{"id":354,"date":"2026-04-04T22:33:38","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T22:33:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/?p=354"},"modified":"2026-04-09T20:19:42","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T20:19:42","slug":"ready-set-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/","title":{"rendered":"Ready, Set, GO!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We want to emphasize how acutely aware we are that while our pleas and prayers may be answered, it will be at the expense of another family\u2019s deepest tragedy. To receive the gift of life for Kya, another family must say a final, heartbreaking goodbye. We hold this reality with the utmost reverence. Their courage in their darkest hour is the bridge to Kya\u2019s future, and we carry that awareness in every breath we take. Please hold space not only for us, but also for the donor, their family, and the legacy of life they leave behind.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

READY<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I began by packing my life into three specific suitcases:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#1 The Transition Bag \u2013 essentials for the intermediate \u201cin-between.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#2 The Long -Term Bag \u2013 more clothes and comforts for our new \u201chome away from home.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

#3 The Transplant Bag \u2013 my \u201cgo-bag\u201d for the hospital, ready at a moment\u2019s notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Kya, we also packed a few pieces for comfort: her art supplies, a bed-rail fan and phone holder, and her stuffed \u201cPiggy,\u201d of course. We brought duplicate games like Yahtzee, Uno, and Battleship so she can play virtually with friends and family, keeping those connections strong.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SET<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our Nashville Arrival<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A missed check-in time lost us our original housing, but we were led to an alternative that served us better. We also found a long-term \u2018home\u201d. It\u2019s quiet, comfortable and less than 20 minutes from the hospital. It\u2019s a sanctuary for us as we bounce between Birmingham, Nashville, and the hospital. The owners have extended such kindness and understanding, topped off with a welcome basket. We are so grateful for this home away from home, and grateful for all the suggestions and connections you sent our way!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eli\u2019s health remains stable. He is home finishing his spring semester and taking care of the household duties when Eric visits me and Kya in Nashville. Our incredible neighbors have also stepped in to care for our dog, ensure our grass is cut, and just keep a watchful eye, ready to help at a moment\u2019s notice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Window Seat<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kya\u2019s spirits are courageous, resilient, and even humorous – she recently named her stubborn IV pole \u201cEli,\u201d after her brother. The care at Vanderbilt continues to be exceptional. The staff recently moved her to a larger room, even moving furniture around so she could sit by the window. It was a herculean task given the 15+ wires she is connected to, but sitting in some sunlight makes a world of difference and they insisted on doing it because that\u2019s what Kya wanted.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connection<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve experienced so many points of connections or \u201cGod-winks\u201d. Kya\u2019s nurse has a stuffed animal (a moose) called \u201cmoose\u201d – a perfect match for \u201cPiggy\u201d; our rental home has a single coffee mug with a \u201cK\u201d on it (for Kenny and Kya); and a chance meeting at the store led me to someone whose spouse just received an organ transplant. There is so much comfort in these connections. We are not alone.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Board games<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

