"Home Stretch"

Home stretch, this is the subject line of the last email we received from our lawyer.  When I say it is emotional, I think it might be an understatement.  Ever since I learned that the neurologist is going to support us, I cry every time I talk about the fund.  I cannot control myself.  Prayer or praise, I cry.  Today we got an email stating she received the signed letter from the neurologist supporting our case.  She then asked that we read and review the petition, a long and hard read.  It is so emotional to go through and read and relive all of JT's days.  Read about the deliver, his shallow breathing, apgar scores, brain scans... I relive every long day of the NICU.  It's emotionally exhausting.  In fact, I am crying right now just thinking about it all.  As we sit, we read, we cry, we give thanks to God and we pray.  We have to read through it, make sure it's all correct.  Then after that, she wants to make sure we have ALL of the documentation she needs by Friday! This Friday, like in 2 days Friday!  Guys, this requires a miracle.  I am not kidding.  Jake has been my rock! He has been incredible.  I have found this all to be extremely overwhelming.  It's so much I just want to run and hide and stick my head in the sand.  Jake has been up until 1 or 2 in the morning compiling information, working on spread sheets (Secretly I think he likes that part) and getting as much information together as he can find.  The last bits that she is looking for is almost impossible.  We have to prove payment.  We have to prove that we paid bills, that we bought diapers. I don't know about you, but we don't tend to keep receipts.  So although we have a statement that says we paid x amount of money to target, we cannot prove that it was for diapers or a special toy for him.  Somehow, by God's grace and mercy we need to find proof that we bought him special socks and thickener so he could drink fluids without aspirating.  Somehow!
So here we are, at the end, in the home stretch and we are emotional.   You name it, we feel it.  Excited, scared, overwhelmed, overjoyed... for every emotion, there is an equal and opposite one.  So please, praise God that we have come this far.  Praise God for ALL Justin has received this month.  New equipment, a new special needs bike... all things we have been blessed by! God is providing and we see that.  Pray for our peace, for my peace.  Pray for a calming that can only be from him.  Pray we are able to gather what we can by Friday.  Pray for eyes to see and the mindset to seek and find it all.
Next week the case will be handed over to the panel of doctors.  This is it! The panel of doctors will review the case and make the decision.
My prayer:
Oh Lord, have mercy on us! Provide for JT.  When I was told of his brain injury you told me "do not worry, he is going to be okay." I heard you, I have held on tightly to those words over the years.  I have trusted you and I have seen your love for Justin.  I also have the joy of seeing his special love for you Lord.  Provide for him.  You are mighty and you are great and you provide all we have.  We praise your name and ask that you calm our hearts and our minds.  Bring us peace where angst lies.  We put our hope and our faith in you Lord.
Amen.

Big prayers!

I have been speaking to our lawyer more and more these last few weeks.  It gives me great hope that this journey is truly coming to an end.  After two years of compiling information, finding record of every single doctors appointment since JT was born, and now searching our financials for bills paid to prove we paid the bills we are almost there.  This time next week (we hope and is one of our prayers) Justin's case will be sent to a panel of doctors who will most likely be at UVA.  These doctors will review Justin's case and within two weeks they will decide their verdict.  What next? Okay, if they say YES then his case will finally go to the committee of the Virginia Birth Injury fund.  They have never said no when the panel has said yes.  So, they will then approve and the lawyer tells me things go fast from their.  We will begin to see back pay for the last 5.5 years.  We will then also receive money so that I can hire an aid and pay them.  Just in time for summer, a HUGE blessing!
If the panel disagrees and says no, the case will still move onto the committee.  The committee has been known to say yes even if the panel says no.  If they say no too, we go to court.  Because we no longer live in the area, you can imagine how stressful and time consuming this would be.  Clearly our prayer is that the panel of doctors would see Justin's case and agree with us that it was in face malpractice on the part of the OBGYN.
I am so emotional over all of this lately.  I cannot express what it will be like for us to not have to worry about where the money will come from.  We moved to TX to help our financial situation, sadly, it hasn't helped.  In NOVA we couldn't afford cost of living but at least JT's medical bills were paid for.  Here, we can afford to live and have a stunning forever home but we have to pay all of JT's needs out of pocket.  I can tell you, financially we may have been better in NOVA. Cost of living does not equal Justin's needs! I will also say, God has been SO good to us in Texas! He has provided our daily bread.  He has been there and miracles have happened.  How honored I feel to be witness to so many miracles.  It's amazing!
So where are we now? Last night my incredible hubby stayed up until 1am organizing and compiling the last bits (almost last bits) of information the lawyer needs to move forward.  We still have a lot to do in finding old statements and proof of payment, but I am prayerful the Lord will help us through that too.  Today, Jake will email the lawyer all that we have, we will see if she needs more and then the case goes to the panel.
Please pray these next two weeks for this panel.  Thank the Lord for their time, their wisdom and their dedication.  Please pray that a verdict comes back in JT's favor!
Thank you!

Merry go round of life, lawyers and funds.

I wrote the lawyer yesterday asking a few questions.  You can imagine when she told me the news about the neurologist my emotions took over and I had zero thoughts other than "thank you God!" Once the haze cleared and several people asked the same question I reached out to the lawyer.  It turns out, that although the neurologist agreeing with us is HUGE, it's not the end.  Jake and I will spend every waking moment compiling all of the last bits of info they need from us.  Then when we do, Justin's records will be sent to a medical school.  Their a panel of doctors will review his case.  If they agree with us, then the committee will not say no.  They will pass JT right through to the fund.  If they do not agree with us, then we will need to go to court.  The lawyer is hoping to submit all of our information to the panel within two weeks.  Then the panel has 60 days to respond.  If they agree with us, things will move very quickly and we will be reimbursed for everything we have paid out since JT's birth! AND all of his future needs will be met.  If they say no, then we will go to court and the process will continue.
So for now, the prayer is that Jake and I will be diligent with our time and will be able to quickly get together the information and medical records still needed. (everything since we have been in TX) Pray we are able to find the correct receipts, CC statements and so on.  Pray also for the panel.  Pray for them to see that JT does deserve this fund.  Pray for our hearts, that we will accept whatever decision in made, that we will continue to trust in the Lord.  That we will not lose hope and that we will continue to rejoice in the gifts He has given us.
Looks like we are looking at another 2-3 months!

I will keep you updated as I learn things.  Thank you for following along in this journey.  Thank you for praying with and for us.  We are truly blessed!