Ava Christine Zimmerman: March 2008

Monday, March 31, 2008

Walk For Kids

Thank you to everyone that sponsored us in the Walk For Kids fundraiser in Ann Arbor. We raised $2,300! WOW! When I checked the website it looks like there were only about six teams that raised more than we did. The whole event raised $80,000 that will be shared by U of M Cardiac Surgery Unit, U of M Cancer Center, Ronald McDonald House of Ann Arbor and Make A Wish Foundation of MI. Think of the number of children and families that will be positively effected!

The day was of course bitter-sweet. It felt great to be a part of the event and to know that we were helping other children and families. However, Ava would have been 6 months old if she were still here with us. Walking past the hospital where Ava spent her life and Ronald McDonald House where we lived for over three months was also very emotional. Now when Brayden talks about U of M he says "You know, Michigan, where Ava lived..." It breaks my heart.

In September we will be involved in another walk to raise money for the hospital's cardiac unit. We are hoping to get a group of people together to walk with us. We will have T-shirts made for everyone too. Maybe we can even have a picnic lunch afterwards. The date is close to what would have been Ava's one year old birthday. Please let Jamie or I know if you are interested in joining us for the event.

I am going back to school on Monday, April 7th. Just praying I have the energy and enthusiasm to face those second graders. I keep telling myself that it's only for eight weeks and then I'll be off for the summer.

Please continue to keep our family in your prayers. We are taking one day at a time and praying that eventually life will seem more hopeful.

Hugs and kisses to my sweet baby Ava in heaven.
"With love we remember you
With hope we face each day
With faith we will be reunited for eternity!"

Monday, March 17, 2008

Hello Again

Are any of Ava's followers still out there? We just received a bound copy of all of the blog entries and every one's comments to us over the past 5 1/2 months. We continue to be amazed at the support we have received since Ava's birth. Thank you all so much for everything you've done to help us through the lowest point in our lives. Things are still very difficult and most days the goal is just to make it through the day. We have a long way to go in healing our broken hearts.

Jamie and I have decided that we will do at least one thing each month in honor and memory of our sweet baby girl, Ava. Last month I donated a huge amount of breastmilk to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo. It will help premature and ill babies that can only have breastmilk. We also donated over $600 of Ava's memorial money to The Hearts of Hope Foundation.

This month Jamie, Brayden and I are doing a Walk 4 Kids fundraiser in Ann Arbor. Here is the information I took from the website:
Date: March 29Time: 9:15am registration begins/walk begins at 10a.m. Location: Downtown Ann Arbor - DTE Parking lot. We invite you to join in a magical day of fitness and fun at the Ann Arbor Walk 4 Kids on March 29, 2008. It was a natural fit for four special children’s agencies in Ann Arbor to come together to Walk 4 Kids! The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Michigan, UM Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ronald McDonald House of Ann Arbor, UM C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital collectively make a difference. Together we can help special children in our community. There is strength in numbers and we are joining forces to make a difference for our kids.

Many of you have asked us since Ava's death if there is anything you can do. Please consider sponsoring us for this walk as two of these foundations made such a difference in our lives. Even a small amount makes a difference. (By the way, I promise not to ask for handouts all the time!) You can send the money to us at 16030 Rivershore Ln in Buchanan or get it to Michelle Asmus by Friday, March 28th. If you would like to write a check you can make it out to The Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Thank you so much for your continued thoughts and prayers. Please continue to remember our precious Ava, as well. We take pride in knowing that she touched so many lives in the short time she was alive. We don't ever want her to be forgotten!

Sincerely,

Jamie Zimmerman

It's A Girl!

Hello everyone and welcome to Ava Christine's Blog.
First a little info about the new edition to our family.
This beautiful little girl comes to our family after many years of trying on her parents part as well as her being the first girl in 19 years. Yes 19 years! So to say that she is going to be a little spoiled is putting it very lightly.
Ava Christine was welcomed into this world on September 29 2007 by her mommy Jamie, Daddy Jamie, big brother Brayden, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and numerous friends. Shortly after Ava's arrival the wonderful medical staff at Memorial hospital of South Bend found what they called a murmur in Ava's heart. After some testing little Ava was transported to Motts' Children Hospital at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Jamie and Jamie were informed that little Ava has a heart defect that could be life threatening and that she needed to undergo open heart surgery to fix the defects. So, on Tuesday October 2 2007 Ava was operated on by the wonderful medical staff at the U of M. What this team of doctors did to Ava is incredible. First of all Jamie explained to me over the phone today just what problems Ava's heart has endured. Ava's heart has a couple of different problems. The first is known as Interrupted Aortic Arch. The following info about interrupted aortic arch is best explained by the U of M Cardiac website, "Interrupted aortic arch is a very rare heart defect that occurs when the aorta does not develop normally while the baby is in the mother’s womb. It comprises about 1% of all congenital heart defects. It usually occurs along with other heart problems such as truncus arteriosus, ventricular septal defect, transposition of the great arteries, and aortic stenosis.The aorta is the large blood vessel that arises from the left side of the normal heart and takes red blood out to the body. The first part of the aorta, called the ascending aorta (1) arises upwards. It then curves leftward forming the aortic arch (2). The aorta then curves downward towards the lower body, and this part is called the descending aorta (3). Three blood vessels exit from the aortic arch and supply the head and arms with red blood. These vessels are called the innominate artery (4), the left carotid artery (5), and the left subclavian artery (6).In babies with interrupted aortic arch, there is a complete blockage between the ascending and the descending aorta (1). This means that there is no direct way for red blood leaving the heart to reach the body parts that are "downstream" from the blockage. The site of the defect varies (2) and may or may not involve the take-off of the head and neck vessels. In most babies with interrupted aortic arch (70-90%) there is also a large ventricular septal defect (3).In newborns with interrupted aortic arch, the only way for blood to bypass the blockage is via the patent ductus arteriosus (4). Prior to birth, this small blood vessel permits blood to by-pass the baby’s fluid-filled lungs. One or two days after birth, this vessel usually closes on its own. In a baby with interrupted aortic arch, if the duct closes, blood can no longer reach the lower body. This can cause the baby to suddenly become very ill. Therefore, after the diagnosis is made, a medicine called prostaglandin is used to keep the ductus arteriosus open until surgery". (http://www.med.umich.edu/cvc/mchc/parint.htm)
So how did the doctors fix this? "Interrupted aortic arch is a serious heart defect that requires surgery soon after birth. The goal of surgery is to create remove the blockage. This used to be done in a two-stage operation but is now done most of the time in one stage. The two ends of the aorta are sewn together (1) and the patent ductus arterious (2) is tied off. Sometimes a patch is needed to reinforce the repair. If present, a patch is sewn over the VSD (3)". (http://www.med.umich.edu/cvc/mchc/parint.htm)
In #1 of the picture below is the part of Ava' heart that was repaired.