Baby James Lazeski's fight for a beating heart
**James will soon start the process of getting on the heart transplant list at Edmonton Stollery Children's Hospital. With the Lazeski's being a little over 7 months into their journey (and having a minimum of 3 more months to go, potentially up to 12 more months), we have increased the fundraising goal to $40,000 to reflect the extended timeline. Heather and Steven are so appreciative of all the support they've received thus far. Detailed updates on James' condition are available in the 'updates' section.**
On January 22, 2021 Steven and Heather Lazeski welcomed a beautiful boy, James Michael into the world. He was born at Kelowna General Hospital and everyone returned home healthy to Peachland, BC, the following day, to share in their joy with big sister Jade (two years old).
A short week into James’ life, on January 31, his health took a shocking turn… James was crying out in pain and suddenly felt cold to the touch, his colour turned grey and marbled. After an ambulance ride to Kelowna General he was confirmed hypothermic, with heart failure and was in cardiogenic shock. Doctors intubated and stabilized James the best they could before transferring Heather and newborn James by air ambulance to B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. Steven joined them shortly after by car.
In Vancouver, James was admitted to the cardiac Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, where he has remained in a critical condition since. It was determined that his heart is barely functioning. 
James has 24-hour nurse support and the presence of at least one of his parents around-the-clock, not to mention the attention of other nurses who claim “he is the handsomest the ward has ever seen!” His diagnosis still goes unknown, the only issue identified so far is that his heart muscle at the bottom of the left ventricle appears abnormal. They continue to await the results of multiple other diagnostic tests, but are hopeful, as each day James makes tiny victories and small improvements. His heart continues to be supported by a strong combination of cardiac drugs and interventions, but since being admitted, he has ditched his oxygen line and feeding tube, was extubated, has shown tiny improvements in his heart function, moved from a cardiac IV to oral medication and is having other normal baby functions (all the diaper filling!).
The Lazeski’s may not know exactly what lies ahead, but they do know that James is very sick and in critical condition without his cardiac medication, and that there is an anticipated long road of diagnosis and recovery ahead. Their lives, for the foreseeable future, will be focused on supporting James’ recovery.
Heather and Steven are currently staying at Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver. Steven normally travels bi-weekly from Peachland to Northern Alberta where he works as a heavy duty mechanic and had planned to return to work on February 8, following James’ birth.
Steven and Heather will continue trading “shifts” between supporting James at the hospital and being with their toddler Jade at Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver. Given the current global pandemic, Jade is not able to be in the ward, so handoffs happen everyday at the hospital entrance.
This campaign has been set up (by James’ Auntie) to support the family’s ability to both be on a leave from work (Heather on a planned maternity leave and Steven on an unplanned and undetermined length of absence from work), for as long as James requires out-of-home medical support, and eventually to navigate his medical support at home. The family would like it to be known that should their situation change unexpectedly that any remaining donations, which will be held in a separate account, will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House and B.C. Children’s Hospital.
#MakinGainsforJames
#HelpStartJamesHeart