GO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Transplant Status<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When we received notice that Kya is officially listed as Status 2, the world stopped spinning for a moment. It was heavy, pivotal, and reassuring to know there is movement toward prolonging her life. It\u2019s been a journey of heartbreak, frustration, grief and exhaustion. It\u2019s a moment to mark, yet difficult to describe. I sense there will be similar moments ahead, carrying great emotional magnitude. We know it\u2019s possible her status can change. We know she might wait weeks or months. There may be many false starts, but we are here for all of it.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow Our Journey on Social Media<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve launched social media pages. For real-time updates, connect with us here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Facebook: www.facebook.com\/TeamHamUpdates\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instagram: www.instagram.com\/teamhamupdates\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Support the Journey<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We are constantly moved by your kindness and generosity: THANK YOU<\/strong>\u00a0for the overwhelming love you have shown our family! You have likely noticed the fundraising goal on our COTA campaign page. It\u2019s a big number because a transplant is a lifetime journey, and COTA helps us prepare for so much more beyond the surgery. And multiply x2 since we anticipate Eli will also need a transplant in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • A Lifetime Safety Net: 100% of all funds raised in honor of Kya and Eli are administered by COTA for transplant-related expenses for their entire life.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • What COTA Funds Cover: Transplant-related expenses such as travel, lodging, co-pays, medications and other cardiac-related care that insurance may not fully cover.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Professional Oversight: COTA is a 501(c)3 charity. They own and administer the funds, ensuring every dollar is spent strictly on documented medical and transplant-related expenses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Security: COTA funds are not personal income. They do not jeopardize Kya and Eli\u2019s eligibility for other critical programs. \u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Partner With Us<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    If you own a business or work for a company with a heart for giving, please know that donating to COTA is exactly like donating to other 501(c)3 organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • 100% Tax-Deductible to the Fullest Extent of the Law: Any business donation is a legitimate tax deduction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Corporate Matching: Many companies have matching gift programs that COTA is eligible for. You can search COTA\u2019s database to see if your employer is already set up to give.  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Your generosity to COTA for Team Ham is building a permanent foundation that ensures Kya and Eli will always have access to cardiac and transplant care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \"\"
      Just a little nap…we are resting when and where we can <\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      We want to emphasize how acutely aware we are that while our pleas and prayers may be answered, it will be at the expense of another family\u2019s deepest tragedy. To receive the gift of life for Kya, another family must say a final, heartbreaking goodbye. We hold this reality with the utmost reverence. Their courage […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2059,"featured_media":356,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-354","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nReady, Set, GO! - COTA for Team Ham<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ready, Set, GO!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We want to emphasize how acutely aware we are that while our pleas and prayers may be answered, it will be at the expense of another family\u2019s deepest tragedy. To receive the gift of life for Kya, another family must say a final, heartbreaking goodbye. We hold this reality with the utmost reverence. Their courage […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"COTA for Team Ham\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"www.facebook.com\/TeamHamUpdates\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-04T22:33:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-09T20:19:42+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6381\/2026\/04\/IMG_7074-scaled.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2069\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Angelia and Eric Ham\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Angelia and Eric Ham\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/\",\"name\":\"Ready, Set, GO! - COTA for Team Ham\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6381\/2026\/04\/IMG_7074-scaled.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-04T22:33:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-09T20:19:42+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/#\/schema\/person\/c51a7c44bf1d67b21cb7d76e7a4bc6c1\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6381\/2026\/04\/IMG_7074-scaled.jpeg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6381\/2026\/04\/IMG_7074-scaled.jpeg\",\"width\":2560,\"height\":2069},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Ready, Set, GO!\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/\",\"name\":\"COTA for Team Ham\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/#\/schema\/person\/c51a7c44bf1d67b21cb7d76e7a4bc6c1\",\"name\":\"Angelia and Eric Ham\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/caf6363cab3cf035a05c99c8b4742152d912e25267754800139e33fecbc9067f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/caf6363cab3cf035a05c99c8b4742152d912e25267754800139e33fecbc9067f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Angelia and Eric Ham\"},\"sameAs\":[\"www.facebook.com\/TeamHamUpdates\/\",\"www.instagram.com\/teamhamupdates\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/author\/mattthomas\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Ready, Set, GO! - COTA for Team Ham","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Ready, Set, GO!","og_description":"We want to emphasize how acutely aware we are that while our pleas and prayers may be answered, it will be at the expense of another family\u2019s deepest tragedy. To receive the gift of life for Kya, another family must say a final, heartbreaking goodbye. We hold this reality with the utmost reverence. Their courage […]","og_url":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/","og_site_name":"COTA for Team Ham","article_author":"www.facebook.com\/TeamHamUpdates\/","article_published_time":"2026-04-04T22:33:38+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-09T20:19:42+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2560,"height":2069,"url":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6381\/2026\/04\/IMG_7074-scaled.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Angelia and Eric Ham","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Angelia and Eric Ham","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/","url":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/","name":"Ready, Set, GO! - COTA for Team Ham","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6381\/2026\/04\/IMG_7074-scaled.jpeg","datePublished":"2026-04-04T22:33:38+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-09T20:19:42+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/#\/schema\/person\/c51a7c44bf1d67b21cb7d76e7a4bc6c1"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6381\/2026\/04\/IMG_7074-scaled.jpeg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6381\/2026\/04\/IMG_7074-scaled.jpeg","width":2560,"height":2069},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/2026\/04\/04\/ready-set-go\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Ready, Set, GO!"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/#website","url":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/","name":"COTA for Team Ham","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/#\/schema\/person\/c51a7c44bf1d67b21cb7d76e7a4bc6c1","name":"Angelia and Eric Ham","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/caf6363cab3cf035a05c99c8b4742152d912e25267754800139e33fecbc9067f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/caf6363cab3cf035a05c99c8b4742152d912e25267754800139e33fecbc9067f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Angelia and Eric Ham"},"sameAs":["www.facebook.com\/TeamHamUpdates\/","www.instagram.com\/teamhamupdates\/"],"url":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/author\/mattthomas\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2059"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=354"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/354\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/356"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cota.org\/cotaforteamham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}