A Great Golf Tournament!

Thank you to everyone who made the 5th Annual Michael Zimanske Golf Tournament so great!

Special thanks to Jan Larson, Executive Director of Roll With It (RWI), Heidi Schwitchenberg, Founder of RWI, Keith Schwitchenberg, President of RWI and Marco, the Corporate Sponsor of the tournament.

A big thank you to everyone who participated in the golf tournament this year. Whether you golfed, volunteered, or made a donation know that your contribution was recognized. Whatever the donation, big or small, it made adaptive sports and recreation possible for children and adults who otherwise might not participate.

RWI makes our communities aware of the possibility that exists through adaptive sports. RWI participants give us a view of the exceptional and demonstrate in action, "It's not what you push, it's what pushes you."

Consider ways you, your family and friends, or your company could raise funds for RWI in the future. Ask your employer to sponsor a golf team for the Michael Zimanske Golf Tournament in 2012. Keep checking the website for updates about next years golf tournament, other upcoming RWI events as well as various opportunities for you to help RWI.

We are extremely grateful to RWI and many others who fill the empty spot Michael once occupied. Not only do you honor his competitive spirit at this golf tournament but you surround us with love.

It is with deep appreciation we say, thank you!

Theresa, Jessica and Donn Zimanske

Roll With It needs you

Dedicated to maximizing the potential of individuals with disabilities through sports and recreation is the mission of Roll With It (RWI). An organization committed to providing sports and recreation opportunities comparable to those provided for the non-disabled.

RWI operates true to their mission statement. It’s exactly what they did for my son Michael and what they continue to do for others.

Heidi Schwichtenberg, Founder of RWI is a quiet yet assertive basketball superstar. She helped us realize that in spite of Michael's unexpected physical changes, which came from his rare disease SIOD, he could still participate in sports. By more action than words, Heidi showed Michael a wheelchair should not stop him from being the fierce competitor he instinctively was. Those words of truth, coupled with Michael’s “need for speed”, was the beginning of his sheer determination displayed on the basketball court and more importantly, in his life.

In the height of confusing medical appointments and life altering statistics, Michael attended county fairs and integrated basketball scrimmage events promoting adaptive sports with Heidi. Often I thought, we don’t have time for this but I could see the renewed confidence being put back into Michael and our family so we continued. A fast friendship developed between us as we traveled Minnesota with Heidi, discussing and demonstrating the many benefits of RWI. Michael’s personality shined as he showed the crowds the skills he controlled in a small red wheelchair. Simultaneously and somewhat unaware, he learned to let go of other abilities. With a front row seat, we viewed Michael’s disability become a new found ability; the purpose of RWI.

This Monday, August 22, RWI is sponsoring the fifth annual Michael Zimanske Golf Tournament in honor of our hero Michael. One of the many adaptive sports heroes in Minnesota. My family has been eternally changed by the self-less work of Heidi Schwichtenberg, her family and the entire RWI organization. Thank you for making the world a better place for everyone.

Consider your response to participate or donate to RWI once you hear about a young man who didn’t know it was possible to play sports in a wheelchair until he met Heidi and Michael. Now he participates in multiple adaptive sports, thanks to RWI. Out of gratitude, he and his family volunteer at the RWI golf tournament. Another example is from a boy who said, “thanks to Michael and RWI, I can play power adaptive sports now.” His family also volunteers at the tournament because of their appreciation for RWI. These are only a couple stories, there are many that speak of the powerful impact RWI has on real people, right here, in Minnesota.

Please join us this Monday, August 22, 2011 at the Monticello Country Club for the Michael Zimanske Golf Tournament. Whether you can golf, volunteer or donate contact Jan Larson, Executive Director of RWI. The Zimanske Family is grateful for your generosity.

Think about how you can be the Heidi of tomorrow. How can you change someone’s life by giving of yourself. We gather together on Monday, swinging a club, buying a hotdog and pop, reflecting on a boy who gave what he had. Michael rose above his circumstances, giving us the confidence to do the same….Be The Change!

Read a new blog post at the Be The Change website about Katie Lindenfelser and
Children's Lighthouse of Minnesota...

Just like Katie and her dedicated Dream Team, you can Be The Change!

Happy Birthday!

Parents delight in preparing for their child’s birthday celebration, me included. When one of those children is an angel in heaven, preparing for that special day comes with few words adequate to describe it.

Fortunately, I’m surrounded by the love of family and friends, which includes their children, that makes this difficult time period less of a challenge. Such as the recent lunch date with my best friend’s son celebrating his 21st birthday. It reminded me of how anxious Michael would be for his coming of age party. No doubt Michael would have been a part of the evening festivities alongside his birthday buddy. Happy Birthday, Eric!

Our traditional summer vacation, in season seventeen, was enjoyed a few weeks ago, sparking many “remember when Michael” vacation memories. During that week my niece calling back “Hey whatie” to her boyfriends “Hey Julie” was a reminiscent mantra. The sweet sound blanketed my lonely heart as I recalled Michael’s numerous requests of, “Hey Mom” and my reply of, “Hey what”.

There are the emails and shopping preparations being made for a 16th birthday party for my nephew. At his request, a birthday celebration with his aunts and uncle comes with perfect timing. It is complete joy for me to be one of his party planners in the absence of planning Michael’s 20th birthday event. Happy Birthday, Ryan!

