I know it’s been a long time since I have updated everyone but we finally have more information. God opened a MAJOR door for us today! We got a phone call from Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. This hospital is the forefront in Rumination Syndrome Research and Treatment. Jackson has an appointment on September 10 and 11 for an AD Manometry test. Basically it is the gold standard in regards to determining if Rumination Syndrome is what’s going on. We will meet with the doctor the following day. If Rumination Syndrome is confirmed then we will head home and patiently wait for insurance to approve Jackson for an inpatient therapy program at Nationwide’s. We have been assured once insurance approves it Jackson will have a spot. This inpatient therapy is a major step in getting Jackson off the feeding tube and back to normal life. 

Also Jackson has been in therapy since we got back from Cincinnati. Jenny Edwards is a speech pathologist, yoga instructor, and trauma certified. She has been working with Jackson on yoga, diaphragmatic breathing, and relaxation. We are starting to see some real progress. This past week he has been able to keep some dry cereal down. That’s major because it’s the most food he has kept down in 8 months! 

I want to share a little background on how God has been working. It’s amazing! 

 We were lost as to who could treat Jackson here in Arkansas because no one in the state has been through the training. As Jason and I prayed and worried about what we would do God already had it worked out for us. Two dear friends of ours, Becky Hall and Amy Baker, graciously agreed to sit in on a conference call from Cincinnati because they are both speech pathologists. Becky recorded the call so they could discuss it more and Amy had done some research already about Rumination Syndrome. Both of my precious friends felt like Jenny Edwards was going to be the answer as to who could help Jackson. If you know these ladies you know they are women of faith so we knew they had been praying for Jackson and for answers like us. So we felt confident in believing Jenny could help. Becky made contact with Jenny and she not only agreed to help but she jumped headfirst into research. We met and began his therapy. All I can say was we were in awe the first time with Jenny. She had a direction to go in and tons of knowledge about the human brain and body. She’s calm and so loving which has only helped Jackson even more. With her we are seeing progress every week. Jackson’s sleeping has returned to a more normal pattern. The pain has significantly lessened. He feels better and is becoming less anxious about all of this. Jenny will forever hold a special place in our hearts. Becky and Amy have always had a special place in our hearts but it grew even more!  There is no doubt God led Becky and Amy in determining who could treat Jackson. 

Then one night I was doing some research and came across the information about Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the inpatient therapy. We reached out to Cincinnati and his doctor there felt this was a good step to take. She did all the referring and made a few phone calls to try and make it happen. Unfortunately we weren’t getting any results. I reached out to some people who had children go through the program and the quickest any of them had been given an appointment was 10 months but most waited for over a year to just get an appointment. We felt discouraged but kept praying. In the middle of July Jason decided he and Jackson would go watch some All-Star baseball here in town and support Jackson’s friends. Through a crazy set of circumstances they met a lady named Carla. She lives in Ashdown. She asked Jason questions about what was going on with Jackson(she did it when Jackson wasn’t around). He explained and they continued to talk. She owns a therapy clinic and said she had contacts throughout the nation and gave him her card. She said if she could help she would love to. Well I called her because we didn’t have anything to lose. She asked for a detailed history on Jackson so I sent it to her. The last week or so she has been emailing me asking various questions about Jackson. So when we got the phone call from Nationwide today I told Jason I thought Carla had something to do with it. He called her. Her and her contacts have made over 300 phone calls on Jackson’s behalf trying to get him in at Nationwide. Yes you read that right, over 300! Needless to say she was instrumental in Jackson getting in and availability being made for him. Again there is no doubt God placed Carla in Jason’s path that Saturday. 

Clearly God has been in control and using His people to help us the whole time. Even in the moments we have felt discouraged and not sure how we would get through the next step. We believe fully that God has been answering each and every prayer said on behalf of Jackson. Sometimes we didn’t realize it until much later but He has been so faithful. So we are asking again for all your prayers. Specifically for Dr. Peter Lu and his staff, traveling mercies, and insurance to work quickly and efficiently. Our love and many thanks for covering us so much in prayer and all the love shown to us. In eleven days Jackson will have been sick for a year. We haven’t felt alone one day of that because of all of you and we continue to be overwhelmed by the love. We serve a mighty God who cares and loves each and every one of us! He has a perfect plan for us all. (Jeremiah 29:11-13)  If you don’t believe that then just look at Jackson’s story! ❤️