As many special needs moms/parents can probably relate, we maybe learn earlier than others to accept any and all the help we can get when it comes to our kids. We learn as much as we want to do everything for our kids, we just don't have all the skills and tools required and that expert help is so crucial and important. 

We started Graham in speech therapy shortly after his 2nd birthday. A couple months later we started occupational therapy as well. Initially we thought we were just dealing with a language and speech delay, but soon realized there was more to the story. 

Right around his 3rd birthday, we received his official autism diagnosis. It's been a long road to acceptance and oh so much learning to be done from all of us. 

Through all this, we received some early intervention services and thankfully got Medicaid to help with all his therapies. 

That's been an absolutely lifesaver for us as outpatient therapies are extremely expensive. We absolutely have so much love and respect for all the therapists Graham has gotten to work with over the years and at present and have relied heavily on them and their expertise to help us get to where we are.

But again, we knew the main way we were able to do all these therapies was because of his Medicaid help as our insurance didn't cover it. 

I filled out the paperwork every year for the “review” and it always got approved. I thought we were fine. 

Until this September. I submitted our review they called and informed me that we no longer qualified due to our income. I responded explaining we relied on the Medicaid to cover our son's therapy expenses as he is nonverbal autistic. I said I'd submitted the paperwork for him to be on the Autism Waiver (I had my copies)- but they said they didn't have record of that, and he wasn't on the waiver as there is a waitlist. So as of October, he wouldn't have Medicaid, and we would be looking at paying for his therapies out of pocket. 

The state informed us there were spots open on the autism waiver come November 1, so we could get going then and then reapply through Medicaid through the waiver. 

Okay, so we thought maybe about 6-8 weeks max without coverage. Graham has some amazing grandmas who made sure we could keep him in and not have to do a hold. We were able cut back his therapies to make it work, and still keep him in it at least in some capacity. 

Long story short, it's now the beginning of February and we still don't have his Medicaid back. We pretty much gave up with the state and have been working with the county on a different waiver that would be mostly the same, likely even better anyway. It's been way faster, but still plenty slow moving. Even though he's been approved, we won't be able to start his services until 3/1 at the earliest, and only then can we reapply for Medicaid through the waiver - hopefully by the end of March.

This is currently month 5 of out of pocket payments. We're talking not hundreds, but thousands and thousands of dollars at this point. Jon has an amazing job, and we know we are very fortunate, but months of these payments is just been so much to manage. It's been beyond frustrating to feel like I'm trying to do everything I can and continue to be told we just have to wait. Graham's autism isn't waiting. His therapy is a necessity and not something we can just not do for him. But every single week that passes it gets harder and harder. 

His therapy clinic is now offering Hippotherapy which utilizes the use of equine movement in therapy. It seems like an absolutely wonderful treatment tool and we think Graham would very much benefit from it. His therapists really think he would too.

However, there is an additional fee for the stables and equipment, and with everything we've had happen, we just know we need help if he's going to do it. We passed on the first session of this this fall when all this started, thinking by the time they had the next session we'd have this settled. But here we are.

It's humbling and not easy to ask for this kind of help. I've been crying the last couple days a majority of the days just thinking about having to ask. I know people will have their opinions about it, and I've just had to try to block that out. As I'm sure any special needs parent knows, as if dealing with all that comes with the needs of our child wasn't enough, the financial strain can be almost too overwhelming to bear. And I know people can't help unless they know whats happening, and we ask. And I know we have so many amazing people in our lives  who ask about Graham and tell us they're thinking of us.

We know the end is in site and we will get his Medicaid back ‘soon.' But as I stated before, every week that passes gets more and more challenging, and getting Graham into this session of Hippotherapy is time sensitive. 

If you are able and willing to help, even if it's just a couple dollars, we would be so grateful. Graham is such an awesome kid, and we just want to do everything we can for him, and if that means having to swallow our pride and ask for some help, I guess so be it ❤️

Mandi & Jon