For the past six years celebrating Michael’s birth date, without him physically present, has come with ups and downs. Attempts to honor his special day are made, but often fall short of plans trapped inside unfinished. Despite the complexity it’s important, for many reasons, to still celebrate. I believe we honor Michael’s memory best by looking for every opportunity to experience fun and allow others to fill the empty space. Michael loved a party and he never wanted it to end. It’s one of his legacies.

Happy Birthday, Michael! Until we meet again, the party continues. Be The Change!

Map a course

Unlike my husband and daughter who are gifted with exceptional directional ability, I am non-directional. Thankfully I am equipped with other skills to navigate the route of our life, especially with Be The Change.

My life has been infinitely altered by Michael, his SIOD diagnosis, treatment courses and markedly the day he died March 10, 2005. There have been countless days of confusion and unknown direction because of it. Although Be The Change was born from that season, its purpose was clear and mapped long before the title became reality.

Be The Change represents the patient family perspective in healthcare using our real life experiences to strengthen relationships and create partnerships with healthcare providers, outside of medical crisis. Be The Change defines the patient-family-provider relationship and sets a course to a patient family perspective view of the provider perspective.

It took me a long time to realize that as a patient and family member, I came into the healthcare environment with a narrow scope. Despite my vast experience I was only considering what medical providers could do for me. Now much more humbly, I consider what we can do together. I wanted healthcare providers to see beyond the diagnosis and see me, Michael, and our family as real people, but was I willing to see them as real people too. It wasn’t until a unique experience with a neurologist did I fully comprehend what that meant.

Michael and I had been waiting over an hour for his neurology follow-up. Finally, the doctor came in apologizing for the long wait and briefly explained he was detained by a pediatric emergency in the hospital. Outside of words, his face communicated this had been a traumatic experience. I offered him a few minutes to regroup but he respectfully declined. The appointment continued but I knew we needed to alter the normal course of our conversation.

I am a “lets talk about our feelings” kind of person so I asked the neurologist, “What do you do when you leave this place after having a really tough day?” Without warning giant tears escaped from his eyes and he said, “I should ask you the same question, what do you do?”

The direction of our relationship changed instantly after that short emotional conversation. We saw each other in a different light and became partners not only in Michael’s healthcare decisions, but in life choices. Because I began to see him more humanly than medically, it gave way for him to do the same. My initial impression of, “I don’t like this doctor very much” changed considerably over the course of time. In the end, this neurologist profoundly impacted the days I had to resign to Michael’s life course.

Here’s the bottom line. We all have the same basic needs, whether you're a doctor or a mother of a sick boy and we are more the same than different. Each of us whether patient, family member or provider requires human understanding layered with compassion and is made vulnerable by medical situations.

Risking emotional connection might lead to a detour, but it's sure to Be The Change!

Recycle spiral notebooks

They travel back and forth for months and every parent has them in an array of colors. Stuffed in lockers and backpacks, they’re available in wide or narrow and one to three subjects. Often used only partially yet contains a vast amount of random information, they are spiral notebooks.

A rainy summer day my kids would take another look at the spiral notebooks they used the previous school year. I wanted them to decide which pages would be saved and what pages would meet the recycle bin. Left after the data purging was a thinner notebook that still displayed their name, grade and subject. Those leftover notebooks were then stored with hope that the kids could use them again the next school year, which by the way rarely happened. Instead, they usually became the notebooks I used for shopping lists, yearly vacation notes, and recorded Weight Watcher points.

Here are three ways you too can recycle spiral remains taking up space, making them into a helpful medical device for patient family healthcare.

• A recycled spiral notebook is a valuable tool at every medical appointment. It’s perfect for keeping track of current medication including medication changes made during appointments. It’s handy for note taking during appointments, which also provides a running log of information for future reference. A great place for jotting down any questions you think of at home and readily available for the next appointment. Be sure to make your family aware of your medical spiral notebook.

• An additional recycled spiral notebook is helpful for hospitalizations and surgeries. This particular notebook should also contain a list of current medications. It should have emergency contact numbers and valuable information such as insurance phone numbers and location of your living will. It’s the perfect spot to write down questions for hospital medical providers or family members and for taking notes as medical providers provide information. Wonderful place for love notes from family too.

• A recycled spiral notebook is at its best when used as designed, for saving notes. An excellent example, recently shared with me, is to use a notebook for aging parents struggling with memory issues. Writing a note in their special notebook reminds them of the date you were there or of a task that needs to be done or was completed. A simple notebook becomes a tremendous empowering tool that provides peace of mind.

These are just a few suggestions to give patients and family members a green alternative and cost-effective way to store information. I admit it’s not the latest and greatest technology advancement in data storage however; the cost of a spiral notebook can hardly be debated. In just a few weeks we’ll see this affordable item on the cover of every sale ad, many for less than a dollar.

I have two recycled spiral notebooks on my office desk right now. Every time I pull one out I see "Jessica Zimanske Grade 6 English" or "Michael Zimanske Grade 4 Spelling" written on the cover by them. The moment gives pause as I recall their school age faces and the memories held between the covers of those notebooks.

Recycling leftover spiral notebooks has sustainable effects. They are guaranteed to not only enhance your healthcare experiences but memories too. Only potential product warning for recycled spiral notebooks: CAUTION this item may cause you to Be The Change.

"My country tis of thee"....

Be The Change!