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While many people are worried about what the new millennium will bring, Cory Schanbacher may not live to see it.
His life depends partly on heart surgery at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
"They gave us a 50-50 chance of stroke or death for this surgery," said his uncle, James Schanbacher.
Without the surgery, 12-year-old Cory's chance of survival is even less.
"All I can say is, without this surgery, we will lose Cory," his mother, Brenda Schanbacher, said.
"He's getting progressively worse quickly," James said.
Cory was born with severe Down syndrome. He also has Moyamoya, a rare disease where the arteries to the brain are blocked. Brenda said when Cory was born, he was suspected as having a heart problem. At two months old, he had his first surgery. When he was 2, they discovered he has Moyamoya.
"The only way we knew he had Moyamoya was when he had a stroke," Brenda said. "There's a surgery they can do for it, but they can't do anything because of his heart.
"It's pretty stressful sometimes thinking about it," she said.
Cory will turn 13 on March 28, but James said Cory has only the mentality of a 3-year-old. A Lakeview Middle School student, Cory had three previous surgeries at Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis. There came a point when the hospital said they couldn't do any more.
"They decided they weren't able to do the open-heart surgery that was needed to prolong his life," James said.
Cory's family and doctors decided Mayo Hospital was his best hope. James said they don't know when surgery will be, but expect it to be as soon as possible.
In the meantime, James said, the family is trying to raise money for lodging and travel while in Minnesota. They plan to get donation jars out today to banks, gas stations and wherever other businesses will let them display the donation jars.
"As far as the account, donations can be made at any Lake City Bank in my name for Cory," James said.
Brenda's insurance will pay for most of the medical expenses of the surgery and Medicaid will pay for any bills the insurance doesn't cover. However, insurance won't cover transportation and lodging for the family and that's where the need for financial assistance comes in. James said the family could be in Minnesota anywhere from three days to a month.
"We were wanting to know if we could get some help from the community," James said. "If something would happen, should he pass away, the money we collect will be donated back to the community."
A local women's church group plans to sponsor Cory, Brenda said, by vouching for his need to have the surgery.
Once the family knows when Cory's surgery will be and once they raise money for transportation and lodging, Brenda said, there are other issues she will have to take care of before she leaves.
"I have to make arrangements with work. There's so much to do," she said. Arrangements for her 17-year-old daughter will also have to be made if her daughter can't go with the family for Cory's surgery.
Brenda said her entire family has been supportive. Brenda's parents and her daughter have helped with Cory. James traveled from Arizona to help and support his sister.
James said, "I actually live in Tucson, but I came back here for this."
Cory's doctor, Dr. Douglas Sawyer, confirmed Cory's problems. He has been Cory's doctor since birth.
"He's been real good to us. I have the utmost respect for him," she said.
Brenda said they don't know what Cory's life will be like after the surgery, but they just want him to have a life to live.
Presently, Cory has good days and bad days, Brenda said.
"He has a hard time breathing sometimes. His fingertips are sometimes bluish. He has dark circles around his eyes," Brenda said about his bad days.
On his good days, Cory is a lovable kid, Brenda said.
"He's a character. He loves to watch 'The Jungle Book' and 'Babe.' He likes books. He likes to color. He likes for people to help him write his name. He's just a loving little boy," Brenda said.
He also loves music.
"My ex-husband got him a keyboard and he loves to play the keyboard for hours," she said.
