March 19th!!!

I have heard back from Johns Hopkins and e-mailed them many (ugly!) pictures of my face at different degrees of rest, smiling, eyes open/shut, etc. After spending a couple of days on the phone with Aetna and Johns Hopkins asking all kinds of questions...I have an appointment for a consultation on March 19th. Of course, if I get word back that there is no hope after looking at the pictures, I will cancel the appointment. Insurance says that Dr. Byrne is NOT in our network (HELLO...I'm in Texas -- he's in Maryland -- I figured this out even though I had brain surgery!!), but with a few "extra" papers (hours?), hopefully they will consider it in network and pay for it. Dave & I have decided that we are going to forge ahead and at least get a consult. If the insurance company does approve it and the Dr. does say I'm a candidate for the T3, they will pay for the surgery AND reimburse us for the consultation. March 19th was a fluke (really a God thing) because she (Erin @ Dr. Byrne's) said his 1st available was May. I said that I was disappointed because after a LOT of thought, I had hoped to be able to have the surgery before school was out so that the kiddos would have something to do during the day & that I would be able to take care of them come summer. She looked again and found March 19th -- SHE even double-checked it because she couldn't believe it!! I told her to put me down and that I could always call & cancel after I talked to Dave, but I didn't want to let it get away. I then was transferred to another department to get registered -- it is a done deal! Now we just have to figure out airline tickets and hotel -- Dave already talked to his boss too & got it OKed. She said that it is usually about a month between the 1st consultation and surgery. Please join us in praying that I could get it done in APRIL so I would have some good recovery time before the hectic schedules of May (recitals, Pre-School Graduation, games, end of the year parties, etc) and summer when I'll need to be able to wear sunscreen since we are outside ALL he time!

Oh yeah, the neat thing about March 19th is that it is our ANNIVERSARY (Dave said it's a good sign!) and we will get to spend it in a real city and eat REALLY good seafood at a NICE RESTAURANT (with no kids)!!!!

Only 1 basketball game this weekend and I AM TAKING THE CAMERA so hopefully I'll have some pictures to post! Trust me, you do NOT want to see them ones I sent to Dr. Byrne!!!!!!! :o)