Preface

Jessica has a long-term love and compassion for children.  In particular, those she is able to help and make happy.  Couple this with her wonderful personality and “can-do” attitude and you find Jessica has touched many children and adults in many cities and states at home as well as many cities and countries abroad.
Despite suffering agonizing hardships over her short life of only 21 years, I find it comforting when Jessica always seems to return to her long-term attributes sooner than later.  And so, one cannot avoid feeling happy as her pleasant smile and petite laughter pours out like a consoling embrace.

Jessica’s story is difficult, if not impossible, to tell in just a few short paragraphs.  I will, however, aspire to condensing her story below into a short story for those readers who do not have the time to read the full story.  Watch for a “full story” & “short story” button on her heartforjessica.org webpage menu in the future.

I would like to thank my family members for the review and editing of this story and their confirmation that I am getting the facts right.  I would like to thank them as well for the love and relentless hours they are contributing to the “Heart and Hugs for Jessica” campaign.  We hope and pray that Jessica will be provided a new heart soon so the heart pump, keeping her alive today, can be removed.  Finally, thanks to the many people who have or will provide a helping hand through their prayers, donations, or other support; especially during these hectic and uncertain times.

Chapter 1 – Jessica the Child and Young Lady

Jessica Tracy Kath was born and raised in Mesquite, Texas.  She received her education in Mesquite schools from the elementary level through high school.  She graduated from DR. Ralph Poteet High School in 2006.   Jessica experienced a few more hardships than most children.  At birth, she had a rare blood disorder called Diamond Blackfan Anemia or DBA.  She has battled DBA during her twenty years of life and continues to take treatment medication today.  Jessica was also an only child and grew up with a single Mom.  My wife Darlene and I had the pleasure of helping her mom Kristi, raise Jessica as a child while mom prepared herself for the workforce to take on head of household responsibilities.  Her mom finished nursing school, a profession Jessica would eventually pursue. 

Despite her hardships, Jessica applies her wonderful personality with a “can-do” attitude, towards challenges whether it is music, sports, or other social activities.  She played soccer, softball, basketball, and violin during her elementary school years.  She played oboe, and percussion instruments during middle and high school.  She was also involved with school plays and of course many events in the marching band where they were undefeated in every competition during 2006.  Jessica was one of the lovely girls of the Mesquite Symphony Guild Debutantes during 2005.  She thanks her other grandmother, Sarah for this wonderful opportunity and experience of debutante.

To single out one challenge or contest she perhaps, enjoyed most, I would have to say it was when her band at Poteet High won the Texas 4A State marching band championship twice, back-to-back.  Her family enjoyed watching Jessica at all these competitions throughout the years.  It was especially inspiring to see this “little girl” carry a bass drum playing and marching briskly to all types of patterns and formations.  You see, a side affect of Jessica’s DBA, reduced her growth.  So, she always seemed to be the shortest person in a group.  At times you could only see the base drum; just joshing.  Her petite size and shortness in height, however, will turn into a blessing later in life. 

Chapter 2 – Jessica The Young Adult

Jessica finished high school with all the fervor of young adults, most grandparents witness during the senior year as well as at graduation; the tassels turned and the hats thrown high for this achievement.  Jessica left her high school world and went on to pursue a nursing career with education from Stephen F. Austin (SFA) in Nacogdoches.  It was here where she learned of a work program that SFA supported.  The program included work and on-line courses while at Disney World in Orlando.  Since “Disney” had been a life long dream, ever since becoming a Make-A-Wish Foundation child at age 6, Jessica was anxious to enroll and work as a Disney entertainer.  She would work two or three years and then return to college.  Or at least that was the plan.  And finally, her 4’ 9 3/4” was worth something.  She made many new friends there including Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Dopey, Stitch, and others.  She was living her dream to the fullest.

Chapter 3 – Jessica’s Tragedy

Jessica’s dream was cut short, however, when she collapsed during a show in March of this year and was sent to the hospital.  She was treated in Orlando and then returned to Dallas to have her old doctors assess the level of damage.  She was hospitalized a second time in April when her blood chemistry went amiss.  Her blood work revealed that her electrolytes, including chloride, potassium, magnesium and others, were seriously out of balance and fluids were collecting around the heart.  Her treatment took about two weeks this time, but finally the electrolytes were balanced and fluid build ups were removed.  She was released from the hospital only to return in mid-May following breathing pain symptoms, dehydration, trouble keeping food down and irregular heartbeats.  This time the diagnosis pointed to a blood clot in the left side of her heart.  This was devastating to say the least.

Jessica spent weeks on the 6th floor in the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CDICU) at UT Southwestern Medical Center, St. Paul hospital.  Her treatment included being placed on an ECHMO machine for blood cleaning, oxygenation and circulation. This provided her weak heart some rest.  In particular the left ventricle which was not functioning at all.  We would soon learn it was too weak to do the job and a heart pump would be needed.  Jessica’s condition seem to go from bad to worse as her organs, including the liver and kidney, would shut down and gradually work their way back.  During all of this, she was running out of time as well.  It became a “beat the clock” situation because the ECHMO machine would create blood clots in a matter of days.  The risk of damaging the brain was escalating rapidly. 

During this period Jessica’s life could be compared to a hazy day or envisioning a mirage.  She would drift in and out of consciousness, due to her high level of sedation, remembering entering one treatment or operation room but waking up in yet another.  This was very frightening for her but she is a fighter and survived these episodes.  The scary memories, however, fade away very slow if at all.

