I met with Representative Randy Grau this morning at Panera Bread. It did seem normal and easy, except for the fact that I was meeting another man for breakfast and friends from church were eating nearby. But I hoped they saw his House of Representatives lapel pin and notebook.
I explained our story, our insurance saga, how I knew full well that any legislation passed would not affect me (prayerfully and hopefully Jackson will have outgrown some allergies by then), what the problems with the insurance company are, and then I asked, "I would like you to author a bill mandating insurance companies to cover and reimburse for amino acid-based elemental formulas, regardless of delivery, so long as said formula is administered by a licensed health care professional."
And then I waited.
And he said, "You've skipped a step."
"Oh," I said, "I'm new. What do I do now?"
Well first he will probably ask a representative friend on the insurance committee to author the bill. That way it will be heard by that committee. He will probably co-sponsor the bill. He will also chat with Senator Clark Jolley, who I am meeting with in mid-October, to discuss the bill going through the senate first (a senator can author as many bills as he wants, reps can only author 8 bills - I didn't know this until today) and then when it makes it over to the house he will support the bill and help push it through.
If things go as scheduled then it wold be authored, heard, hopefully signed by the governor into state mandate in June and made law on November 1, 2012. So by this time hopefully, prayerfully Jackson will have outgrown some allergy or have gone through some successful food challenges!
But the step we skipped was what he can do for me. I am emailing him the particulars of my insurance case so he can make a call to the vice-president of legislation for our insurance company and ask where we are on the McCook case.
And if that doesn't get the formula paid for then Randy Grau will get the Insurance Commissioner on the case.
WOW!! I was not expecting this!!
Oh me of little faith.
He asked if I could email him all these things by 10am. (It was approaching 9:30am.) "No, probably not, but I can get it to you just after 12:30." This is when Jackson lays down for a nap.
So blog friends, thank you so much for the high-fives, the prayers, your listening ears and your own ideas of how I should present my case.
And as the particulars become "official" I will keep you posted and I will be high-fiving everyone from here to No Man's Land.
Catherine - thank you for watching Jackson!! I couldn't have done this without you!
Again, thank you all!! I'm super excited!!
So....Jackson was not thrilled to have his birthday photo shoot out on the bricks.
And was less cooperative the longer we were out. However, this weekend he enjoyed a double birthday party with the big sis. He also enjoyed his sugar-free, gluten-free, fat-free, fun-free rice krispy "cake." More pictures to come.
For the first time in 5 months...Jackson didn't gain weight, he lost 5 ounces! AND he got an "ear infection that manefested in his lungs"?? I didn't even know that was possible!
Then last week he (when he was all well from the lung-ear infection) he got his first dose of the flu shot. He is allergic to egg so he did not get it last year. And he got the flu last winter. And he stopped breathing (briefly) last winter.
But we (pediatrician, allergist, dietician - his team) all decided that it might be best that Jackson to get the flu shot this year because the CDC had changed their recommendations for flu shot and egg allergies.
He has been itchy and rashy since then but NO breathing difficulties (which is WONDERFUL)!!! Yay!! We go back for dose #2 of the flu shot in late November.
However, I guess he scratched one foot so badly that an infection in the scratch caught hold. It could be either a "staff infection or mrsa, it's hard to say," says pediatrician. I said, "No, no, no, no, no!" Not to my sweet precious! No! So....Jackson is on a very strong antibiotic to kill those bad germs. And I'm pretty sure that we will be headed back down to Dallas to see dietician soon because of the weight loss. 
Last weekend Matt and I went to his 20 year high school reunion. And here is the salutatorian, quarterback, track star, FCA and NHS president, etc, etc, etc (I can't remember all that he did in high school - but it was a lot).
Out of the 65ish graduates of Post High School in 1991, there were about 25-30 that attended one of the events.
I believe this is the mile relay team of 1991.
And here we are with Matt's proud parents - Pops and Jarre.
Katie won the Charleston's coloring contest!!
Not just the one where everyone who enters gets a free kids meal.
The one where you win a Charleston's t-shirt.
The manager said to her, "Do you know what a rare item you own?" (talking about the t-shirt). Katie said, "What is it?" He said, "Your new shirt." She said, "No silly. I have lots of shirts. But thank you."
Jackson is ready for the Farm Animals class.
He's got his night-night, his blankie #1, blankie #2, ya-ya (paci) and 2 cars.
Jumping J would not sit still for a picture in his classroom and thought running around the rocking chair would be way more fun.
Mrs. Chiara finally captured the boy and made him sit so I could get a first day of school picture. Whew!
Katie was super excited that she got to ride the Sonshine School bus from morning kindergarten ALL the way over to Sonshine School. This is her last year :( and she is in the World Explorers class. 
This tooth was hanging on by a teensy bit of a root. It would twist when he talked. I don't pull teeth. It's not in my job description. But our dad, being the son of a dentist, used his great and tender tooth-pulling skills.
Katie is doing her best Rolling Stones impression and "can't wait" until she looses a tooth!!!
This is one cutie patootie!