Last Modified: December 3, 2001

In the News

This is from the Tuesday, November 13, 2001 issue of the Temple Daily Telegraph, Temple, TX. Anna's niece won 2nd place for her article Tribute to my Hero! in a local contest.

'Luckiest Parents in the World"
Youngster's survival prompts mother to write book, form support group
By Larry Kennedy, News Editor
The Gatesville Messenger & Star Forum
Wednesday, June 26, 1996

When Alexander Jaworski was diagnosed with a severe heart condition at only two months of age, his parents, Frank and Anna Jaworski of Mound, were dismayed that there was no information available to parents about the heart defect. Almost two years later, Alexander has had two successful open heart surgeries and is just as active as any 2-year-old in Coryell County. Meanwhile, Anna has become an activist in informing parents about the heart defect that almost claimed her youngest son's life. In addition to helping form a support group called "Baby Hearts," Anna has written a book that tells Alexander's story and provides valuable information to parents of children with heart defects. Recently, she was invited to be the guest speaker for a new support group that is being formed at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin. Immediately after Alexander was born on Aug. 11, 1994, Frank, who is a critical care nurse at Scott and White Hospital, knew something was wrong. "Frank had said from the moment Alexander was born that he was breathing too fast," Anna recalled. "But the doctor just said it was 'newborn breathing.'" But the hard, fast breathing continued and the parents noticed other problems as well. "We were very concerned," Anna said. "We took him back to the hospital because he was jaundiced and he was not feeding well." Again, the symptoms were attributed to "baby breathing." At two months old, the infant was taken for another checkup, still experiencing serious breathing and feeding problems. He was admitted to Scott and White Hospital for failure to thrive and an echocardiogram was performed. However, the hospital did not have a pediatric cardiologist to read the results and the parents were referred to a doctor in San Antonio. It was there the parents learned that Alexander was suffering from hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a condition in which the left side of the heart does not properly develop. "It's very serious and it's usually fatal if it's not identified by 10 days old," Anna said. "Alexander was two months old when it was identified - he is truly a miracle baby."

The Jaworskis, who are also the parents of 4-year-old Joseph, were shown a diagram of Alexander's heart that was greatly enlarged from working so hard for the first two months of the infant's life. "We were really in shock when they drew a diagram of a normal heart and one of Alexander's heart," Anna said. "I just wanted to run out of the room. He shouldn't have been alive."
They were given two options - either perform surgery or do nothing which would mean certain death. "For us, there was no option," the mother stated. "We just prayed. We couldn't believe that a baby that had survived two months wasn't a fighter. We felt if they could just fix his heart, he would live." Admitted to the hospital on a Friday, the Mound couple was afraid to leave their son. "Most die before surgery," Anna explained, adding that doctors gave Alexander less than a 20 percent chance of survival.
The human heart has four chambers for pumping blood to the body - two atrium and two ventricles. What doctors did was to change Alexander's heart from four chambers to two chambers - one atrium and one ventricle.
The first surgery, performed by Dr. John Calhoun, was so successful that the child was allowed to return home a week later. A second surgery followed nine months later, but this time around complications arose. Alexander's vocal cords were paralyzed and his diaphragm was partially paralyzed. He was brought home on oxygen.
Prayers from the communities of Mound, Flat and Gatesville were answered and within a month his diaphragm was healed and within two months his vocal cords were normal. Even now, Anna said it is hard to scold her son when he becomes too loud or to ask him to be quiet.
Alexander's is a success story, but the story does not end there. Anna has continued her quest to inform parents about heart defects. "When Alexander was dismissed from the hospital, they gave us a one-page discharge sheet and said 'See you in six months,'" Anna said. "We asked for more information, but there was nothing to give parents. The only thing they had was for doctors."
Unwilling to accept the answer, Frank obtained medical books to help the family better understand what was happening to their child. They also found that other parents were in a similar situation - wanting to know more, but not knowing where to turn. So the idea of a book began to materialize in Anna's mind. Recently completed, the book is entitled "Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome" A Handbook for Parents." Frank drew the illustrations for the book. While focusing on Alexander's heart defect, Anna said the book was also beneficial to parents who had a child with any type of heart defect.
Dr. Calhoun wrote the forward for the book, which is being self-published by the Jaworskis. Anna said that publishers felt the audience was too small to finance the publishing. The first edition is due out in July and Anna said she would send promotional copies to those in the medical profession. "It gives hope for children that would have been given up for lost 10 years ago," the author said.
Although Alexander will have to take medication for the rest of his life and must avoid high altitudes, Anna said he should not have to undergo any additional surgery.
"We feel like the luckiest parents in the world," she stated.

