•At least three deeply felt learning’s from this program

 I have learned so much as a student at Walden University that it seems awkward to narrow the experience down to three learning experiences. The first experience I would like to share is how confident I am as an adult educator because of my experience at Walden. The tools I have learned I will carry with me for a life time. I have learned more about eLearning, classroom management, effective teaching strategies and so much more.  I have confidence is my abilities to lead others in the field of early childhood education. I am thankful for the experience.

The second learning experience that has made a difference in my life is learning to recognize my biases. I think gaining a better understanding of why I am who I am and how I treat others is a powerful, growing experience. I love working with families from different cultures and backgrounds however before gaining a higher education I was probably more critical than I am now. I have learned the importance of acceptance. I have learned that I can keep my belief systems and still have an open mind. I now know how to incorporate all families into the classroom learning experience. I see the importance of everyone feeling accepted and seeing themselves in the early education classroom as well as the adult classrooms. Again, I feel blessed to have learned such valuable information.

The third eye-opener for me was exploring education across the country and world. Before my experience at Walden I had not looked beyond my own state or surrounding states. Now I have had the honor of researching programs across the country and worldwide. I have learned from programs that serve the needy, the homeless and disaster victims. My eyes were opened up to see how much early childhood cares about children and families beyond the classroom. The differences we can make are unbelievable.

•At least one long-term goal

One long term goal I have is to complete my Capstone project. I would like for all four year old children in Kelso-Longview to have access to high quality pre-kindergarten. When I chose the challenge I wanted to choose something I felt strongly about. I feel it is very important for children to get the right start in their education. I hope to see this come true in my area soon. The second long-term goal I have is to make it through my tenure process at Lower Columbia College. I was hired in January as full time ECE faculty. The process for tenure takes three years. I chose this as my long term goal because without my education at Walden I would not have the opportunity to be faculty. I love my job and I hope three years from now I can say the job is mine forever. The third long-term goal I have is to visit a needy area and support children and families. I am not sure where or when or even how. I will continue to pray about it and when God is ready to use me to help others in a bigger way he will let me know.

•A farewell message to your Instructor and colleagues

 I would like to thank everyone for their support over the quarters. I have truly enjoyed my experience at Walden. I have learned from the ups and downs. I have loved learning from the professors and the students. Thank you for the effort and hard work all of you have done to increase my learning experiences. I wish all of you the best of luck now and in the future.

Josie Zbaeren

Blog Assignment: Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: Internationally

Three international organizations or community of practice that appeal to me and why I chose them:

The first organization that sparked an interest for me is United Nations Children’s Fund.  The reason this particular organization interested me was because of the work they are doing for early education as well as equal education for boys and girls. “Education is a fundamental right and every girl and every boy are entitled to it,” (UNICEF, 2011). The United Nation’s Children’s Fund is an organization working to create a world where education is accessible to all.

The second organization I have an interest is Save the Children. Save the Children helps when disaster strikes. They help children in the U.S. and across the globe. They can provide food, medical care, shelter, schooling and other needs (Save the Children, 2013). I chose this organization because they take action when people need help. They help children and families when they feel life is too hard. I admire the work they do.

The third place I would like to learn more about for employment is an adoption agency. I have adopted a child through foster care and I would like to learn more about international adoptions / U.S. adoptions. I looked into American Adoptions.

Job Opportunities:

There are categories of employment through the United Nations Children’s Funds including International Professional, General Services, National Officer and Temporary Appointments. I could see myself applying for a temporary appointment for a new experience however I would wait until all of my children had graduated high school.

The job I would be most interested in for Save the Children is Education / Literacy / Child Development.  I am qualified with an undergraduate degree in Child Development / Psychology and (soon) a graduate degree in Early Childhood Education. I would also be willing to volunteer.

The job opportunities for American Adoptions include volunteer (foster care opportunities), Internships and Social Workers. I am not qualified for a social worker however it is still something I am interested in. I would be interested in foster care as well.

Skills and Experience:

The UNICEF requires all staff to have a degree from an accredited University.

They will not accept applicants that have received degree credits based on work experience (UNICEF, 2011). They also require work experience that is related to their line of work. They prefer that applicants speak languages recognized by the Untied Nations.

Save the Children uses a third party for hiring. I did not see their education requirements.  They help with education, medical needs, child development and humanitarian work (Save the Children 2013). I am sure a degree in a related field is required.

