Jaden’s Story

Site created on June 28, 2018

Jaden was diagnosed at age 4 with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy during a routine preschool check-up.  Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a thickening in the heart muscle (usually located in the left ventricle) which affects the blood flow to the heart.  It is usually considered genetic, however, we have not confirmed it anywhere in our family yet.  Jaden was initially diagnosed by Dr. Chandramouli at Pediatric Cardiology in Des Moines .  In 2008 we decided to get a second opinion at the University of Iowa where the same diagnosis was confirmed . In 2013, we decided to bring Jaden to Mayo Clinic in Rochester because they are considered a center of Excellence for this disease and have an actual HCM clinic.  From 2014 until now he has been followed by Dr. Erik Edens at the U of Iowa.  We recently we received a letter informing us that he would be leaving the U of I so we decided to bring Jaden back to Mayo for his yearly check up and see Dr. Michael Ackerman. He is a doctor that has spent a lot of time studying HCM and the genetics involved with the disease.  He has also spent a lot of time assessing the risk of sudden cardiac death in children. We were seen by him on May 30th to find out that Jaden's disease has progressed enough to need surgical intervention.

Newest Update

November 01, 2020

Journal entry by Tiffany-Jerad Norman —

On Friday, Jaden had a follow-up in Rochester with Dr. Cannon (the doctor that monitors his ICD) to make sure the arrhythmias he was having had not started again.  All the tests showed that they had not returned and we no longer need to follow up with him unless he starts to experience symptoms. This past month Jaden also survived COVID 19 and had no complications at all, which we were very grateful for. He just finished up with his 2nd year of football and I wanted to share a picture of him with one of his greatest sources of encouragement, Great Grandma Norma.  Through this journey, she has been a prayer warrior and huge support for all of us.  Even though this year has been rough for so many, we continue to recognize how blessed we are and thankful that no matter what, God is sovereign and remains in control.  

The Norman's
Read More of the journal titled "November 01, 2020"
Patients and caregivers love hearing from you; add a comment to show your support.
Help Jaden Stay Connected to Family and Friends

A $25 donation to CaringBridge powers a site like Jaden's for two weeks. Will you make a gift to help ensure that this site stays online for them and for you?

Leave a comment of support for Jaden

Did you know? A quick comment, no matter the situation (positive or negative), can boost morale by 28.2%.

Comments Hide comments

Load more comments
Read More Journal Entries

Show Your Support

See the Ways to Help page to get even more involved.

Personal Fundraiser
Support Links
Helpful Requests
Go to Ways to Help
SVG_Icons_Back_To_Top
Top