does not do back up pumps and the insurance usually only provides one. Friends, I am going to fall over from the amount of stress this is laying on me. 

Let me be more clear. With this new company, if Zeke's pump dies, he CANNOT EAT until the new pump arrives which takes about a day. And I don't even know what will happen on a holiday or weekend. Can you believe this is even a thing? I could be sick just thinking about it.

I am looking for other avenues to solve this problem, and one I have discovered is that we could just buy one out of pocket to have as a backup. But the pump is about $500 to purchase. Who has that laying around? 

Will you pray with me about this? That God will give clear direction and make a way for this little guy to receive nutrition without any complications.

(3) His safe sleep bed was denied on appeal as well. Will you pray as God leads here - he needs a better, safer bed and we are gearing up to try again but asking for a manual bed as opposed to an electric. 

(4) Finally, we have received some counsel that we should drop Zeke from our health insurance and just let him use Medicaid. I am overwhelmed. I am so confused. I do not know what the right answer is for my sweet little guy b/c I often hear of how Medicaid just drops clients without warning. And at the present time, I can't even get into his Medicaid account!  Jon and I are considering seeking legal counsel with someone who specializes in Medicaid and insurance law to make sure we are stepping correctly. But again, this is costly so we have to really pray and consider our next step. Could you please pray with us about this as well. 

This feels so heavy. And when I am thinking rightly about God, I am at rest b/c I know He has it all covered. My view of Him is high b/c I am remembering WHO He is - wise, sovereign, kind, powerful, good, providential. But when I am not thinking rightly, when my view of God has become small, I panic. I am sad to admit this, but I have been panicking more than I have been at rest. So if you are moved to pray on my behalf about this as well, I would be so grateful. 

Thank you for reading, praying and supporting us as God leads you. Merry Christmas!