Medicaid, Moving On, and a Fire in the Oven

It's official. We got the letter in the mail yesterday:

"Medicaid for Garren will terminate effective 08/31/2012..."

What does this mean? Up until now Medicaid has been covering the costs of night nursing, medical supplies, and therapy. Our primary insurance will cover 20 therapy visits a year , and since I've been able to work with Garren at home we will be able to stretch those visits out. Nancy has already started scouring the internet for paces to buy food and other supplies at the lowest prices possible. As far as the nights go - once Garren goes to sleep, he doesn't need much attention. The big issue is that since he is unable to swallow, he could aspirate on his own saliva while sleeping. But recently he's been coughing less and less, so we are going to take turns sleeping in his room. If he needs something one of us will be right there to help.

Throughout the last 18 months, we've rejoiced when things were taken away: when they took out all the tubes and wires as they moved him out of PICU; when they took the trach out; when we cut nursing back to only nights; as we removed machines and devices from his room because they were no longer needed. We looked at those moments and were encouraged because it meant Garren was progressing. And now, we have yet another aid being removed. Our tendency is to look at this as a bad thing. But somehow I think this may be a good thing. Maybe we don't really need Medicaid any longer? Maybe this is what it takes to push us, to show us how much farther along Garren really is than we even think?

Philippians 4:19-20 says "And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen."

This promise has proven true over and over during the last 18 months. We have never once been in need. Medical expenses, pay reductions, car problems, school expenses - these have all been taken care of in amazing ways. So we can rest assured that God has whatever is next under control. He will supply every need of ours.

So I left Garren at home alone yesterday afternoon. Nancy was with her parents, and I took Kelsey with me to work. My phone rang and it was Garren calling from home.
"Dad!"
"What's up Garren!"
"O, never mind, it's ok now."
"Garren, what do you mean never mind? What's going on?"
"O, well, I was cooking some chips in the oven, and they caught on fire. But it's ok now, the fire has been extinguished."

My mind was having trouble comprehending what I had just heard. Fire? Like a real fire? In the oven?

"Garren - is the oven off?"
"Yes"
"And the fire is out?"
"Yes"
"What were you doing?"

Apparently Garren had found a recipe on the internet that he wanted to try out. But, according to him, "It didn't work out so well." We made a new rule - no cooking when you are home alone! We are thankful that Garren is so adventurous, and that he and our home are all ok!