So far, this year has been better, the cold season usually brings more flues and illnesses but so far so good. He started a hip hop class at the beginning of this school year and he loved it.  We were excited because it would really help with his coordination but his stamina is not up to it yet, so we will try again next year.

He still loves to dress up like a super hero as a matter of fact he had a Superhero themed birthday party with a special guest his idol, The Red Ranger made a special appearance. He really enjoyed his first real birthday party.  He was also awarded a plaque from the mayor of Brentwood declaring him a “special guy” on the day of his birthday.

He still is on numerous medications but he does very well with them. He understands a bit more about what happened and he asks many questions.  I’m so grateful to his donor and their family.  On many days I am awestruck of the gift that was given to Aaron and us.  It’s a gift to see or son do these things, it’s the most precious and amazing feeling.

We are trying to play catch up with everything.  We are still struggling to pay for his medincations and I juggle the cost around as much as I can.  So many are struggling financially, so we understand how the help dropped off. I am collecting toys and gifts to take to the hospital.

As many of you know Aaron has spent a great deal of time at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.  I would like to start a new tradition, helping out the families and children there that are spending the holidays away from home worried about there loved ones and their future.

There are many critically ill children at UCSF.  There is an entire pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit along with the regular Intensive Care Unit and a Pediatric Oncology floor where these children spend months at a time there, not only the child but typically with a parent.

We are collecting gifts to take to the hospital. These are families that are in need, they spend numerous hours in the hospital and back and fourth from the hospital most travel from great distances.  The holidays are extremely difficult on the families and their siblings, any unwrapped children’s gifts would be greatly appreciated.  Also, any gift cards I can used to purchase gifts or iTunes cards.  Message me if you would like to donate.

Thank you in advance, I know the families with great appreciate any you are able to do.  I have been so blessed by all that God has bestowed in our life and am thankful for each day.

I hope this beautiful weather finds you well and that you are beginning to see the signs of a beautiful spring. 

Aaron is doing well. We had a scare on his biopsy in February. It showed a slight rejection. Can you imagine? What would you have done?

My mind raced back to the months we spent in The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in the ICU and all the sleepless days and nights in the hospital here and in Los Angeles. All those hours he spent hooked up to the dialyses machine — that noise is still so clear in my head. I remember Aaron getting on the transplant list and waiting and waiting for our phone to ring.

In April, in the same sentence the Dr. saw some rejection he also said, “Well, if his kidneys reject we just will get him re-listed we don’t want to loose his heart, but his kidneys will definitely go first.”

HUH? I almost fell out of my chair — I couldn’t even respond to him. We spent a month of hell praying that the results would be clear. None of the other families that we had met like Aaron, had gone through this, but none of them were two major organ transplants either.

His cardiologist decided to wait just one-month before repeating the biopsy. The doctor repeated the biopsy in April; it came back with a perfect result.

The doctors seem to think it was a result of some changes they had made in his anti-rejection medication, at the time they had drastically reduced the amount of several, in order to save his kidneys any damage.  So, he is on a very altered treatment path than most other transplant patients. That being said, he is monitored more closely than most other transplant children are.

He will continue his monthly IVIG treatments, along with weekly clinic appointments.

He celebrated his 6th birthday on April 9^th, with very few guests due to his immunosuppression. We thought he would be ready for school this spring but his doctors have said to have him wait until the beginning of next school year. He is disappointed. Aaron is really looking forward to going to school and doing normal activities that other children are able to do.

Our family has grown so much wiser our relationship together has grown and our relationship with God is so much stronger. When you experience pain like no other and grief beyond imagination, you see that the time you have to spend is precious — every minute should be enjoyed and savored — whether at work or with your family, make the most of your life now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy — be happy now.

Our webpage is still up and we would greatly appreciate any donations you could pass on to us, through either the website or the Aaron Tanner heart foundation. There are no fundraisers planned and we have no other donations coming in. Financially it has become very difficult, the money you donate will help Aaron to thrive with this gift of life he has been given.

Thank you for your prayer and best wishes for Aaron and his family!

SAN JOSE, CA – May 18, 2010 -The Women’s Networking Alliance, a Silicon Valley community of women business owners, announced they are hosting “Everyday Superheroes,” a fundraiser on June 6, 2010 at the Santa Clara Convention Center from 4:00 – 9:00 p.m. to help raise money for five-year-old Brentwood resident Aaron Tanner who is suffering from kidney and heart failure. 49ers safety Michael Lewis, who suffers from a heart ailment himself called atrial fibrillation, among others will attend the benefit to help raise awareness and funds for Aaron.

