I need your help...

..the 5 month old baby boy across the street from me has just been diagnosed with an occipital plate deformity.  The back of his head is flat, and the bone plates are fused together (which usually doesn't happen until much later).  This will eventually create pressure on his brain matter, and will cause his features to become more and more deformed as he grows older, because the bones at the front of his head will still be growing normally whilst the occipital bones won't. He's having a CT scan next month to determine if he needs this surgically repaired (which is a pretty scary procedure) or if the best bet is to have him equipped with a 'halo' type device that screws into his head.  He'd have to go to the hospital every other week to get this 'halo' adjusted and thereby encourage the bones in his noggin to re-shape.

His parents, Tom and Nova Smith, are some of the best people I've ever come across, and Jordan is an absolute little angel.  Tom was supposed to be separating from the military in February next year - but that's all up in the air now because of Jordan's condition.  Tricare military medical insurance also may not cover the entire cost of the 'halo', leaving Tom and Nova with thousands of dollars of medical bills.  They have family that are more than willing to help them out, so the money part really isn't the biggest issue...the trauma and stress and pain that they'll all have to endure is.

So, good people of Joe U, I'm asking you to pray to your gods (and goddesses) and ask for healing and love to be sent Tom, Nova and Jordan's way.  If you're like me, and you don't pray to any deity, then please try and stir up some good vibes and karma and send them instead.  They need all the spiritual help they can get.

If you'd like to verify that this is an actual family, then plese email me and I'll be more than happy to provide you with verifiable information.  Whilst I'm sure they'll appreciate my posting this request, I'm not so sure they want their address and phone number posted on the internet.  (It makes me very sad that we're all having to add disclaimers to these requests)

Thanks in advance for all your help...and if you'd like to leave a message here for them, please do.  I'll be sure to pass it on to them.