Contributed by Amy Lilly
Over the past few days, mainly since the 24th or so, she has really been talkative and is forming more vowels and has added “no” to her vocabulary. She has become more and more enthusiastic, and has smiled and become more aware. As this ability has improved, so has her awareness and understanding of what is going on. That means being more emotional. She has cried a few times, a lot due to her inability to communicate and be understood. She has used the iPad Mini a few times to color and to watch films (which she now selects by herself). I have spent so much time in the cafeterias and eating junk food, rather than being at home eating with my wife. I would love to treat Cassie to Panda Express or Art City Trolley when we are able to leave and she can eat.
At one point in time, I was severely dehydrated and vomited in the 3rd floor cafeteria. I spent the next few hours in the ICU waiting room trying to recover and vomited twice more. I ended up going home early and the next day at home laying down recovering. Worth noting: this ended a streak going back to when Cassie and I were dating where we did not miss a day seeing each other. Many years of time spent together. All good streaks come to an end. So many people have reached out with their support, whether it is visits, food, prayers and temple visits. Her name is in many temples across the United States, from Los Angeles to Manhattan and many a place in Utah. I have not known more support and have felt more love from friends and family. I have also gained a greater understanding of the gospel, such as “the songs I cannot sing” and the meaning of trials of faith. I thought a few things would be a lifelong trial, and this might trump those. She has made much improvement and the doctor’s outlook is optimistic. The therapists have been wonderful in their attempts to help her regain her former abilities. It will take a lot of time, but it will be worth the effort. The growth will also be beyond just the therapy, but will reach into the lives of those who are connected to Cassie.
I was able to take care of all the school responsibilities: signing up for leave of absences, authorizing me to be in charge of her account and finances, and making sure refunds and scholarships are in place. Unfortunately I lose my scholarship because it is private and those cannot be deferred. We will have a new addition to the family as well, expected in August. I am currently worried about insurance coverage. My dad and I have sat down together and made the appropriate visits to make sure we are still covered for the imminent medical bills. She was not employed for 12 months at her job and so she does not qualifying for FMLA coverage. I qualify at my job for FMLA coverage. So does Cassie go on COBRA coverage or can she be switched over to another policy immediately? I called my HR department (but I want to verify it again), and they said that this would be a qualifying event to obtain insurance. Unfortunately this is something that I have to deal with and have to settle fairly quickly, as her coverage ends January 31st and it is imperative that coverage continues, for the preexisting condition of her pregnancy and continued coverage while she stays in the hospital.
Another thing to determine is whether or not we need to move. I guess the question really is when. The stairs will be difficult to navigate for Cassie, particularly if her right side continues to be troublesome. Most likely we would be moving in with my parents. I know her parents would love to have us, but there is no room and it would be too hard. My parents said they would give up their room and move downstairs, but that would upset the dog. The other question would be: where to put our possessions? Both grandparents have offered their garages as storage space. This is almost too much for one person to handle at my young age. Fortunately I have many people to support and offer their services.
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