
Travel and medical expenses
Donation protected
Miles is 6 years old. He is one of the most happy, easy-going, loving kids you will ever meet. When you meet him, he will greet you with a smile or a hug. He had some early childhood intervention for physical therapy, occupational, speech, music, massage, and hippo therapy to name a few. He has always had stiffness in his joints and muscles, (the thought crossed my mind it's probably because he lives with three women). By age four he started wearing glasses. No biggie-probably genetic from his Mom. Age 5, yearly check up with his PCP. His PCP discloses that he heard a heart murmur. He was diagnosed with PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus). No biggie again, surgery is elective and we (Ruth and I) thought if he wishes to have this surgery later, that his choice. In the meantime, currently, his finger tips are acting and looking very arthritic and he can not fully pronate nor supinate his hands. He is already complaining of discomfort in his extremities. Physical therapy is once again set up for June of 2020. PCP suggested with everything combined, "let's get him scheduled with a geneticist". The wait was 8 months long. Fast forward to November 2019, reaccuring ear infections. A visit to an ENT suggested dual ear tubes and an adanidextamy again, we were like OK, the procedure should be very low risk, let's proceed.... On December 24th, 2019 the surgery went longer than expected.... We started worrying. ENT said, "Do you realize that we almost lost him because he stopped breathing. We had an emergency situation in the surgery room?!?!?!". That was prompted because we unknowingly asked if he could home that night. For 7 days post surgery, his hearing was perfect. And then his hearing started "tanking and disappearing" for no apparent reason. He is scheduled for an MRI under sedation on 6/4/2020 (Covid permitting, already rescheduled once) for middle ear observation since Otto scholorsis runs in the family. Fast forward again to May 1, 2020 when our lives were turned upside down and shaken violently. Miles and I finally saw the genecist. The CPNP took all back ground information, doctor finally stepped in. He asked more questions and then walked us immediately down for Miles to receive a full body xray from head to toe. That was approximately 25 xrays. Miles was a Trooper, but you could tell it was a taking a toll on Miles. He was done. 5pm, the same day, the genecist called with his initial diagnosis . He says this was 80% certainty. It is his belief that he has Mucopolysaccharieosis (MPS) aka - Hunters disease. ****THIS HAS NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED**** An enzyme blood test in the works. Without prior approval, this test alone costs out of pocket $1,000. It takes 21 days for results. There is no cure for this disease and most kiddos who have this disease show severe symptoms by the age 2 and have a life expectancy of 10 years. Some kids with less severe forms of this disease MIGHT live to adulthood and in a few rare cases Individual have lived into their 50's. There is an enzyme treatment to help with some of the symptoms, but again, it is not a cure and it is very, very expensive. His PCP has been a God send and has helped with his referral to the Mayo clinic. His visit to the Rochester Mayo clinic is on July 2nd. According to Mayo clinic, the estimated stay is anywhere from 5-7 business days. That puts leaving Mayo on July 11th. I was laid off from Kelly Services due to Covid and I had no insurance set up through them. Ruth is still gainfully employed and has been deemed "an essential worker" with her job. Insurance does not cover travel or housing expenses. We are stuck, because we know that they can not fire her legally because of Miles' illnesses but they can make her job very uncomfortable for her. We are stuck between a rock and a hard spot in that regards. Airfare for two currently is $500 via SW airlines. Nightly stay in a hotel is approximately $70-$100 per night The Ronald McDonald house there along with other housing places of charity are operating abnormally due to Covid. Ronald McDonald gives no guarantee of a stay, they stated on their website that, "call when you arrive, if we have an opening, you may stay; however have a back up plan.... Only two healthy adults above the age 18 are allowed and patient only". If Ruth gets FMLA approved, she will have to take the whole month off. She does have some sick and PTO time, but not a lot. Her work requires "if out of state travel during Covid, that the employee must take off an additional 14 days to quarantine."
We are setting this up for the immediate co-pays, deductibles, travel for four, hotel stay, food, rental car. The drive there from Albuquerque is 18 plus hours one way. If Miles is confirmed with MPS, medicaid/Medicare should kick in for future medical expenses, travel, and hotel stay.
It is our hope that Miles does not have MPS type ii But at this point and time Miles does in fact meet a lot of the markers for MPS. Yet, we still hold onto the small hope that it is not MPS.
If you can help us with either a monetary donation to help get us there, prayers, or lifting him up in your thoughts we will greatly appreciate whatever you can do. We thank you. We hope that Miles is not one of the 1 in 25,000 or the 100,000 kids to have MPS. Please remember, this has not yet been confirmed and that we are still in the insurance "limbo" of the prior authorization for the blood enzyme test.
Much love to you all.
Miles is still the same happy, go-lucky, caring, kind, sweet, and loveable child he has always been, beyond a doubt. *****WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF TELLING HIM OR SOPHIA OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF MILES' ILLNESS AT THIS TIME; WE JUST WANT TO LET THEM BE KIDS AS LONG AS POSSIBLE! Please respect that****. (I am sorry for the caps, but please respect our wishes.)
We are setting this up for the immediate co-pays, deductibles, travel for four, hotel stay, food, rental car. The drive there from Albuquerque is 18 plus hours one way. If Miles is confirmed with MPS, medicaid/Medicare should kick in for future medical expenses, travel, and hotel stay.
It is our hope that Miles does not have MPS type ii But at this point and time Miles does in fact meet a lot of the markers for MPS. Yet, we still hold onto the small hope that it is not MPS.
If you can help us with either a monetary donation to help get us there, prayers, or lifting him up in your thoughts we will greatly appreciate whatever you can do. We thank you. We hope that Miles is not one of the 1 in 25,000 or the 100,000 kids to have MPS. Please remember, this has not yet been confirmed and that we are still in the insurance "limbo" of the prior authorization for the blood enzyme test.
Much love to you all.
Miles is still the same happy, go-lucky, caring, kind, sweet, and loveable child he has always been, beyond a doubt. *****WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF TELLING HIM OR SOPHIA OF THE SERIOUSNESS OF MILES' ILLNESS AT THIS TIME; WE JUST WANT TO LET THEM BE KIDS AS LONG AS POSSIBLE! Please respect that****. (I am sorry for the caps, but please respect our wishes.)
Organizer
Melissa Hawker-Roybal
Organizer
Albuquerque, NM