The employment skills for American Adoption include an education is social work, counseling and in business for the business side of the program. The current employees have a MBA, licensed Social Work and Counseling.

Josie Zbaeren

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2011, from http://www.unicef.org/

Save the Children. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6115947/k.8D6E/Official_Site.htm

American Adoption Agency (2013). Retrieved from

http://www.americanadoptions.com/about_us/employment

Job Roles in the ECE Community: National Federal (State)

The first agency I looked at was Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. When I got to their site I looked up WaKIDS.  There are three components to WaKIDS including family connections, “whole child” assessments and early learning collaboration (OSPI, 2013). WaKIDS is part of the Race to the Top grant out of Washington State. WAKIDS is state, federally and privately funded. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Thrive by Five are the private funders.  I was most interested in the early learning collaboration because this piece is working on aligning early education and the public schools. Now I believe Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation should be part of my community of practice. They are from my home state. There were two jobs listed under OSPI and I would not want either of them. The jobs were NET Solutions Developer (ITS 5) and Supervisor, School District and Educational Service District Accounting. Here is their website https://www.k12.wa.us/employment/default.aspx I do not meet the qualifications for their current positions however I would qualify for early education positions as they came up.

The second agency I looked at was Children’s Home Society.  CHS was started in 1895 and has grown over time. They first began by serving orphans. They later worked with troubled children. Today they pride themselves in serving families in many different ways including therapeutic counseling, home visiting, early childhood education (Head Start),  as well as offering services in adoption and child advocacy (CHS,  2012). There were 8 job openings for King County and zero for my county or the county closest to me. The jobs ranged from Early Head Start teacher, to home visitor, to assistant grant writer. I would like to get some experience in writing grants however the pay for this particular job was very low. I meet all qualifications for the jobs I was interested in. I have experience and education in early childhood education, home visiting experience, I have worked under the Even Start grant and I have taught parenting classes.

The third place I looked was the Department of Social and Health Services. The reason I chose them is because I think connecting to services such DSHS or Child Protective Services gives early educators the opportunity for professional development. They often have classes that can help provider’s better serve children. They also have all the information I would need to understand who would qualify for state paid pre-kindergarten or who would not according to family income.  Also my undergraduate degree is in psychology / child development. I would be a match for some jobs. The jobs that interested me were Social Service Specialist I or II. They pay well and their duties include serving children and families. I would of course need my degrees, be willing to complete training and internship.

Josie Zbaeren

Children’s Home Society (2012). Children’s home society from Washington. Retrieved from

http://www.chs-wa.org/

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (2013).  State of Washington office of
            superintendent of public instruction. Retrieved from

 http://www.k12.wa.us/research/EdReform.aspx

Washington State’s Department of Social and Health Services (2103). Retrieved from

 http://www.dshs.wa.gov/hrd/

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community

The first organization that appeals to me is Washington's Department of Early Learning. The reason this community of practice interests me is because they are working to make children's lives and education a priority. They work in collaboration with Early Head Start, Head Start and Race To The Top.  They are the number one resource in our state for Early Achievers, Merit and Kindergarten Readiness. The only job at DEL available at this time is an Information Technology Specialist 5 which I have no interest in or education for. This job requires a bachelor's degree in business technology.

The second community of practice (organization) I have an interest in working for is Longview School District. This particular district is working significantly harder than surrounding districts to align preschool through 3rd grade. The principal of Broadway (a school which serves children with varying abilities) is the leader of L.E.E.P.  L.E.E.P. is working towards better education for preschoolers as well as working towards collaboration projects of preschools with elementary schools. There are two positions open in the fall of 2013 for a sponsored preschool called Wallenberg. The education requirements are a bachelors in early childhood education or related field. A degree in elementary education would also be considered for these positions.

The third organization I would be interested in working for is Head Start. Our local Head Start is nationally recognized. Sandy Junker (the director) runs a tight ship! Head Start employees are hired through Lower Columbia College where I currently work. There are no positions posted at this time. Head Start is effected by the sequester and will have to reduce their budget by over $100,000. Any jobs available in the fall will be posted July 1, 2013.

I currently have the job I want. I work for Lower Columbia College as faculty and director of Home and Family Life Early Learning Center. I was hired in January of 2013. I was hired before my education was complete. I am required to complete my graduate degree within one year of my hire date in order to keep my position.

