Cha Ching

      Mike was in the military after high school got released on medical discharge because of his knee. He thought about getting back in the military we had several discussions about it. One day I got a message on Facebook from a child hood friend who I haven't spoke to in years asking if my maiden name was Shade. (which it was) through the conversation we realized we lived in the same town and decided to meet up. Low and behold her husband was an army recruiter.The conversation about Mike Reenlisting had come up. Mike had to see several doctors to get the approval that his knee was okay to reenlist. We didn't even know if it would be possible for him to get back in the military but we decided to go forward with it.   

      Mike was approved to join back in the military. 1 month after he completed bootcamp, AIT, and we moved to Alaska we were PREGNANT with our little Mason. After having Mason, finding out about him being born with Downsyndrome and all his extra medical expenses we realized the lord works in mysterious ways. Here we were a military family, with Tricare, more then 100,000 Dollars in medical bills the first month of Masons life and we paid nothing! Everything does indeed happen for a reason. 

      The military has moved us to be close to all the medical needs Mason will need. If we would of stayed in South Dakota where we were before military and we had Mason we would be in debt and have to settle with whatever medical care was in the area. With the military we get top notch medical care, and don't owe anything.

      When Mason was first put on oxygen I had to sign a paper and on this paper had the expenses. ONE oxygen tank cost about 525 dollars. At this very moment I have 10 oxygen tanks in my house and that's not including the oxygen concentration that is in Masons room, the bags to put the oxygen in or the tubes we change once a month. Mike and I talk about how the military has become an undercover blessing for Mason and our family. Every week in the mail I get a tricare bill and at the bottom says... you owe 0.00 and every week we know we are very blessed!!