Trip To Mayo Clinic

Hi Everybody!    We, Richard's Family have created this page in order to help raise the necessary funds for Richard and Mom to go to the Mayo Clinic Neurology Department in Minnesota for the week of (October 21st, 2018) we have changed the appointment to 2019 because of the funds that are needed, have not been raised. Richard is already scheduled to go through several tests in hope that the Neurology team can come up with some answers on controlling or even stopping the seizures. He deserves a break from all of this trauma to his brain.   Richard was diagnosed at Riley Children's hospital with Encephalitis in 2002 at the age of seven, when he just started running a fever. Encephalitis caused him to have Traumatic Brain Injury, Autism Spectrum Disorder and Epilepsy (Lennox gastaut seizures). We have also been to Methodist hospital, Indianapolis, IN, Cleveland Clinic Ohio, Comer's Children's hospital Chicago, IL and currently at St Vincent's Indianapolis, IN. The multiple tests that he has endured are Vagal Nerve Stimulator (VNS), VP Shunt, Cranium Removal 2" of frontal lobe (with high hopes seizures would cease but haven't), Leadless Pacemaker due to all the toll of seizures to his body and if course, the weekly or daily trips to the ER & doctor follows from the ER due to all the head injuries (staples & stitches) broken nose, toes, foot & sprained ankles and yes, most of the time he wears a seizure helmet, this is just to name a few. Whew! The doctors we have came in contact with have made several attempts to help with the seizures but none have worked. Richard's encephalitis was a rare kind in 2002, only two in a million in the U.S. had it... lucky him. Richard has proven to the doctors that he can get through just about anything. He's a tough kid (young man) and we feel he deserves to live a seizure free life. We believe in the power of prayer for we have seen the multiple miracles God (Jesus as Richard would say) has done through him & his life. All we are asking is if you would like to help with this trip, please give. We say Thank You in advance.   **Update** His appointment has been scheduled for 2019 because the funds for just the clinic haven't been met yet $5000. This does not include our travel, lodging or meals We appreciate anything you can give & understand if you can't. ** The neurologist again informed me that Richard is in SUDEP. What is Sudep? Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) refers to the unexpected death of a seemingly healthy person with epilepsy, where no cause of death can been found. So, as a Mom I really would like him to live a much longer life. Thank you all!