Josie Zbaeren

My wordle:

http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/6692407/Early_Childhood_Education

Adjourning

This week you read about the five stages of team development: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. Consider the adjourning phase for several of the groups in which you have been involved. Think about which aspects of the groups made for the hardest good-bye. Are high-performing groups hardest to leave? Groups with the clearest established norms? Which of the groups that you participated in was hardest to leave? Why? What sorts of closing rituals have you experienced or wish you had experienced? How do you imagine that you will adjourn from the group of colleagues you have formed while working on your master's degree in this program? Why is adjourning an essential stage of teamwork?

The hardest group I have left was a dance company I was a part of for four years. We were like family. Our projects were performances. We were a strong group that had common goals. We leaned on each other daily. The hardest aspect of saying good-bye was we knew we would not see each other everyday. At the time there was no facebook or text messaging so our good-byes felt so final. 

I think the hardest good-byes are from groups that worked well together and accomplished the goals they intended to accomplish. If a group never gets past storming saying good-bye may be the best thing to do.

Closing experiences I have experienced are fair well parties or a get together. After working on a group project for church the ladies usually go out to dinner. At work we tend to have lunch or go to a local party such as a wine tasting (I hate wine J). My husband coaches and after a season we have a barbeque.

I do not see adjourning my master’s degree program with my colleagues from my program. I appreciate everyone but I am ready to complete and move on. I will celebrate with my family and work colleagues. My family has sacrificed for me to complete my education and I want to enjoy my accomplishment with them because without their support I could not have finished a mater’s degree.

Josie Zbaeren

Conflict Resolution

I am the new director at Lower Columbia College Home and Family Life Early Learning Center and ECED Faculty. The position has some challenges. Our state is making some important changes in the early education field. With change comes some resistance. One conflict is the increase of expectations. My staff will have to change the way in which they plan their day, their curriculum will change and the way they are observed will also change. The nerves have set in. In order to deal with the conflict we are using cooperation. We are taking the changes one step at a time. At first I overwhelmed them. I gave them too much information at one time. Now we are working together for a common goal. We all want to rate high on the Early Achievers Scale. The text explains cooperation is, “a strategy that benefit the relationship, serve mutual rather than individual goals, and strive to build solutions that benefit both parties,” (O’Hair & Weimann, 2012, pg. 237).

Josie Zbaeren

Blog Assignment Week 4:

Blog Assignment Week 4:

The differences were not significant between how I evaluated myself and how others did. We all agreed that I use the people oriented listening style. I fell in the moderate section in the verbal aggressiveness scale on each evaluation. The one difference was my colleague rated me as displaying mild communication anxiety. I was slightly surprised. I was rated as low anxiety from my husband and myself. My colleague however perceives me as uneasy in some circumstances. For example in public speaking or in large groups I seem less confident and a little uneasy. Otherwise she feels I have little anxiety. The most important idea I learned was the power of perception. We do assume whether we want or not based on appearance and first impression. To be effective communicators we need to be aware of that as well as any biases we have.

Josie Zbaeren

Communication...

· Do you find yourself communicating differently with people from different groups and cultures?

· If yes, in what ways do you communicate differently?

I do communicate differently depending on whom I am talking to. I am more relaxed and casual with close family and friends. I am more formal with the Dean or VP of the college. I correspond openly with my mentor (we share the same beliefs, values and career paths). If I am unsure of others lifestyles, cultures or beliefs I try to understand them or their point of you not to offend anyone. I try and respect everyone.

Josie Zbaeren

Learning About Communication Skills

The show I watched is Dance Mom's. I chose this television show because I have wanted to watch it but have not had the time. I love to dance!  

Watch the show with the sound turned off.

What do you think the characters' relationships are based on the ways in which they are communicating? I think that they appear mad at each other especially the instructor and the dance moms. There is a lot of pointing at each other, eye rolling, and standing way too close to each other. The children look at the instructor when they are active in the class however not when she is talking to them. They look down with slumped shoulders.

What are they feeling and expressing based on the nonverbal behavior you are observing? Again, they appear to be mad. The girls often look sad at the studio however while on stage they look as though they enjoy the dancing. They smile and change expressions as they move. Some smile after performances and others cry and hug other adults, which I assume are their parents.

Now, watch the show with the sound turned on.

What assumptions did you make about the characters and plot based on the ways in which you interpreted the communication you observed? My assumptions were somewhat right. The people on this show are angry a lot! The parents are unhappy with the way in which the teacher talks to their children. With that being said they continue to keep their children at her (Abby Lee) studio. The children are fierce competitors but fearful of disappointing their coach. They cry if they are not perfect in their performances. There is little fun connected to their hobby.

