A special trust and How the doctor tells it

Daniel has mastered two new words and says both very well. He can now say: 'morning' and 'donut' really pronouncing the 't' sound. It is great to hear him talk. Pretty much anything you say, he will try to repeat it and he will get it right a good amount of the time.

We ordered him a walker a week ago, since we have enough money in our flexible spending account and need to use it or we will lose it. We set it up and he is getting the hang of holding on to the hand rails and standing while holding on, but he will maybe "walk" a step or two before sitting down. No matter though, it is ours and he can practice in it everyday. Before we could get reimbursed we needed to get a letter from his doctor. This letter needed to say why he needed the walker--duh, why would we buy something so expensive if he did not need it? Whatever, the letter that the pediatrician wrote was short but darn if it didn't have all the language that it needed. It was a shocker to me but I realize what it's intention was to say--he needs it dammit! It had words like: "poor prognosis," "no mobility," etc. Wow, way to be blunt doctor.

A few days ago Jason and I were talking about Daniels future. We really have no idea what the future holds for him, just like we have no idea what the future holds for his able-bodied sister as well. Guessing is not even worth it, but I suggested that we set up some sort of fund for Daniel in case something happens to us and he needs to be taken care of. I know that Daniel would be taken care of by his sister and other loving and caring family members and friends, but I hate to think that Alison or anyone else for that matter, would have to take care of him. She should not have that responsibility put on her. No doubt she would take it, (here is what she wrote in her first grade autobiography: "When I grow up I would like to be a person who helps people with special needs because my brother has special needs. I will take good care of them and find out what they need to feel better.") but if she cannot or chooses not to then I want for her to be able to live her life. I set out to investigate what exactly we were looking for (having no idea what it would be called besides a fund of money specifically for Daniel). I found out that there is something called a Special Needs Trust (or Supplemental Needs Trust). Oh yes, we will need to find a lawyer to help guide us through all the legal mumbo jumbo that comes with setting something like this up. Reading through all the information I almost got a headache! It does seem that this is what we will need for Daniel, now we just need to get it set up.