Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Ground Shaking Fellowship and the Kindbergs



This past weekend our Pastor's, Pastor Peter and Carolyn Haas, spoke together about the power of fellowship in crisis. Our church family, Substance Church played a great role in the health and recovery of son and our family during our time of need.


Please watch the video as they explain, "Your miracle happens only in portion to the size of your support network."


Pastor Carolyn Haas does a wonderful job sharing our story and how we knew God was with us every step along the way because His Church was with us. You can hear our story starting around the 16:00 minute mark. I encourage you to watch the video in its entirety. 


We are so blessed to call Substance Church our home and to know we are established in a place where God is alive in His people. Thank God for Substance Church!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

The Zechariah Kindberg 'New Heart' Celebration Party Announced

Announcing The Zechariah Kindberg 
'New Heart' Celebration Party


In April 2011, Zechariah Kindberg was on the list for a heart transplant. On August 12, 2011 Zechariah Kindberg received the 'gift of life' a heart transplant.


  

   Many family and friends have been along the journey of Zak receiving his new heart. This August join Scott, Kathy, Zechariah, Alexandria and dozens of others as we share stories, a meal, tears, and some laughter.




You and your family are welcome. Please join us.

***RSVP by Aug 5, 2012*** 
email skindberg@gmail.com or follow this link to the
Facebook Event page and click JOIN.

Please include the total number in your family coming to the party.

Location: Lake Sucker Park, 4500 Rice Street, Vadnais Heights, MN (map link) http://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/NR/rdonlyres/2A6C7DEB-7C73-4878-A63218FEA355C095/27711/Vadnais_Sucker_LakesSegment.pdf

Vadnais-Sucker Lake Picnic Shelter









Children's Play Area














What To Expect:
  • Look for the "Zechariah New Heart Celebration" Party Signs
  • Come when you can, Stay as long as you can
  • Outdoor Park Shelter with Picnic Table Seating provided, *personal seating optional
  • Food, Drinks and Table Setting Provided
  • Outdoor Kid Games
  • Oodles & Oodles of Pictures and Videos to Reminisce
  • Jokes, Stories, Memories, and Great Conversation
We hope to see you there!

The Kindberg's (Scott, Kathy, Zechariah,and Alexandria)

Sunday, December 04, 2011

When Life Gives You Melons...


Zechariah and Alexandria showing off the Kindberg Family Advent Tree Calendar



When life gives you melons...we've all heard the famous quote,
"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

 But, what do you do when life gives you something you never expected, something you never asked for, something you never anticipated, wanted, desired, liked, loved, looked for, smelled, or even had on your radar? Melons.

You know what I mean, right? Have you ever felt like life was going well and then you keep on getting knocked down. What is your plan to get back up? Do you have a plan? I mean, even in everyday life have you spilled mustard (or your favorite condiment) on your work clothes on your lunch break and have to finish the rest of the work day with yellow stain on your shirt until you can get it into the washer. What about life?

Sunday, November 28th was a great day. We just said good-bye to my (Scott's) parent's, from IL. Our entire family celebrated a wonder Thanksgiving holiday with both sides our families. The next day, Monday, Nov. 28th Zechariah had a scheduled cardiac cath procedure. This is where he has the biopsy to test for rejection and to get a closer look at his heart and see how it is doing. Typically, we receive a call the next day to let us know how the test resulted. Later that night Kathy received a call to say Zak needed to come in the hospital because he was in rejection.

Zak received an extra dose of steroids for the next three days to combat any rejection occurring. After the three days Zechariah was home and ready to get back to some sense of normal life. I thank God for Zechariah going through home school at this time. We are using the www.k12.com curriculum. Zak loves to learn and has been doing very well with it.

The very next morning was Thurs., Dec. 1 and Kathy and I were woken up by Zak complaining of headaches then throwing up shortly afterwards. In a matter of few short hours Zechariah continued to throw up and was not able to keep down any of his medicines. Our Transplant Coordinator said that we should bring Zak back to the hospital to have him looked over.

While he was in the ER he did not throw up any more, but his Ped Cardiologist had mentioned his headaches may be caused by the tachycardia (high heart rates and irregular heart rythmn) he has been experiencing. His medicine has been regulating his heart rate and rythmn, but that was up for question now.

Today is Sunday, December 4th, 2011. As I write this blog post we are working with the doctors every step along the way.