Would your assumptions have been more correct if you had been watching a show you know well? As I said some of my assumptions were right. The adults are mad but what I missed is how inappropriate they are. None of the adults are teaching the children anything great. I will not watch that show again!

Josie Zbaeren

 

Effective Communicator

The person in my life that is an effective communicator is my Pastor.  The behaviors that make him an effective communicator are he speaks with emotion, confidence, and is appropriately animated (not too much and not too little). He makes eye contact with the listeners. He stands with a presence. He is knowledgeable and compassionate. He can use humor to keep everyone’s interest. He speaks clearly in a group or one to one. His communication follows this principle, "advocates truthfulness, accuracy, honesty, and reason as essential to the integrity of the communication," (O'Hair & Wieman, 2009, pg.15).

I would like to be half the teacher he is. I want others when I teach at the community college to believe me, trust what I am saying is truthful and useful, and I want to do it in a way that brings them joy as my Pastor does every Sunday and every other time he speaks to his congregation.

Josie Zbaeren  

Blog: Professional Hopes and Goals

One hope that I have when working with children and families from diverse backgrounds is that they feel welcomed in our center and that they see themselves in the classrooms. I want children and families to feel safe and comfortable. I hope that my center is well rounded and gives the feeling of acceptance for all!

Side note: I wrote a grant through my community college a few weeks ago to add diversity to our classrooms and got it! I am very excited. I have $4000.00 dollars to get our classrooms up to speed reflecting the families and community we serve. :)

The one goal I would like to set locally for my center is to be an example of diversity, equity, and social justice.

Thank you to all of my peers for sharing all their information through discussions and blogs. I appreciate everyone's willingness to express their personal thoughts and feeling on diversity, equity, and social justice along with all the other topics we discussed over the course of 8 weeks.

Josie Zbaeren

Welcoming Families From Around the World

The family I chose is from Brazil. After researching families in Brazil I found out some interesting facts.

Facts and Culturally Responsive:

1. The language of Brazilian people is Portuguese. I will learn some key words to help the children adjust to my child care center.

2. The common religion of Brazil is Roman Catholic. I would talk to the parent’s about their traditions and find out their family values. I would explain that our center respects all families. The culture of our classroom is reflective of all children and families. I would address who they asked me to on educational related topics (father, mother, or both). In many Brazilian families there is a hierarchy and I would want to know where they stand not to offend their traditional values.

3. The country is diverse in culture. The majority of the population comes from mixed races. Most people come from a mix of European, African and Indigenous ancestry (kwintessential, 2012). I will post pictures that are familiar to the family. Invite them to share photos as well so the children feel represented in the classroom.

4. There is a class order in Brazil, which is based on economic status and color of skin. I would take interest in how they feel about “class” order. I would let them know that we strive for equity in our center and everyone will have the same opportunities to explore, learn, and create as individuals. I would also explain our curriculum on cultural acceptance.

5. Brazilian families are often large and extended family is important. I would meet with the family and have an interpreter available if needed. I would ask what their goals for their children are. I would ask what their experiences with childcare are and how I can help their children feel safe and welcomed.

The ways I hope these preparations benefit both myself and the family is taking away the unknown. I believe getting to know each other’s expectations takes the fear out of joining our early learning center. I want to respect the family as individuals and their values as well. I also want them to understand our mission at my center.

Josie Zbaeren

I chose Brazil for this assignment because my sister in law, her husband, and their daughter are moving to Brazil at the first of the year for her work. They will live and work in Brazil. Chase their daughter will attend 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd grade in Brazil. They have started to learn Portuguese and they are preparing for an exciting adventure!

http://family.lovetoknow.com/family-values/brazilian-family-values

 http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/brazil-country-profile.html

Perosnal Side of Bias

I remember as a child watching the show Different Strokes. This show was about a white family (man and daughter) that adopted two black boys. A guy friend asked the daughter to a dance. He was a racist. She tested him by coloring her skin black like her brothers to see if he would still take her to the dance. He did not take her because he did not want to take a black girl.

He did not look at people of color as equal to him. At the time I did not feel much however it did bring up conversations in our family. It was a time of learning. We are equal regardless of skin color. In this incident the boy would need to change in order for equity to occur.

