Luella Ann Marie Hamm
Alex and Jenny Hamm from Butte, Montana, and their son Gavin, were thrilled with the arrival of Luella Ann Marie (Lulu) back in May 2010, but only moments after her birth it became apparent that Lulu's young, fragile life was in danger.
Lulu had a heart murmur, she failed to “pink up” and her respiratory rate was rapid, all due to a condition called Truncus Arteriosis Type II. With the outlook grim, preparations began immediately and she was airlifted to Seattle Children’s Hospital for advanced care. She underwent open heart surgery at 13 days of age with the hope that the procedure would buy her time enough to grow a little and get stronger so she could endure a full heart repair. Lulu was then allowed to go home, however, by the end of July she was fighting for her life against a virulent infection, and subsequently underwent another open heart procedure at 13 weeks of age.
The next two months were fraught with infections, crises, brushes with death and increasingly bad news. On October 21, Lulu was placed on a waiting list for a heart transplant, her best chance at life, but yet again she was rushed into surgery for another heart repair on November 5th. Time was running out.
Jenny relates, “The only way to handle this experience is one day at a time. Lulu’s surgeon, Dr. Gordon Cohen, was amazing. He never gave up on Lulu even though the odds were against her from the beginning.”
While there were many positives along the way, the bills were astronomical and the Hamms exhausted their financial reserves and were out of options. Alex, Jenny and Gavin stayed together at the Ronald McDonald House. Their social worker, Tricia Lampe, told them about Erika Kate Foundation and said it “wouldn’t hurt to apply.” Although they were embarrassed to have to ask for help, they did so, and were stunned by the quick response from EKF. “We decided it was more important to be able to feed our family than to ask for help with bills. The EKF sent us gift cards for food and gas which relieved an immense amount of stress,” says Jenny. “Because of EKF, Alex was able to stay with our family in Seattle.”
On November 7th, 2010, a heart became available for Lulu. “It was a happy day for me,” says Jenny, “but somewhere, some family was having the worst day of their life, and in the midst of their pain and sorrow they decided to give the gift of life to my baby girl. I love them whoever they are, I just love them.”
Lulu came through the transplant well, and Jenny even asked the nurses if they had switched babies on her because she had never seen Lulu so pink and so warm. In early February 2011, the Hamm family was able to go back home to Montana, together. They celebrate each day as it comes, and with perspective borne from adversity, Jenny says she no longer sweats the small stuff, considers herself blessed and has renewed faith.
And she expressed her gratitude to EKF, “Let me say this – they have even contacted me months later to see how we are doing. What a big-hearted group of individuals who have suffered a great loss of their own and turned it into something positive!”