• We just got home Tuesday night from Maryland, We were able to get in to see Dr Frasher Henderson, and this doctor is a very caring and compassionate man. He was with Shea for over 2 hours, and took time in studying her case even after we left. He had looked at her MRI'S before we got there, ordered CT of her cervical neck area, studies this for over an hour with the radiologist and then called me that evening!  He told me that he had spent time studying her complex case with th4 radiologist to 'talk out' how he might be able to help Shea. He decided that he could help her even with her Osteoporosis.

 The Lord graciously led us to Dr Henderson through Shea's geneticist in Baltimore Dr Clare Francomano.

 She sent Shea to see him b/c her symptoms are worsening and she felt he might be able to help her.

 After spending time looking over her Mris' and CT scans, he changed his 'initial' eval of how things might go. Originally he said he would put her in a halo for a week to find the exact position that would be best to fuse her in. But after his exam of her and looking this over, he saw where her skull actually sits forward on her spine. So he would like to take 2 weeks of adjustments with her being in the halo t get it 'just right' b/c as he said, after she is fused, that's it. SO he wants to get it right the first time. Then he would do the fusion on Friday of the 2nd week, she would be in the hospital for 4-5 days, then he would release her to stay somewhere locally for 10 days to 2 weeks. Then she could come home for a month with the halo on. He wanted to leave her in this to help give her skull/neck more support while fusing due to her Osteoporosis.

The down side to all this was that when we went to check out, we were told he did not take insurance.  Shea has lived with this pain and debilitating health for years that she was willing to use all her disability checks each month to make payments from now 'until she died' she said if we could help her with everything else. Because he is the first Doctor that has said he not only could but would help her. I cried over this.  What do you say to this? 

Here again the Lord blessed and when Dr Henderson called me back, THAT NIGHT TO GO OVER Shea's CT report with me and his impressions, he asked me if we had insurance, I said that we did and that it was good insurance. He told me that in that case he would take insurance only. I asked him what about the 'left over' owing of what is above reasonable and customary, he said not to worry he would hope that if one of his own children had a complex health condition like Shea that he would hope should a doctor heel he could help his child that he would not let money be a factor in their care. Now how AWESOME of our God is that?

 Lord willing we will be able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House in Baltimore, which gives us a 45 minute, drive each way to the doctor’s office. Then surgery would be at Doctor's Hospital in Lanham. Maryland. Which is even further from RMD House but we do what we have to.

I talked with the doctor's office in Maryland today; the Doctor was expecting Shea in office on MONDAY!  Next Monday!  I told her we could not do this as we are having a family reunion at our house and Shea is looking forward to this. So we will leave her on Saturday July 11th, she will be fitted for her Halo on Monday the 13th with surgery scheduled for Friday the 24th. Lord willing we will be able to come home sometime the week of August 10th.

We are now trusting the Lord to supply the rest of the finances needed for the 4-6 week trip.We have no doubt that He will supply these needs. We appreciate your continued prayers.

Please leave Shea messages in her guestbook; this encourages her so much to read the notes everyone leaves her.

Thank you all.