Josie Zbaeren

Practicing Awareness of Microaggressions

This week I have heard several micro-aggressions. I had my church friends over last night for bunco. Some ladies were signing (being silly) and the song said "gay" in it. One of the ladies mentioned that, “We can no longer use the word gay." Another person replied, "Unless you are wearing pointed shoes and flipped her hand down." I thought the comment was inappropriate and a micro-assault.

The second micro-aggression I heard was while we were changing tables at bunco. A lady said, "where did you get this card table and chairs I think they were made for Asian people they are so little?" Again the comments were insulting.

The third micro-aggression was today from a college student. She was talking about her sister’s basketball game and made the comment about the black girl on the team being really black. I called her out on it and she said, "What I was not being rude I like, it is cool."  

The words of the ladies did not make me mad but I was taken back. I know these ladies and for the most part they are kind, loving people however they are obviously greatly unaware of the effects of their words. I knew I could approach them on the subject of micro-aggressions. I pointed out how their words are a form of racism. It ended up being great conversation. I think they learned a little and I felt good telling them what I have learned. This exercise helped me and others understand how easy it is for us to ignore or unintentionally insult people different then we are

Perspectives on Diversity & Culture

Person one: “Culture is a person’s background and experiences that have made them who they are. Culture generally speaking is a person’s age, ethnicity, disabilities, abilities, family dynamics, socio-economic status, and their geographic location,” (M. Jackson).

Person one: “Diversity is the span of differences between people. Diversity is the things that make people different from each other,” (M.  Jackson).

Person 2: “Culture is your family traditions, values, and beliefs. It is how a person is raised,” (J. Bredfield).

Person two: “Diversity is embracing other cultures that I did not grow up with. It is learning about people’s differences and what they do,” (B. Bredfield).  

Person 3: “Culture is a part of how I define myself. It has numerous aspects for example I am a child of the 7o’s and that affects my thoughts and feelings. My economic status in which I was raised is part of my culture and it molded my views and beliefs,” (A. Williamson).

When I was in the middle of asking this question a white middle-aged man joined the conversation and said we don’t have a culture and were not diverse. He believes because he is not of specific race he does not have a culture at all. “We are boring white class American’s.”

Person 3: “Diversity is the combination of different cultures coming together. It is the differences in beliefs, actions, and values. It is what makes the world interesting. Diversity is accepting that we are all different and that differences are okay,” (A. Williamson).

The aspects of culture and diversity that I have studied and that have been included in the answers I received are culture and diversity are about age, ethnicity, background, where a person lives and is raised, it is about family dynamics, eras, economic status, abilities, disabilities, traditions, and beliefs.

The aspects that were omitted about culture and diversity include language, heritage, religion, education, as well as culture being part of an identity which is ever changing.  That a group of people that share similar qualities for example African-American’s  do not necessarily share all the same beliefs, they may not all like the same foods, music, and they may not even speak the same language.

Listening to others talk about culture and diversity makes me realize that people see more surface culture or diversity rather than culture or diversity as personal. I think diversity is deep and not shallow however it is hard to understand. I think it is important that early educators talk more about culture and diversity and that it looks different to everyone. It can even look different to people in the same family.

Josie Zbaeren

My Family Culture

A description of the three items you would choose:

The three items I would take include a bible, my wedding band, and a small family photo. The bible represents me and my family as Christians, the wedding ring represents my love for my husband and the importance of our marriage in our family structure, and the photo represents the unity of our family.

 How you would explain to others what each of these items means to you?

I would describe the bible as a tool on how to live my life. The bible holds valuable information and stories from the past that teaches me how to act, react, love, care, and treat others. My wedding ring is a symbol of a promise I made to my husband to love, honor and cherish him and our relationship until death do us part. My wedding band includes diamonds from my engagement ring, my mother’s wedding ring, and my grandmother’s earnings from my grandfather. My ring is symbol of forever. Every man I love is represented in my ring and every loving model of marriage I was shown as a child is represented in my ring. I love it! The family picture represents the people I love the most in the world. 

Your feelings if, upon arrival, you were told that you could only keep one personal item and have to give up the other two items you brought with you.

I would feel sad, disappointed, and hurt. I would want to know why. I may even feel angry. I would give up the ring and the picture if I had to but I would not want to.

 Any insights you gained about yourself, your family culture, diversity, and/or cultural differences in general, as a result of this exercise?

