The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/99608
D-2 Christmas Greetings The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, December 19, 2012 Brenda Renner, Jimmy Cockerham, Andrea Cockerham, daughter Abigail Cockerham, and grandson Spencer, display the Build-a-Bear containing a recording of Jimmy's heartbeat. They will give the to the son of Jimmy's heart donor. Jimmy received his heart from the victim of a motorcycle accident in September 2011. Andy Heuring photo. Cockerhams exchange gifts of peace and life M ost of us are trying to figure out how to finish off our Christmas lists – some with thoughtful, caring gifts, others with gifts card or something more generic easy. A Petersburg family is giving the gift of Peace. They are giving it to someone who gave them the gift of life. On September 26, 2011, Jimmy Cockerham, 43 of Petersburg received a heart transplant. The donor was a 24-year-old Illinois man who died in a motorcycle accident in southern Illinois. His mother, who wishes to stay anonymous, signed the papers for him to be an organ donor, that day. On Friday, Jimmy Cockerham and his wife, Andrea, travelled to Illinois and gave the donor's mother and his five-year-old son a gift they hope will bring peace to both the mother and son who are mourning their loved one. "I just hope to give them a little bit of peace," said Andrea. "How do you repay something like this? she asked. Andrea knows a thing or two about getting peace after the loss of a loved one. She and Jimmy lost their 18-year-old son, Justin, in 2004 in a freak Scouting ac- cident at the Garden of Gods area. "The first year is the toughest," said Jimmy about dealing with loss. Following Jimmy's transplant surgery, Andrea reached out to the donor's mother and was able to make contact with her through Facebook on the one-year anniversary of the transplant. Andrea said she was able to develop a relationship with the donor's mother. Through their common bond of having lost a child Andrea said she knows it is hard for friends of a victim of tragedy to know how to deal with the family members, but she gives some advice. "Do whatever you can to help by just asking them what you can do for them." "When Justin died, we had so many people who gave us things and helped us through that. Some of the things we were given, were things from close friends of Justin's, who had shared things with him and it just really helped us through his loss," said Andrea. Her experience of dealing with her loss helped her to develop a relationship with the mother of Jimmy's heart donor. As their relationship developed they talked and Andrea has done what she can to comfort the mother. Eventually she asked Andrea if she could get a recording of a sonogram of Jimmy's heart beating. It wasn't an easy task, but Andrea went to work on it. "I have been working on this since September." She works in a chiropractor's office and one of her patients was a nurse for a heart doctor. She was able to help make arrangements. Andrea said when the doctor found out why they wanted it, they took care of appointments and did it for free. She got his heartbeat recorded and she put one on a digital voice recording and she put a second one in a "Build A Bear" for the donor's son. "I don't know if she will want to give it to him now, a few years from now or when he is an adult," said Andrea. She said she hopes it helps the mother and son to know even though their loved one died, their gift of the organ donations are helping other families be able to live on. Andrea said there are several people who received organ donations from the motorcycle accident victim. A 12-year-old boy with liver trouble was a recipient along with Jim. The new heart has changed Jim's life. In 2000, Jim developed a viral infection that settled into his heart. It damaged his heart, causing an electrical problem that threw his heart out of rhythm. The chambers of his heart were firing out of sequence. He was 32 years old at the time. Doctors installed a heart defibrillator. "He did pretty well for a while, but he wasn't able to work," said Andrea. Jim was an owner-operator-truck driver. He said it wasn't the physical labor that was the problem. Instead, it was the electrical energy from the truck's engine that threw off his defibrillator. Jim's condition continued to deteriorate for the years to the point that in 2010, he was hospitalized three or four times. They basically were out of other options, and the only option remaining was a heart transplant. During this time Andrea was diagnosed with cancer. They were referred to a specialist at St. Vincent's in Indianapolis, Dr. Mary Walsh. Andrea said they were only in her office for about 10 minutes, when she said "I can help you." Those were words the Cockerhams had been waiting to hear for almost 10 years. Within 15 minutes Jim was in an office hooked to an IV. Dr. Walsh set him up for an operation to install a pump to help assist his heart. It is the same device doctors installed on Vice President Dick Cheney. While the Cockerhams had gotten the answer they had wanted for more than 10 years, it still wasn't an easy road ahead of them. He suffered kidney failure and developed staff infection. While he waited for a donor, his condition continued to worsen. He had to be shocked with a defibrillator more than 70 times and was on the verge of death at least nine times. Andrea explained a device surgically implanted in his chest had the ability to defib, however on 70 occasions Cockerham needed a stronger jolt than the implant could provide. Now the question was whether Jim could live long enough to receive a heart. In September of 2011, Andrea said she was at the hospital visiting and a nurse pulled her aside and explained a possible heart donor had been located. She told Andrea not to leave. So she started making excuses why she wasn't leaving. They didn't want to tell Jim until it was definite. Later that night, they got the final word they had a heart. He made it through the surgery. When he finally was able to come home from the hospital, he had spent nearly a year in bed and was suffering from severe atrophy. Jim got to come home in November 2011. He couldn't walk or do anything on his own. He had to go through physical training to relearn most basic activities. In August 2012 he was able to go back to work for a supplier of Toyota. "If felt really good to go back to work," said Cockerham. He is also looking forward to going through a normal Christmas. The heart transplant he received is allowing him to get back to some normalcy in his life. He and Andrea hope their gift to the donor's mother and son will help bring normalcy to their lives as well. "There is no way you can repay something like this. We are just expressing our gratitude in whatever way we possibly can. I think the only way you can have gratitude in your heart is through your faith," said Andrea – a faith that has gotten the Cockerhams through cancer, loss of a child and a heart transplant. By Andy Heuring A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR OUR CUSTOMERS: WE'RE MOVING! Grand Opening JaNuaRy 2–5 Lots of prizes will be given away including an XBox 360, a Flat screen TV, a Wii, and a DSi XL Season's Greetings Come check out the new store!! Only 3 doors down from our current location Knickers & Petticoats With best wishes and gratitude this holiday season. It's been great getting to know you, and we look forward to seeing you again next year! Children's Consignment Store 216 E. Main StrEEt WaShington 812.254.3722 2843 W. BroadWay, Princeton route 15, Mt. carMeL 812-386-6193 • 1-866-477-6193 618-262-5161 • 1-800-922-8865 www.Patriotonline.com www.JWildermanautoplex.com SaleS: Mon-frI 8aM-7pM, sat 8aM-4pM SaleS: Mon-frI 8aM-7pM, sat 8aM-4pM