This was going to be the week we put our Christmas tree up, but life gave us melons. This was going to be our week to....life gave us melons.

WE THREW A PARTY!!

We decided to make the best of every moment. On Wed afternoon I took Zechariah and Alexandria outside for a sledding. Check out the [VIDEO] The Kindberg's First Snow Day 2011 video here.

Plus, we made a great Advent Calendar while still in the hospital.

----

WHEN LIFE GAVE US MELONS...
...WE MADE FRUIT SALAD!

----


Alexandria celebrating her first day of sledding. Hallelujah!









Zechariah enjoying a day of sledding this week. What a great smile!


Zechariah and Alexandria showing off the Kindberg Family Advent Tree Calendar





[VIDEO] The Kindberg's First Snow Day 2011...REMIX'ed

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

[RE-POST] The Five Year Celebration...

Today we so thrilled to say that Zechariah is no longer in rejection and he no longer has a PICC line in his arm for IV medicines. His heart is getting stronger. He loves school and loves life! November 9th, 2011 is Zak's 6th birthday. 


HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZAK!!! 


If you have a birthday greeting or birthday joke for Zak please send a comment below for others to see or to thezakupdate@gmail.com


Please take a moment to read the following post. 


The following post is being re-posted unedited as written by my wife, Kathy. What a difference a year  makes.


-------------------------------------------------











Zechariah is 5 years old today. We are so excited to celebrate his birth and his life because he is here because God gave us a miracle. Zak was born with aortic stenosis and almost didn’t make it when he was 36 hours old. By the time he was one he had been through as much medical treatment as some people in there 70’s. We love our big guy and we thank God everyday for our praying friends and family that have surrounded us and held us up in some of the most difficult times we have faced in our lives. This is just a reminder of God’s amazing healing power.

So Zak has a few favorite things in life. He absolutely loves bacon, trains and adventures. So we are helping him to have a day filled with his favorite things. We are having bacon cheeseburgers for lunch before we go on the light rail train to the Mall of America to go on rides.

Please join our family today as we praise God for the miracle that He gave us on 11-09-05 and pray for continued healing and wholeness for Zechariah’s heart as we continue on the journey with the pediatric cardiologists to watch him as he grows to figure out what is next for him.

Three cheers for Zak our miracle. We named Zechariah because of what his name means (God Remembered). I look at him everyday with the understanding that when God created Zak He knew what He was doing before the beginning of time. God has great plans for Zak to give him a hope and a future.



Please take a moment and pray today for our precious son and give thanks to God for where He has brought us and also pray that God will continue to heal his heart so that one day it will be completely whole.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Where in the World?...

Where in the World in Zechariah Kindberg?

Zechariah was out of the hospital towards the end of September. This was his third extensive visit in six weeks. The second visit, which was to correct his high heart rate and abnormal heart rhythm. The electrophysiologist (EP doctor) at the hospital in Minneapolis was not able help after to attempts, so we opted for a second opinion.

After meeting with our doctors and talking through our best options we knew that we wanted to head to St. Louis Children's Hospital. After getting all the necessary okays to make our way to St. Louis we are so excited to know that could be one step closer to Zak seeing closer in his part of his treatment. The date was set for his third ablation procedure to take place on October 24th at St. Louis Children's Hospital...

...BUT...

What about all that time in between? What have you been up to? How have you been doing? Kathy and I are so blessed to be surrounded by such amazing friends and family who have continued to pray, call, text, write, email, or send a care package. There is really not a day that has not gone by in the last two months where Kathy or I would say to each other something like this..."I just talked to (so and so) today and they wanted to let you know they are continuing to pray for us.  We know we are immensely  surrounded by some of the most caring people.

THANK YOU. 

So, What have we been up to? Let's just say...We needed to get about two months of business work completed in about two and half weeks. We needed to reinstate our family routine for the third time believing we would not need to leave again after two previous episodes. 

During this time Zechariah began home school Kindergarten classes. He has routine routine clinic visit once or twice weekly that can last from 4-6 hrs a time. We have learned to plan for this a part of our new routine.

NOW...

Zechariah was given another medicine to help regulate his heart rate. The last month his heart rate has been in the "normal" range 110/60 HR 90. Thanks to the medicine. We are have been given instructions to wean him of this medicine six days before the procedure. Then, to be completely off of it three days before it. So, to prepare for this we have made our way to St. Louis. (With a few stops along the way of course).