The insights I gained about myself is what I feel really matters. I know I want to have a bible with me now and forever. I learned it was not difficult to know what three items I would choose however very difficult to choose between the items.

Josie

When I think of Research

There are a lot of new insights I have gained from this course beginning with the process of researching in general. I loved learning how to get research started, the ethics behind research, and the responsibilities of the researchers to conduct sound bias free research.

I did not realize everything that went into research. I have a better understanding of the amount of time research takes. I also did not understand how confidentiality was guaranteed and what that looked like. I now understand that just because you work for a research firm does not mean you have access to all research projects. Each individual has access to certain parts and concealing information is crucial.

I now understand planning research is a process that is not to be taken lightly. How the research is going to be done, where, the time frame and who is participating all happen during the planning phase.

Designing the research is open to different options or choices. Designing a question for the research is also part of this phase. The researcher has to answer what and how the research is to be done. A clear topic must be defined. Conducting the research is another story. Conducting is the action of the research. It is putting the design into motion. It is collecting data as well as analyzing it.

One of the biggest challenges I encountered was early on writing the literature review. This was hard because it does not allow for a particular writing style it is the facts. I struggled but took it in stride trying to give the information with little of my  own input. I pushed through and moved on.

Through this journey I realized the importance of early childhood educators that dedicate their time to research. It is a daunting task that I could not do on a regular basis. I love learning new ideas and I love observing children and educator’s interacting however the task of formal research is not my love. I respect the work researchers do and appreciate their work.

Josie

Research Around the World!

I looked at the Early Childhood Australia website. I was struggling to find a research focus and finally decided on the article The Swedish National Curriculum: Play and Learning with Fundamental Values in Focus. This article speaks about research on play in combination with values such as, “children’s rights, gender equity, and education for sustainable development,” (Ärlemalm-Hagsér &Sandberg, 2011).  The research piece that grabbed me is the power of play. It is not new news that play is powerful however this particular article gives insight on research that proves quality play has lasting effects. Children that participate and or are exposed to quality play create crucial foundations for educational building blocks for future school success.

 

While reviewing this website I started to understand that early childhood education is growing around the world not just in the U.S. I understand that we are all striving for best practice, new research practice, and insights on brain development.

I guess the noteworthy part of this website is it has a wealth of information and tips. The entire website is worth looking at. I read a little about childhood fears and nightmares. I learned a little about the patterns of dreams and nightmares, what causes them and some tips on helping children cope with them. I gained some new information.

Josie Zbaeren

Arlemalm-Hagser & Sandber, (2011). The Swedish National Curriculum: Play and learning with fundamental values in focus, Malardalen University Sweden, (36)1. Retrieved from
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/

Child Research

I would like to share a personal story about the positive effects of research. My husband Bill has a muscles disease call VLCAD. You may be wondering how his muscle disease has anything to do with children and research. Well, 13 years ago while climbing Mt. Saint Helens Bill was airlifted to St. Johns Hospital after suffering from an episode from his illness. At that particular time he did not know he had a disease. He was a state swimmer in high school, a United States Marine who served his country, and an avid runner. While in the service he was given IV's after strenuous activity, his urine would turn dark brown a sign of dehydration. The problem with that was he was not dehydrated his muscles were breaking down and all of the "junk" from his ripped muscles were going through his body damaging his liver and kidneys.

 

After many doctor's appointments one doctor from Kaiser remembered hearing about a childhood disease called VLCAD and sent Bill to a children's hospital in Portland Oregon called Dornbeckers located at Oregon Health and Science University. Bill was tested and sure enough he was diagnosed with a childhood disease that children die from at birth and while sleeping. Bill’s disease was often mistaken for stillborn deaths or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

 

Bill is currently a part of a research project. The research will last for three years. Last spring he stayed at the hospital for 5 days running tests including physical tests, full body scans, blood tests, and so on. He now takes “medicine” that helps him process long-chain fats. Part of the subjects in the study take medicine that they know helps and some take medicine they think will help more. None of the subjects know which they are taking. The hope is that the drug being tested will work to help people that suffer from the painful disease VLCAD.

 

Research helped the doctor’s understand that people live with VL-Cad, that there is medicine to help, and that children that have VLCAD do not have to die from the stress of childbirth or kidney failure in their sleep. Bill had to suffer through some tests and experience pain from slight muscles breakdown however the risk was worth the benefit. The outcome of the research project may be positive for children with VLCAD.

 

Josie Zbaeren