Birdie James Medical Expenses
Donation protected
Some of you may know little Birdie, and some may not, but we ask all of you to read her story and help us if you can.
The Short Story:
On October 2nd, 6 month old Birdie James Mosser was diagnosed
with a rare type of seizure disorder called Infantile Spasms.
Infantile Spasms are unique in that they cause abnormal and chaotic brain activity at all times, even when she is not having a cluster of seizures. Thus making it extremely dangerous and damaging to her brain.
Praise Jesus it was caught fairly early and her medical team has been very adept at making quick decisions to test and then diagnose her so she can begin treatment. The prognosis for this type of epilepsy isn't favorable. Its possible she will have long term mental and physical deficits, and the road to health is a long and arduous one.
Right now Birdie needs to immediately be put on a medication call ACTH. This medication, in high doses will stop the constant seizures she is currently having. The first round of treatment will last 12 weeks and cost about $184,000. The insurance company initially denied the claim but reopened the case and yesterday (10/8) it was approved!
The side effects of ACTH are really difficult to bear (infection, high blood pressure, diarrhea, increased irritation, and skin problems.), and because the treatment also causes immunosuppression, Birdie will be at risk for other infections and complications during her treatment phase.
God has clearly been watching over Birdie and has given her an incredible team of doctors to help her through this. If you know Birdie, you know she is one constant smile and she is impacting the whole pediatric unit with her joy!
We need your help! First and foremost we ask for prayer for a total healing of Birdie’s body, we ask for protection for her brain as the constant seizures can greatly reduce its ability to develop normally. We ask that the medication be approved by insurance and that she would be able to weather the brutal side effects easily. And lastly, we ask that if you are able you would contribute financially to a fund to help alleviate the costs of Birdie’s treatment over the next several months, and mostly likely years.
We are a community first and foremost, and we want to gather together and support this family with our love, prayers, and money as we are able.
We are unsure of the total medical cost and there is a potential for additional expenses that will not be covered by insurance. More information will follow when we get a clear picture of the total expenses.
Thank you so much!!!
The Whole Story:
On Saturday afternoon, October 1st, Elizabeth decided to take little Birdie to the Urgent Care. Birdie had had a cold for about a week, and a low-grade fever for a few days, and then that afternoon had just started crying and crying, not stopping for several hours. As Birdie is not usually fussy or prone to crying much, she was concerned enough to bring her in. Due to several facilities near her home being closed, she ended up going a much further distance than planned to find an Urgent Care that could see infants and was open late on a Saturday. While there Birdie did something that she had done a few times over the last week, her eyes unfocused for a moment and she lifted both arms simultaneously up towards her head, held them there for a second, then release them back to her sides and resumed normal baby wiggling. Brook and Liz had noticed her do it once or twice before, but didn’t see it as urgent, so had decided to address it with her regular physician appointment the following week. But when the doctor saw Birdie do the movement several times in the space of a few minutes she immediately sent them to the emergency room at St Vincents Hospital, calling ahead to make sure they knew she was coming.
Hours later she was finally admitted to the pediatric unit and scheduled to see a neurologist the following morning. After an EEG (an electroencephalogram is used to monitor brain wave activity) revealed a specific pattern known as hypsarrhythmia, the team determined she has a very rare form of infant-onset epilepsy called “Infantile Spasms.” This type of seizure disorder accounts for about 2% of childhood epilepsy, and carries a very poor prognosis for future health. It is difficult to diagnose because the visible aspect of the near-constant seizures happening in her brain is oftentimes only a very tiny movement. A bobbing head or eyes that slip off to one side for a moment. These tiny movements are not alarming and are often disregarded as normal “wobbly baby” movements. But in Birdie’s case the movement was a little larger and distinct, which may have saved her life. An early diagnosis is essential for a chance at successful treatment. Beginning the medical side of treatment right away is also very important for her to have a chance at normal brain development. Even with immediate, aggressive, treatment, there is a high likelihood that Birdie will have some developmental delay, will be at high risk for autism and prone to developing other types of epilepsy as an older child or adult.
Right now Birdie needs to immediately be put on a medication call ACTH. This medication, in high doses will stop the constant seizures she is currently having. The first round of treatment will last 12 weeks and cost about $184,000. We are hoping that their insurance company will cover all or most of the cost of the medication, but thus far they have denied the claim, saying there is a less expensive treatment that could be used. Birdie’s doctors don’t want to put her on this cheaper medication, as it has not shown to be as effective at ACTH in treating Infantile Spasms.
*UPDATE: yesterday (10/8) the insurance company approved the claim!!!
The side effects of ACTH are really difficult to bear (infection, high blood pressure, diarrhea, increased irritation, and skin problems.), and because the treatment also causes immunosuppression, Birdie will be at risk for other infections and complications during her treatment phase.
God has clearly been watching over Birdie and has given her an incredible team of doctors to help her through this. If you know Birdie, you know she is one constant smile and she is impacting the whole pediatric unit with her joy!
We need your help! First and foremost we ask for prayer for a total healing of Birdie’s body, we ask for protection for her brain as the constant seizures can greatly reduce its ability to develop normally. We ask that the medication be approved by insurance and that she would be able to weather the brutal side effects easily.
And lastly, we ask that if you are able you would contribute financially to a fund to help alleviate the costs of Birdie’s treatment over the next several months, and mostly likely years. We are a community first and foremost, and we want to gather together and support this family with our love, prayers, and money as we are able.