Our first visit was to Zak and Ali's Aunt and Uncle's house in Iowa. During our three day stay there we were  able to take in a little fishing. Zechariah caught the biggest one out of all of that weekend! (Thank you Keith and Andrea for a great time!)

Zak and Aunt Andrea with one his three fish he caught in Iowa.
Once we were on the road to and finally stepped into Missouri we made our we into the big town of Alexandria, MO (Population 166)

Alexandria striking a pose in the town of her name.
Once we arrived to St. Louis things we not all settled in for us. You see, before we left we talked with the the Pediatric Social Worker at the St. Louis Children's Hospital to help arrange for us to stay at the St. Louis Ronald McDonald House. She told us she can put in our request three business days before we need a room. So, we would need a room on October 18th. and the earliest she would be able to put in a request for us is October 14th.  and then she would call us back after three days. Now, we would already be traveling to Iowa before the request for be made. So, we left Minneapolis, MN without knowing where we would stay in St. Louis. This was not our way of traveling, especially under these circumstances. 

When we arrived in the St. Louis Metro area we received the phone call that we did not have a room waiting for us. So, we made our way to a hotel planned our week as if we would be staying at the hotel for the rest our trip, but would leave if we ever received the call. 

The next afternoon about 3:40pm the social calls again to explain that she had not heard from any of the three Ronald McDonald Houses about an open room available. She further explained that she would continue to call every afternoon around the same time if she had not heard anything from them. So, we continued on with our evening. 

Now, there is one other House like the Ronald McDonald House called the Haven House. We did look into this place, but their waiting list was very long as well.

Then, something amazing took place. About twenty minutes later I received a call from the same social worker. She said that a room had just become available at the RMcDH and we need to be there by 7pm. 

Have you every traveled and lived out of a suitcase? Have you ever traveled with toddlers or preschoolers and done the same? Then, you know that it takes a lot of planning, organization, games, toys, a playroom, more toys, and a great kitchen to cook family meals. The RMcDH gives us the ability to stay in affordable housing where a kitchen in provided and lots of room for our kids to play, as long as we need to stay.

So, Zak's procedure is expected to only be a one-day procedure, but in can be two or three-days depending on how we he does with the after care.

St. Louis Gateway Arch


Please continue to pray for Zak, Ali, Kathy, and, me as we trek on through our next leg of this amazing journey. 

Please be sure to leave a comment, an email, or text.

P.S. If you have a joke to share with Zak, please share it at thezakupdate@gmail.com

Scott Kindberg




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Saturday, September 24, 2011

Change Isn't Change...





A great pastor friend of mine once told me..."Change isn't change until you change." Now I don't know if that quote has been around long as the ages, but the moment I heard it I have to tell you I had one of those "Ah Ha" moments. The lights came on and from that moment forward change had greater meaning.

Once again, during our routine heart rate and blood pressure check Zak blood pressure was high in the 180s and from morning to evening he had gained about two pounds. These are sure signs to make the call to have him admitted.

So, Zechariah was admitted for the second time to the ER late Friday evening on September 16th. He arrived in the PICU around 12:30am early Saturday morning. During the weekend the Drs. watched his HR rise higher and his irregular rhythm continue. The doctor need to form a plan.

They had come back to us saying on Tuesday they would do a second round of the ablation procedure in the same area and look through the rest of his heart for further affects tachycardia. Then, that was pushed to early Monday when his heart was elevated most Sunday around the high 200-220s and 240-250s for a brief moment.

After the five hour procedure Zak came back looking well, but the EP doctor said to us she was not able to take care of the tachycardia that he came in with. So, we asked the EP doctor what would the next option be and one option she mentioned was surgery...

I understand the first six months of the transplant patient can be full of potholes, but surgery on something like this more than a pothole.

So, to relieve the high heart rate they started him on another medicine, which he take twice daily. So far after three days of taking the medicine his heart has been coming down around 90-140. Every now and then it will still spike to the 180-200 for a second or two.

Kathy and I know that medicating Zak is not the final answer and we are looking further into taking care of our son.

Thank you for all continued care, prayers, and support as we are going through this....

The Kindbergs

Scott, Kathy, Zechariah, and Alexandria