Aaron had his first of three open heart surgeries when he was just over a week old. At a time when most parents are celebrating the arrival of their new baby, Aaron’s parents were faced with the overwhelming tragedy of their older son, four-year-old, Ethan dying only a few weeks later from an undiagnosed heart condition, unrelated to Aaron’s. If that’s not enough of a challenge, The Tanner’s tapped medical insurance as hit the ceiling.

Local president of the Women’s Networking Alliance (WNA) and small business entrepreneur, Debbie Quintana, heard of Aaron’s story and decided to pull together the “Everyday Superheroes” event which will include an auction, dinner and dancing. WNA has set up a website (www.wnacommunity.com) for donations and sponsors to help support the cause in addition to attending the benefit.

Along with 49ers safety Michael Lewis, the event will feature local firefighters dressed in superhero costumes and the San Jose Police Department will attend. The 49ers are also donating a VIP Training Camp Experience for four in Santa Clara. Additional support has generously come in from the Oakland Raiders, San Jose Sharks, the Silvercreek Sportsplex, Best Buy and Comcast is their executive sponsor.  The Santa Clara Convention Center even donated their newly remodeled Mission City Ballroom.

The event will feature comedian, actor, keynote speaker and author, Mark Lundholm as well as a local 16 year girl comedian, Sarah Kay. Additional talent donations have come from local bands, Above the Law and The Magnolia Jazz Trio.

“Even people from out of state have shown their support including owner of Organized Management, Al Dias, actor and entrepreneur, most recently co-starring as Big Lou in “The Good Guys” on FOX. This is absolutely amazing and I’m confident we’ll sell out.” said Quintana. “We still need help so my ask is to spread the word.” When Quintana was asked about her reason for driving support for Aaron, her response was personal, “Like Michael Lewis, I suffer from atrial fibrillation and heart disease runs in my family. Aaron has a long life ahead of him and this is just simply the right thing to do.”

The generosity of the community has been overwhelming to Aaron’s mom Elizabeth, “What Debbie and her organization have done for us brings me to tears. She truly is a super woman. I hope that once Aaron is well that I can give back and raise awareness about donor ship.”

 
Contact: Debbie Quintana
(408) 307-3411

The Golden Gate Bridge Walk will be coordinating in conjunction with the California Transplant Donor Network. We look forward to attracting a big crowd to this 3.4 mile round trip (back and forth) walk across the bridge with spectacular views of this world renowned landmark.

Organ-ize the Planet – Golden Gate Bridge Walk
Saturday, August 28, 2010
11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

This years walk will be dedicated to 4-year-old Aaron Tanner who is waiting for a rare double heart-kidney transplant. Aaron and his family have been invited to participate in the walk. The family is excited and hope that Aaron will be in good enough shape to be able to participate.

Sign-up information will be available soon. Check back for details.

View a video of last years walk. We look forward to seeing you there.

As you know Aaron Tanner is fighting the battle of his life. We are asking for an increase in prayers so that Aaron can receive the miracle of a heart and kidney transplant. Below are two links. The first link is a link to our blog page. There you can find updated information about Aaron and our family.

The second link is a link to our prayer page on Facebook. If you have a Facebook account, we would to have you part of our prayer page!

As always, we are extemely grateful for your prayers, good wishes and generosity.

Please feel free to share this link will all of your friends and family to increase prayers for Aaron.

• Save a Broken Heart
• Facebook

We are gone three days a week for dialysis. I did not anticipate how much time it takes to get back and forth to the city. They have increased Aarons dialysis runs to 4 hours each treatment, and it takes about a half hour or so to set him up on machine. Therefore, we are in treatment and he is doing fantastic being home. I have not seen him happier.

Just a little background info for those who are just finding Aarons story….

We are still waiting for the phone call, he is still listed 1A. I can’t tell you how many people – even nurses will ask me if we have the organs or when the transplant will take place. I have answered that question so many times.

So no, we don’t know when it will be. It will be a 5-hour warning or so because he needs a heart. In order to receive a heart, it has to come from someone — a child close to Aaron’s size, with the same blood type and match that would be on life support. He also has to receive the kidney from same donor, so he does not reject it after the transplant.

We are just waiting and waiting. Because of his age, it could be a long wait or it could happen at any moment. We have waited 6-months so far. Children in his age group tend to wait the longest. That is why we are trying to raise donor awareness, children like Aaron die each day around the world waiting on a list.

He is on an IV medication that he has to have running continuously. The medication gives his heart a little extra squeeze because he has a very very faint light squeeze in his heart, while the rest of us have these vigorous hardworking pumping hearts beating in our chests that is what has happened that is why he is in kidney failure his heart could not pump or work to keep his kidneys functioning.

Now since kidney failure Aaron does not urinate at all (we get that question a lot too) that is why he goes to dialysis to filter his blood of all the toxins. Our little tiny guy is in a battle inside that little body of his night and day every breath is hard and each pumping of his heart is very faint. He is a miracle to us and we will do whatever we can to get to his transplant we have to ask for your prayers.

Remember the movie Horton Hears a Who? I think of it often God will here all of our voices praying and Aaron’s miracle will come (WE ARE HERE, WE ARE HERE) I scream it in my head constantly because our faith will keep him strong. I can’t give up, but I am asking all of you to not give up. I am so extremely thankful to each and everyone of you for your constant prayers. In Gods time.

I am home, Aaron is home now, and we could not be happier! My boys needed to be together it was so difficult and hard on them so keep them in your prayers too. Everyone says children are resilient and so on and they bounce right back but put your children in our situation. They are all just children. They should be having fun and laughing and playing and learning, but its like they are growing up in the middle of a war.

Thank you all for not giving up, we try the best we can each day and like you, I want the best and brightest for my child. I wake up each day and thank our God for every Moment.

Everyday Superheroes Benefit

On behalf of The Women’s Networking Alliance, I’d like to personally invite to you join our community alliance to provide support to Aaron Tanner and his family.

Sunday, June 6th, 2010
Red Carpet at 4:00 p.m.
Santa Clara, California

(Click image for details)

Aaron is a 4 year old boy who desperately needs a kidney and heart transplant.  If that’s not bad enough, the family already lost Aaron’s brother and now, medical bills and expenses are piling up.   We hope that you will come together with us to lend a helping hand this little boy and his family.

Please visit our WNA Community Website and get involved.  We are selling tickets to our Everyday Superheroes Event on June 6th, asking for auction donations and/or you can making a financial donation as well.  We’ll have plenty of surprises, fabulous auction items and if you order your tickets on or before April 15th, we’ll have a special complimentary gift for you upon your check in.

Our very special thanks The Santa Clara Convention Center for graciously donating their venue, Mercedez-Benz, Comcast, Above the Law and The Magnolia Jazz Band for their musical talents, and SO many other donors.  We are truly grateful.

If you have any questions, are willing to help us in any way, please contact me directly at (408) 448-6131 or via email at community@womensnetworkingalliance.com.

Debbie Quintana Founder,
The Women’s Networking Alliance

Welcome Home Aaron and Elizabeth

Aaron arrived back home safely on Saturday. The little guy requires ’round the clock nursing and regular dialysis treatment due to his failing kidneys. Aaron must travel to San Francisco every other day, for three hours of kidney dialysis.

Elizabeth has posted a brief comment (see the side panel under “Recent Comments”) to the site. As is understandable, Elizabeth is feeling a bit overwhelmed at this time, but she promises to send an update just as soon as she is able to see daylight.

Reporter Laura Anthony, wrote an update on March 17, 2010 for ABC News 7. Read it here…
Toddler still waiting for dual transplants

More updates will be posted as they become available and you can be sure Elizabeth will let us know just as soon as she has news of the transplant surgery. Your continued prayers are greatly appreciated!

Knights of Columbus Poker Tournament
Saturday — April 24th, 2010

Fr. Vicente Dominican Hall
1313 A Street  Antioch, CA 
(to the rear  next to the school)

The doors will open at 5:30 p.m., dinner will be served at 6:00 p.m., and the poker tournament starts at 7:00 p.m.  Anyone who wants to come just for dinner is welcome.  Dinner is $20/person.

Join us the Knights of Columbus Poker Tournament for a fun night out and it’s for a terrific cause, 4-year-old Aaron Tanner.

Don’t miss out on this fun night, not to mention it’s for a good cause!

”We finally have a date and more details for the upcoming Knights of Columbus Poker Tournament. The event will be held on April 24th in the Fr. Vicente Dominical Hall. We will be serving dinner as well.

We will have professional dealers, video screens, music, and lots of fun. In addition to Poker, we will have a Blackjack game going for those who bust and still want to enjoy the evening. Yes, there will be prizes for the winners.

Table sponsorships and screen sponsorship are available. Table sponsorships are $100 and screen sponsorships are $50. If you own or would like to advertise a business during our event, please e-mail me at kjs4114@sbcglobal.net for additional details. Proceeds will benefit the Aaron Tanner Foundation. Please go to www.saveabrokenheart.com for more details. If you are unable to attend, the website has details for donations directly to the foundation.”

Kirk J. Schuler 
Sales Principal
National Service Accounts
Hussmann Corporation
Ingersoll Rand Climate Control Technologies
855 National Drive Suite 109
Sacramento, Ca 95834
(925) 813-1590 cell
(877) 825-0573 fax