Cody and Kayla's Fight for Zachary's Heart

Hello Everyone, I am starting this fundraiser for my Brother Cody, and Sister-in-law Kayla. They are going through a very stressful and difficult time right now. Their 13-year-old son Zachary (my nephew) was born with Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS). Having this diagnosis has been a very long and stressful journey for them. We will start from the beginning with Zachary's story. When Kayla was 20 weeks pregnant at her sonogram, they diagnosed Zachary with HRHS. He was born 5 weeks early and started off a fighter, being whisked off to the NICU right after birth. 8 days after he was born and still in the NICU, Zachary caught rotavirus and was placed in isolation. At 6 weeks, during labs and medical tests, they accidentally found a perforation and he was taken for emergency surgery. 3 weeks after the emergency surgery, Zachary was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and put on the medication Milrinone.

They decided at that time to do the Glenn procedure. The Glenn procedure sends blood from the upper body directly to the lungs, so the single ventricle only has to pump blood to the body, helping it not to work so hard. Zachary was 5 months old and finally able to come home. Zachary got pneumonia when he was around 8 months and was placed back in the hospital. It was then they decided he needed another procedure; he had to have the VSD between the lower 2 ventricles patched. He had that procedure twice as the first one failed.

Zachary has been doing really well. He has been a very active, fun-loving child. He loves football and running around and playing with his cousins and friends. If you knew Zachary, you know he tries to let nothing hold him back. Zachary knows he has to take things a little slower, but he definitely tries to excel in all that he does. Zachary does great in school and has earned many achievements to show how hard he works for everything.

At the start of 2024, things started to go downhill for Zachary. He knew something just wasn't right. He felt exhausted most of the time and would get winded just sitting and watching TV. The cardiologist decided to start seeing Zachary more often and doing additional testing. It was determined in November of 2024 that Zachary once again was in heart failure.

They provided different medications to help with the symptoms Zachary was experiencing, but they were not working as they would have hoped. His heart failure has progressed and he had to be put back on Milrinone.

They have started the heart transplant evaluation with Primary Children's Hospital. They decided to start the process for the transplant when Zachary was admitted to the Cardiac ICU 2 weeks ago. He is in the cardiac care unit at Primary Children's. He has been more tired and starting to retain fluid, so he was put on fluid restrictions. Zachary is scared and tired. His parents have been pulled in so many directions between the hospital and their other kids at home. I have seen the struggle and wish I could do more. I am hoping that we can get donations to help Cody and Kayla alleviate the additional worry and stress.

Your generous support will help Cody and Kayla travel back and forth from the hospital with Zachary to home with their other children. It will assist them with some of the after-treatment costs, living expenses, and lost wages.

I truly appreciate any and all help, and they will as well. Any stress and worry we can help them with at this difficult, unknown time they are in will be a blessing.