Rebekah Needs To Tango

We met with Rebekah's IEP team yesterday to discuss 2 things: the results and future of her mental retardation testing, and her speech/communication needs. The two topics became inseperable as her biggest need is to be able to communicate. Even though her IQ tests come in at just under 50 (thank you radiation to the brain), her comprehension testing is at a reasonably high level - that of a 3 1/2 year old. Unfortunately her ability to express is way behind. In an effort to try and help that we introduce the Tango:

More Info At: http://www.blink-twice.com/

For the past several months Rebekah has been undergoing a trial/test period to see if this device would work for her. The testing involved whether any communicative device would be helpful, and if so, whether this was the right one. The good news is that right at the end of the trial period she "Got It" and really started to grow and be able to use it, expressing things she can't in other ways.

And that is also the bad news. Now that she is at the end of the trial period they take it away. The local special ed district that is helping so much with Rebekah only has one to share between all the potential needs and it is given by the company as a trial. In order to obtain one for Rebekah we need to buy one - at $7,000.00!

The first choice (of the district) is that the parents pay for it out of pocket. Obviously that is not a valid choice for most parents of special needs kiddos. So we then get into the second option and that is looking for outside funding. We are looking into options that include insurance, grants, school district funds, etc. With her diagnosis and the objective (as well as subjective)test results, the communications device qualifies as a "medical neeed." But that still only gives a slight hope for insurance coverage and even then it would only be partial coverage. And of course, trying to pursue all the available options takes time and she doesn't get to keep the one she has while that time plays out. What is really frustrating is that she qualifies for and is getting "extended school year" because she has demonstrated that she will loose ground if she doesn't have continuous exposure to her educational programs - but then they go and take this away and say "Sorry. If it takes a while to get one, hopefully she'll be able to pick it back up whenever you finally do."

SO - if you know of any grants, businesses, etc. that just happen to have $7,000.00 to go to the needs of a special little girl, let us know. Otherwise, please help us and pray that God opens up an avenue to make this possible. Even if we don't, HE does know where the funds can come from.

On a different note, the girls went into daddy's office the other day to show off their pretty dresses. Sarah has a new question, "Do I look pretty daddy?" She asks it all the time. And Rebekah models after her with, "I pretty too." It just melts your heart. Here are daddy's pretty girls that morning: