For our Riley

Hello, as many of you know our daughter, Riley, has gotten very sick this past year. Starting about November we noticed she was using her right arm less and less. After the initial doctors visit, we were referred to see a neurologist. They initially believed she had a stroke but Riley's symptoms kept progressing. The neurologist conducted an initial CT scan and MRI of her brain, with the results showing signs of Leukodystrophy (White Matter Disease). Due to the appointments for children’s neurology being so full, her next available appointment was going to be 8 months away. We decided to go to the emergency room at Oklahoma University Children's Hospital to find answers. They conducted about 50 more tests on Riley including a spinal tap, MRI of brain and spine, and multiple levels of genetics. All these tests have resulted in showing that Riley is a healthy child, even though she still has worsening symptoms. The doctors so far have been unable to diagnose Riley's specific disease, and we are praying that it will be something other than leukodystrophy.

OU Children's Hospital has referred us to the Children's Hospital in Philadelphia which is one of the leading leukodystrophy clinics in the U.S. and can hopefully provide us answers as to what is afflicting our daughter. We have been accepted there and will be taking her there as soon as she can get in.

Unfortunately, insurance does not cover all tests available to Riley as we will be getting into more specialized clinics and leading edge care. They also will not cover all the additional costs for Shanda and myself to both travel with Riley to Philadelphia. If you would like to donate to help us cover these costs it would be greatly appreciated.

The last time we heard Riley say "Mom!" or "Dad!" was in April, the last time she could run was in May, and she currently has difficulty walking and eating. We pray daily to have God bring her back to us, to hear her voice again and to see her play like she once did. She is our world.

Please keep Riley, and our family in your prayers as we navigate this process. Thank You.