Ace

I very clearly remember the day I was sitting in the doctor’s office. On my lap, sat a very bright and vocal fourteen month old little girl who was already starting to sing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” And then came the shocking blow. Spinal Muscular Atrophy. I heard the doctor say five to seven years as she handed me and my husband some papers she printed out from the internet. I read about SMA when it was discussed as a possible diagnosis and I didn’t like what I read: No cure, no treatment. Children with SMA cannot walk, crawl, or stand and may not be able to sit without assistance. Muscle degeneration. Respiratory complications leading to death.

I cried and went numb. I was thinking I was going to lose my child – my entire world. I was angry that this was happening to my beautiful Zoe. I cried harder than I ever have in my life that night. And when I woke up, Zoe was still the same little girl she was before we got the diagnosis. Only we were on our way to pick up her first wheelchair and go to physical therapy.

Today we know better than to listen to statistics. Zoe is not a statistic – she is an amazing little person. She does have challenges. She can’t do the simple things we take for granted – brushing her own hair, getting dressed in the morning, pouring her own cup of juice. After wearing a back brace for two years, the only option to correct her scoliosis became growth rods. As a result, Zoe has spinal surgery every six months. With surgery comes a lot of risks. Zoe’s respiratory system is weak and her right lung collapsed after the first surgery. As a result, it is now weak and tends to go down when she gets sick. Being sick for Zoe is not a sitting around watching cartoons and eating ice cream event. Sick equals being hooked up to a pulse-ox to monitor her pulse and oxygen levels, neubulizer treatments, the dreaded cough assist machine, deep nasal suctioning, and wearing a bi-pap to breathe. Every year I dread cold and flu season because it threatens Zoe’s life.

The Idol obsession is my fault. I love the show. I look forward to it because it gets me through the weeks when Mark and I can’t be together because of our Army life. Looking forward to Idol gives me something to fill the weeknights. So of course, Zoe is obsessed too. And out came Ace Young last season. Zoe was amazed right away. He was her favorite from the start and he drew comments from her about his singing and his eyes. She would say Simon didn’t know anything if he critiqued Ace. When she was sick, I bribed her through treatments by saying she could stay up to watch Ace. Or if she hurried up and let me suction her, she wouldn’t miss Ace’s performance. When he got voted off, she declared that she would NEVER watch Idol again!

Ace Young is an amazing young man. When I found out he was taking the time to meet her, I expected a quick fifteen minute photo-op. Not the case. Ace came in and without a single hesitation, hugged Zoe and then got right down on the floor to talk to her face to face. His attention fixed on Zoe, I felt as if I was intruding by watching them and listening to their private conversation. I sat back and watched my child’s face all lit up and her eyes big and bright. The smile he gave her is priceless. And he has her heart now – which I think is worth more than all the fame, money, and awards he is going to come by over the next few years. All that morning, Zoe was a star because of him. And it continued on the next day when we met up with Ace and the other Idols. I couldn’t even watch his performance in Denver because I was so busy watching Zoe’s eyes which were brighter than those stage lights. And backstage, Ace still made her feel like she was the most important person in the room that was filled with a hundred people. She has an incredible role model in Ace Young and we’re proud to call him a friend.

Watching Zoe grow into the young lady she is becoming is an absolute joy. Through all her obstacles, Zoe smiles and never complains. She wakes up after surgery saying please and thank you. She wins over every person she ever meets. You can’t help but to love Zoe and those bright blue eyes. On my darkest day when I’m missing her dad as he’s in Iraq, Zoe is the one who pulls me through. She is wise beyond her years and is honestly my best friend.

The fact of the matter is The Children’s Hospital, Denver is one of the biggest reason’s Zoe is as healthy as she is today. That’s where the experts are. That’s where she needs to go because kids need a kids’ hospital. She cannot get the same care anywhere else. The doctors, nurses, and staff at Children’s are my personal heroes. They have gotten Zoe where she is today and they will help her beat the statistics. Please open your hearts and your wallets to this wonderful cause. Children need their families to help them recover and as a parent there is nothing more stressful than seeing your child in the hospital. The Family Amenities Area is going to help us all heal faster. Thank you for being involved with this wonderful cause.