Incentive program!!!

Thank you for the congrats! Thank you, Laurie, for the rewards!

CONGRATS to those who have made the 100.
Hopefully soon I will be able to join the club!
(((((HUGGS))))) to all.

Genki, I love your new avatar!

Thanks! hehe

Here kitty, kitty~

Congrats mmaiden on reaching 100!

Yes! I did it!
Shriners Hospital for Children

Awesome, Mmaiden! The Shriner's Hospital for children is a wonderful choice!

They do such wonderful things! They will soon be helping a local mom whose son has such a rare spinal condition (don't really know what else to call it) there is no name for it. His spine is not connected way down in his back. Miraculously he can walk but has to have this surgery or he will end up paralyzed. AND if he has the surgery, he could end up paralyzed. There are only 10 documented cases in the world and three of them are in the United States. The other two cases were further up in their spinal columns. So his is rarer than the others. His spinal cord is tethered somewhere but the scans, MRIs etc... don't show where the tethering is occuring. If his spinal cord stretches one inch he will become paralyzed. He also has something wrong that causes one side of his body to grow faster than the other.
UPDATE on this situation.
The doctor and all of the special equipment needed is in Minnesota. This poor child is in Michigan. His surgery was cancelled the day before he was supposed to have it because he gets Medicaid through the State of Michigan. The State of Michigan will pay only 17% if this surgery is performed out of state. The doctor would be willing to come to Michigan to do this but he does not hold a license to practice Medicine in Michigan.20100520DD30

The mom is beside herself with frustration and emotional pain. I told a friend of ours to get all of the info she possibly can and maybe if we send an email to the big O (Oprah), she can recommend some different agencies that are available to possibly help. Any suggestions? I think the Shriners were going to be able to help with some of the post surgical care and rehabilitation. Positive thoughts and prayers are always welcome.