The Short Story:
On October 2nd, 6 month old Birdie James Mosser was diagnosed
with a rare type of seizure disorder called Infantile Spasms.
Infantile Spasms are unique in that they cause abnormal and chaotic brain activity at all times, even when she is not having a cluster of seizures. Thus making it extremely dangerous and damaging to her brain.
Praise Jesus it was caught fairly early and her medical team has been very adept at making quick decisions to test and then diagnose her so she can begin treatment. The prognosis for this type of epilepsy isn't favorable. Its possible she will have long term mental and physical deficits, and the road to health is a long and arduous one.
Right now Birdie needs to immediately be put on a medication call ACTH. This medication, in high doses will stop the constant seizures she is currently having. The first round of treatment will last 12 weeks and cost about $184,000. The insurance company initially denied the claim but reopened the case and yesterday (10/8) it was approved!
The side effects of ACTH are really difficult to bear (infection, high blood pressure, diarrhea, increased irritation, and skin problems.), and because the treatment also causes immunosuppression, Birdie will be at risk for other infections and complications during her treatment phase.
God has clearly been watching over Birdie and has given her an incredible team of doctors to help her through this. If you know Birdie, you know she is one constant smile and she is impacting the whole pediatric unit with her joy!
We need your help! First and foremost we ask for prayer for a total healing of Birdie’s body, we ask for protection for her brain as the constant seizures can greatly reduce its ability to develop normally. We ask that the medication be approved by insurance and that she would be able to weather the brutal side effects easily. And lastly, we ask that if you are able you would contribute financially to a fund to help alleviate the costs of Birdie’s treatment over the next several months, and mostly likely years.
We are a community first and foremost, and we want to gather together and support this family with our love, prayers, and money as we are able.
We are unsure of the total medical cost and there is a potential for additional expenses that will not be covered by insurance. More information will follow when we get a clear picture of the total expenses.
Thank you so much!!!
The Whole Story:
On Saturday afternoon, October 1st, Elizabeth decided to take little Birdie to the Urgent Care. Birdie had had a cold for about a week, and a low-grade fever for a few days, and then that afternoon had just started crying and crying, not stopping for several hours. As Birdie is not usually fussy or prone to crying much, she was concerned enough to bring her in. Due to several facilities near her home being closed, she ended up going a much further distance than planned to find an Urgent Care that could see infants and was open late on a Saturday. While there Birdie did something that she had done a few times over the last week, her eyes unfocused for a moment and she lifted both arms simultaneously up towards her head, held them there for a second, then release them back to her sides and resumed normal baby wiggling. Brook and Liz had noticed her do it once or twice before, but didn’t see it as urgent, so had decided to address it with her regular physician appointment the following week. But when the doctor saw Birdie do the movement several times in the space of a few minutes she immediately sent them to the emergency room at St Vincents Hospital, calling ahead to make sure they knew she was coming.
Hours later she was finally admitted to the pediatric unit and scheduled to see a neurologist the following morning. After an EEG (an electroencephalogram is used to monitor brain wave activity) revealed a specific pattern known as hypsarrhythmia, the team determined she has a very rare form of infant-onset epilepsy called “Infantile Spasms.” This type of seizure disorder accounts for about 2% of childhood epilepsy, and carries a very poor prognosis for future health. It is difficult to diagnose because the visible aspect of the near-constant seizures happening in her brain is oftentimes only a very tiny movement. A bobbing head or eyes that slip off to one side for a moment. These tiny movements are not alarming and are often disregarded as normal “wobbly baby” movements. But in Birdie’s case the movement was a little larger and distinct, which may have saved her life. An early diagnosis is essential for a chance at successful treatment. Beginning the medical side of treatment right away is also very important for her to have a chance at normal brain development. Even with immediate, aggressive, treatment, there is a high likelihood that Birdie will have some developmental delay, will be at high risk for autism and prone to developing other types of epilepsy as an older child or adult.
Right now Birdie needs to immediately be put on a medication call ACTH. This medication, in high doses will stop the constant seizures she is currently having. The first round of treatment will last 12 weeks and cost about $184,000. We are hoping that their insurance company will cover all or most of the cost of the medication, but thus far they have denied the claim, saying there is a less expensive treatment that could be used. Birdie’s doctors don’t want to put her on this cheaper medication, as it has not shown to be as effective at ACTH in treating Infantile Spasms.
*UPDATE: yesterday (10/8) the insurance company approved the claim!!!
The side effects of ACTH are really difficult to bear (infection, high blood pressure, diarrhea, increased irritation, and skin problems.), and because the treatment also causes immunosuppression, Birdie will be at risk for other infections and complications during her treatment phase.
God has clearly been watching over Birdie and has given her an incredible team of doctors to help her through this. If you know Birdie, you know she is one constant smile and she is impacting the whole pediatric unit with her joy!
We need your help! First and foremost we ask for prayer for a total healing of Birdie’s body, we ask for protection for her brain as the constant seizures can greatly reduce its ability to develop normally. We ask that the medication be approved by insurance and that she would be able to weather the brutal side effects easily.
And lastly, we ask that if you are able you would contribute financially to a fund to help alleviate the costs of Birdie’s treatment over the next several months, and mostly likely years. We are a community first and foremost, and we want to gather together and support this family with our love, prayers, and money as we are able.
Organizer and beneficiary
Janelle Mosser
Organizer
Lake Oswego, OR
Brook Mosser
Beneficiary