Cayman's Benefit

The Benefit is just a few days away!!

Mike and I wanted to share a little deeper about why there is money being raised and how it is going to be used for Cayman. I am sorry we have not done this already. We are generally so private about such a personal subject as finances. However, we thought it would be respectful if we explained how the money being raised is going to help Cayman and it takes a certain amount of humility to admit that we cannot do this financially alone.

We do have insurance but with a very high deductible. We have applied for every financial government aid that has been made known to us. Most of them have turned us away due to income qualifications. Mike is blessed with a good job but money is still tight in a situation like this.

We have discovered there are different modalities that have great potential to assist Cayman to grow and develop in spite of all her medical challenges. However most of these treatments are not covered by insurance or government aids.

Here I would like to talk about a new section I have added to the sidebar (to the right) of the blog called "Cayman's Care" . It has a link to each one of the treatments that we believe has made a great impact on her health and development.

• Stem Cell (Cord Blood) Therapy. At birth, Cayman's cord blood was collected and it was taken to Duke University in North Carolina. There it was preserved and stored for her. When Cayman was 5 1/2 weeks old we drove 12 hours to Durham, NC for her Stem Cell Infusion. To read about that day click here. To learn more about what the Stem Cell Infusion is and why we had it done for Cayman click here. This procedure is considered "Research" so most insurances will not cover the cost of it.
• The Body Scan. This is what we have done for Cayman at her Naturopathist. It's a machine that scans everything that is going on in her body at the cellular level. If cells, the building blocks of our body, are deficient in what they need, disease and symptoms show up compromising our health. The machine inputs a very detailed scan of all of Cayman's cellular numbers up on a computer screen and the Naturopathist interprets them and suggests what vitamins and supplements to help her deficiencies. This is also not covered by insurance. These scans are done about every 3 months. Cayman has had two scans so far. To read about those click here and here.
• Infant Massage. I highly believe in the benefits of massage, but I am a bit biased as this is where my work of trade is. I graduated as a Licensed Massage Therapist in 2003. Massage increases blood circulation, which increases oxygen, making a healthier body. It's all about that oxygen isn't it? After each bath, I spend about 15 minutes massaging Cayman starting at her head and ending with her toes. Her legs seem to be her favorite. This also helps her become more aware of her body as I massage each part. Right now there is no extra costs to us since I massage her, but I am not certified in Infant Massage. I would like to take the course. I could learn specific techniques that would be stimulating to her Nervous System, encouraging it to develop properly.
• Intramax. This is like liquid gold to me. It's a multi vitamin that contains the purest ingredients you can find. I quit taking it when I became pregnant because it does not read "prenatal" on it. At 22 weeks pregnant I saw the Naturopathist that we take Cayman to and he suggested I recontinue taking it, but gave me specific instructions on how much I should take since each dose is not formulated for pregnancy. When you are pregnant you have to be careful not to take too much iron or vitamin A. I have continued to take it while breastfeeding. If I miss even a day taking the Intramax I see a less fattier milk. The Intramax has so many of the necessary vitamins in helping a babies' brain to grow and develop such as DHA and choline. I was surprised, during my pregnancy, to discover how many prenatal vitamins do not contain these important vitamins. This website has the best price. If you sign up for their e-newsletters you get a discount on all their products. They don't bombard you with a bunch a junk mail and once in awhile they send you an e-coupon which is great to save even more. Mike and I both take the Intramax everyday. It has increased our immunities and energy levels. Do you see why this stuff is like gold to me?...it has all the stuff that my baby needs for her growing body and brain, Daddy and I are not sick very often and have better energy levels. All very important things to parents.
• Breast milk. After reading this article and this one I think you will understand why I have been so willing to dedicate myself to the heavy task of pumping all of Cayman's feedings. (She was over 4 weeks old before I could really try feeding her at the breast and by then she wanted nothing to do with it). This part of Cayman's care does not cost us anything. If anything we save money because we do not have to buy formula. We were blessed enough to have our insurance cover the cost of my double breast pump. The doctor wrote a script for one and our insurance approved it because of Cayman's medical conditions restricted her from being able to breastfeed right after she was born. That is something you Mom's about to have a baby with a medical condition might want to look into. My Lactation Consultant played a big part in talking to our insurance directly to get this approved for us.

Along with being private about money we are also very honest about money. A separate savings account just for Cayman has been opened. The money being raised will be used for Cayman's care and only Cayman's care. It is not a personal account for Mike and I. It will be used to pay for her outstanding medical bills, our travel expenses to her appointments, and the other treatments that I listed above.

We deeply thank everyone for their part they have in bringing this benefit together. Mike, Cayman, and I hope to see you on Saturday at the benefit! Even if you do not have a monetary donation to give please come!! We would love to have you!

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