JOEY'S STORY!!

90% of all situations like Joey are detected while the baby is in utero. But, this was not the case. Joey was born with an apgar score of 9. He nursed without trouble and seemed to be absolutely healthy. Mom and Dad were exhausted and needed to get some sleep so the nurses took Joey to the nursery. At 2am Mom and Dad were woke up by the pediatrician. He told them that Joey was having some problems but not to worry they were going to do some tests. Next they heard that their baby boy was having heart problems and would be taken to UCSF immediately.

Joey was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. He was born with half of a heart. With this condition Joey was going to have to undergo 3 stages of open-heart surgery. Stage 1 Norwood, Stage 2 Glenn, and Stage 3 Fontan.



At 3 days old Joey endured the Norwood. The goals of the first stage Norwood palliation are to provide adequate blood flow to the lungs and allow the single ventricle to pump mixed blood to the whole body. 3 months later he conquered the Glenn. The Glenn Shunt is the first stage in separating the circulations. The superior vena cava is anastomosed to the right pulmonary artery. In the spring Joey will be undergoing the Fontan. The goal of the Fontan is to complete systemic and pulmonary venous blood separation, and divert more systemic venous blood flow directly into the pulmonary circulation. A homograft conduit will join the inferior vena cava to the pulmonary artery. The goal of the Fontan is to reduce the workload of the right ventricle.



Joey has not undergone surgery of this caliber sense he was 3 months old and he is now 7. We all know Joey is a champ and is going to do phenomenal. He is an athletic, loving, compassionate, HERO.



Now that the information is out there, lets talk Joey, Joe Joe, Joseph, Josepi or Joe. Everyone has his or her own personal name for this amazing child. Joey may only have half of a heart but this 7 year old loves with every ounce of his body. He has a huge smile that lights up the room. He not only looks up to but he keeps up with the older kids in his life. If he has the opportunity to care for little ones he does an amazing job. From teaching and encouraging a younger boy to be brave and use the big boy bathroom to worrying about the younger kids in the hot tub. A hug from Joey is like no other hug a child gives. He wraps his arms and legs around you and for those few seconds he puts 100% of his attention and love into his hugs. Joey is loved and adorable by all people in his life.



The people who have been there from day one and have made this child into who he is are his Mom and Dad, Steve and Vicki. Along with Steve and Vicki, Hailey and David are Joey's older sister and brother. There are no words to describe what an amazing family this is. Unconditional love, giving, caring, compassionate, and phenomenal are words that scratch the surface of who this family is. Hailey is 12. She dances at a dance studio almost daily is an overachieving student. David is 11. He plays basketball and baseball. He is a very gifted athlete that not only played all stars but also was picked to play on a travel team called the Rebels. He too is an overachieving student. I cannot think of a more perfect family to be blessed with a child like Joey who have encouraged him and supported him into being exactly like all the other kids despite his condition. I also cannot think of a more deserving family to have caring and giving people help them during Joey's next surgery.



We have come together as a community to be there for this family. We all know that they would be the ringleaders of helping any other family in there life. We will be putting together fundraisers that will be fun and exemplify what this family is about. Please help us raise funds because this family is going to be spending a lot of time away from work and living away from home while their son needs them by his side.