Playing by heart
Mother pens book for young siblings after son has two open-heart surgeries
By Troy Espe
Entertainment Editor
The Entertainer 3D Week of May 28 - June 4, 1999

When Anna Marie Jaworski's 2-month-old son Alex needed heart surgery, he was foremost on her mind. Yet the mother couldn't forget her 3-year-old son Joey who would be left at day care or with relatives while she took long trips to the hospital. "I knew Joey was going to have a lot to go through," Jaworski said. "I looked for material for him but couldn't find anything." The ordeal inspired Jaworski to write her own book. The Panama City Beach woman wrote and published the children's book My Brother Needs an Operation (Baby Hearts Press, $20). "This is for the kids who are left behind and to help them cope with losing the sibling and parents,"she said. The book, illustrated by Linda Ball, tells the story of a brother who must endure when a younger brother goes to the hospital. The interactive book asks questions during the story. It contains activity sheets in the back.

"I want people to have something to turn to and not go through the tough time like we did," Jaworski said. Jaworski lived in central Texas when Alex required heart surgery. She drove 3 1/2 hours to San Antonio, Texas, for the operations. Her oldest son, Joey, who had never been apart from his mother, stayed with aunts or at day care. "He had been asking for a baby brother for two years,' she said. "It was pretty traumatic for him. A lot of times toddlers think they caused the problem."
Alex was born with a birth defect called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Basically, the left side of his heart hadn't grown properly. The life-threatening defect required two open-heart surgeries before Alex was 7 months old. Alex pulled through. However, the experience affected Joey even after Mom and Alex returned home.
"He was afraid to let me out of his sight," Jaworski said. "He had some nightmares." Jaworski was frustrated that she didn't have any reference guides. Heart problems are the number 1 birth defect, but little has been written about coping. "This (book) was my therapy," Jaworski said. "Taking a proactive approach made me feel empowered during a very powerless time."
Jaworski also wrote Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: A Handbook for Parents (Baby Hearts Press, $20). The book, illustrated by her husband Frank, explains the heart defect in layman's terms.
Today, Alex and Joey are healthy boys. Alex is 4, Joey is 7. They play and wrestle. Alex will have to take medication the rest of his life. However, he has no more scheduled surgeries although a heart transplant is possible in the future.
Jaworski now is working on a new book titled Heart of a Mother . The book will include stories from mothers who had children with heart defects or experienced defects themselves. "I really feel like my new mission in life is to reach out and help other people," Jaworski said. "I'm just blessed with two special little guys who make it pretty easy."

Students learn how 'Jump Rope for Heart' program helps others with heart problems
by Nicole Edwards
Temple Daily Telegram
Friday, February 16, 2001

Students and teachers at Cater Elementary School Thursday put a special beat in their hearts during a unique day of "Jump Rope for Heart' activities to share with a special guest. Anna Jaworski of Temple started the day's program with information and inspiration. "My son had his first open-heart surgery when he was two months old," she said. "He was only seven months old when he returned to the hospital for a second surgery, and that was quite scary for me and my family." Today, Mrs. Jaworski celebrates life with her younger son, Alexander, 6, who was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. She said that there is a chance, however, that her son may require a heart transplant when he gets older. "If it had not been for the research of the American Heart Association and their research, my son would not be alive today. That's why I want to thank the students for participating in Jump Rope for Heart to continue efforts by the association," Mrs. Jaworski said. The Cater students also discussed various ways they could keep their hearts healthy, including eating healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, exercising and eating small amounts of chocolate and salt. "You should all share a pat on the back for your efforts," she said. Mrs. Jaworski has written two books - "Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: A Handbook for Parents" and "My Brother Needs An Operation", and has edited another - "Heart of a Mother", on the experiences she and her family have had throughout Alexander's life. She said it was not until her niece, who attends Cater, brought a sponsor sheet for the Jump Rope for Heart program, that she was aware of the American Heart Association's program for school children. "I'm proud to see children taking part in something that can help other children," she said.

In recognition of A Day for Hearts: Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day - which is slated the same day as Valentine's Day - Mrs. Jaworski said she and her online Internet group, the Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) network, work throughout the year to get information out about various heart defects in children and adults.
Mrs. Jaworski will donate a copy of her children's book "My Brother Needs and Operation" to the school library. "It's a brother's story of his part in helping Alexander heal quicker," she said of her older son, Joseph. Jump Rope for Heart is an educational fund-raising event held each year in thousands of elementary schools across the nation by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAH-PERD). Jump Rope for Heart raises funds for medical research and for programs such as "HeartPower!" that help prevent heart disease and stroke.

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