Chapter 4 – AT UT Southwestern Medical Center, St. Paul Hospital

Jessica’s case physicians, surgeons, nurse practitioner, and others taking care of her, deserve many kudos since I believe their “can do” attitude is as great as Jessica’s.  But for certain, their medical skills, dedication, and compassion are outstanding. Their Christian demeanor is also more than I am use to.  They treated our Jessica as queen, as shown by the Progress Pictures button on the previous webpage. Their planning and administrative skills are not shabby either.  For example, when it was evident that a heart pump would be needed, she was processed for a left ventricular assist device or LVAD and was approved rapidly.  I am unable to assess the magnitude of their anticipation, conviction, presentation, expediting and closure skills but the medical technical staff, administrative staff, the Thoratec LVAD manufacturer, and others all worked together.  Their team-work reflected the same mission; Save Jessica.  And they did.  Jessica received the first Heartmate II model LVAD in north Texas.  I believe Houston may have done one or more implants ahead of Jessica.  But don’t quote me on this.

Chapter 5 – The LVAD Miracle

I titled this chapter of Jessica’s story, the LVAD miracle because I strongly believe that is exactly what occurred.  It was provided and orchestrated by our Heavenly Father through prayer, faith, and the tools and skills he gave the medical staff.  On the day and evening prior to her LVAD implantation alone, eighty six (86) people visited the ICU waiting room; our HQ so to speak, where family members were stationed taking turns.  Visitors included family, friends, St. Paul medical staff, medical folks that had treated her over the years, and more.  Some of these folks we had not seen since Jessica was a child.  The immediate family count was a small percentage of the 86 i.e. there are not many Kaths in the Dallas phone book. 

I must say a few words about four friends that contributed significantly to Jessica’s miracle.  They are her co-workers at Disney World, Mitch, Heather, Jessica, and Jason, who flew in from Orlando to support Jessica.  As I sat in the ICU waiting room and listened, I realized they were building a prayer list that would soon become amazing.  I heard about cell phone texting and emails going out and in from Florida, Texas, Iowa, Wisconsin, and other states; from church groups, parochial schools, and many-many individuals.  They arranged for her status and moment for prayer before each parade at Magic Kingdom, during the most critical days.  Soon it spread to Epcot Center and Hollywood Studios.  And it didn’t stop there.  I heard Belgium, Africa, Singapore, and even China mentioned as locations responding with prayer.  Thank God for today’s wonderful technology.  I don’t know how many people Jessica touched at home and abroad, but it had to be in the thousands.  Mitch would also return once Jessica left the hospital with her new heart pump, to accompany her on one of her first outings, the Ringling Bros, and Barnum & Bailey circus visiting Dallas.

Certainly the many prayers contributed to the miracle.  And the nurses in particular would speak about the power of prayer.  But the meat of the miracle for me was our Lord’s response to these prayers and the faith behind those prayers.  His response included things some would call weird or whatever.  For example, two days before the LVAD implant, a computer monitor that displayed her Skype chat box when it should have been hibernating from the energy saving shutdown and the fact nobody loaded the application or selected the menu buttons; Jessica’s cell phone that was off but played “My God is an Awesome God” in the ICU waiting room as we were chatting.  And at completion of the operation, Jessica’s sleeping heart starting on its own; no stimuli of any kind.  Her surgeon told the family after surgery about this strange happening and confessed, he too felt Jessica was a miracle.  There is no room for doubt. 

Chapter 6 – Home Again

Jessica left the hospital ahead of schedule.  As I said, she is a fighter.  Her recovery amazed doctors and nurses alike considering the puny probability percentage of survival she was given going into the LVAD operation.  She walked shortly after being sat up in her ICU chair.  A few feet to the nurse’s station a time or two and then around the entire station approximately 200 feet.  When Jessica left the ICU moving to a regular room, she was cheered by both medical staff and patients.  They were proud and so were we.  Our feelings were uplifted as we heard in a soft tone, “no Jessica, not the wheelchair.  You can walk out of here.  Not many patients do”.  Jessica walked out.  She walked slowly to her new room because it was frightening to leave the security blanket provided by the ICU environment of caring staff, monitoring machines, and emergency equipment nearby.  Jessica would have a completely new environment waiting for her at home.    Her uncertainties would increase dramatically when it was finally “time to go home”.

Chapter 7 – A Frustrating Quality of Life

Jessica went home and experienced a much lesser quality of life then she was used to prior to the heart failure.  She had very little privacy, restricted activity, hospital and doctor visits three and more times a week, lose of appetite and difficulty sleeping due to the hum of the LVAD which runs at 9800rpm.  She says it is a “D” natural on the piano.  The LVAD components are heavy and must be powered at all times.  She is plugged into batteries or an electrical wall socket 24/7.  At least one of her trained family caregivers must be within hearing distance of her at all times.  Eight family member caregivers were trained.  They are her lifeline and must take action with the LVAD components and/or a phone call to 911, should the alarms on her system controller sound-off indicating a critical condition.

Jessica had little to look forward to each waking morning, starting the day off with a handful of her seventeen medications.  Certain medications have to be taken at different times of day since they would have a negative reaction if taken together.  Food intake had to be scheduled as well to allow time for the medications to begin the digestive process.  A work around for simple things such as a shower had to be put in place to avoid getting equipment wet and to allow healing around the exit site of the perk line from the abdomen to the system controller.  Jessica gets tired of the many impacts but continues to move forward.  Many prayers are required.