Two weeks ago on a Friday night we were driving across town to the rehearsal dinner for our goddaughter’s wedding. Our older girls were home from Austin and D.C.  My mom had flown in from PA. With the wedding weekend we had all anticipated for a year and a half upon us, Josiah, still in the hospital was due to be released the very next morning.

Rick and I knew we had to pack up his things and bring our boy home by 11 am Saturday morning.  In the midst of all the wedding excitement, with our 3 daughters enjoying rehearsal, the rehearsal dinner, a bridal luncheon and a wedding day preparation party, along with our oldest daughter’s boyfriend arriving from out of town, Josiah would be coming home. Not the best timing.

Keep in mind Rick and I hadn’t slept well for over a month prior to Josiah’s hospitalization.  We weren’t sleeping well while he was in the hospital either. We took turns staying with him, sleeping on the couch that doubled as a bed.

Four or five days prior to his discharge, the social worker from the hospital informed of us her efforts to find a suitable placement for Josiah.  She explained how our insurance company was denying coverage to the ONE hospital in the area that was ready and willing to take on the challenges Josiah presented.  If the social worker was running into road blocks, maybe I could help. Maybe the best approach would be to request a case manager from the insurance company, someone to be assigned to Josiah’s case.

You never know who you’re going to get when you contact a large company.  I needed to talk to someone who would listen, someone who was compassionate, someone who would advocate for our son. I said a quick prayer, then dialed the number. It took a little while, but eventually I was connected with a kind gentleman who listened intently as I spoke.  I told him we needed someone to help us.

I told him all about Josiah, probably more than he wanted to know and explained we had a huge problem.  I told him all the hospitals in the area that were covered by insurance were denying our son and the one, not too far away that might be able to help him, insurance was denying. I told him my son couldn’t speak for himself and needed someone who could speak for him.

This sweet man promised me the minute we hung up, he would personally walk down stairs to a different department, to ask questions of the person he thought might be able to help us. He said he would call me right back, then gave me his direct line in the event I didn’t hear back from him quickly enough.  He called back right away.  He gave me the name and number of the man who could help and said to expect a call from him.

In those moments, I was so hopeful.  I truly felt we were on our way to getting our insurance company to see how important it was to get Josiah into the hospital ready and willing to take him.  I was wrong.

There were many long conversations with a few different people at the insurance company over the next few days.  There were many long conversations with the social worker, with the Dr’s and Nurses at the hospital and with Josiah’s psychiatrist those few days. Everyone was working to help us get Josiah properly placed.  In the end however, our request was denied.  Josiah was coming home.

Rick, my mom and I drove to the rehearsal dinner that Friday night, fully aware the weekend would be rough. Adjusting to life with Josiah back home, but not better was going to be difficult. We had no idea how we would juggle Josiah, all our house guests, and all the wedding activities at the same time.

We were 10 minutes away from the restaurant when my phone rang.  The social worker from the hospital called to say she had some great news.  Papers had been resubmitted.  Our insurance company had changed their mind.  They were now approving Josiah’s transfer to the hospital we had been trying to get him into all along.  They agreed to pay for 7 days.

The only hitch?  We had to get to the hospital as soon as possible for ambulance transport.

Rick dropped Mom and I off at the restaurant, turned the car around and drove an hour back in the opposite direction to escort Josiah to his new ‘home’ for the next week.

God is so good!