Anderson, Baumann overcome medical
challenges to find continued success
By Danielle Strenke Britt Baumann and Jake Anderson have had to deal with challenging medical conditions that would test the will of any adult. Yet these two seniors at North Branch High School have endured and overcome all those challenges. Looking at Baumann and Anderson, especially on the basketball court, it is difficult to comprehend what the two have been through in the last year. For Baumann, it was a diagnosis of Graveís disease and surgery to repair a torn ACL. For Anderson, it was heart surgery to repair a defective valve. Both battled back not only to return to their regular daily lives at school, but to excel as starters on the athletic field as well. Both are multi-sport athletes ñ Baumann was the kicker and punter on the Viking football squad and Anderson started at wide receiver and defensive back this fall. This season, both are starting guards on the North Branch basketball team that is enjoying tremendous success at 13-0 and first place in the Rum River Conference. In the spring, Baumann leads the boys tennis team at the No. 1 singles spot and Anderson is a starting pitcher on the baseball team for the Vikings. Anderson did not have any idea there was a problem with his heart until he went to the doctor for what he thought would be a routine sports physical before the start of seventh grade. The doctor found a valve in his heart was not functioning properly ñ the valve opened to allow blood to flow in but was not closing fully, a condition known as incompetence. Jakeís parents, Ed and Peggy, said they were shocked to hear that Jake had something wrong. After the case was reviewed by a cardiologist, they knew Jake would have surgery at some point in his life. ìThey knew how active he was, so they wanted him to continue to play sports,î Ed said. ìWe knew it was coming, but they told him to just enjoy playing.î The cardiologist wanted to wait as long as possible for surgery, until Jake was done growing, Peggy said. ìWith the valve not closing, they knew it was enlarging, but wanted to wait to make sure he wouldnít have to have more than one surgery.î ìThe specialist said I could keep playing sports,î Anderson said. Last winter, however, Anderson heard differently. ìThey said I needed surgery to repair the valve,î he said. Anderson was told that he would have the surgery during the summer and it was unlikely that he would be playing football in the fall. He said he was unsure whether he would be able to play sports at all during his senior year. The surgery last June at the University of Minnesota involved removing his aortic valve and replacing it with his pulmonary valve. In place of the missing valve, doctors installed a heart valve from a donor. Anderson said everything went well with the surgery, until the new valve burst open.
The team of doctors worked fast to repair the damage and Anderson received several blood transfusions. He knows it was serious, but is able to talk about it very matter-of-factly. ìThe anesthesiologist worked fast so I didnít die or whatever,î Anderson said. Peggy and Ed waited through 13 hours of surgery to hear that their son was OK. ìThe nurse came out and said he was OK,î Peggy said. After that, surgeons observed Jake for 45 minutes. It was during this time that the sutures ruptured and Jake started losing blood. ìI heard that door squeak and the nurse came back out, I knew something was wrong,î Ed said. ìI just kept asking her what?î Peggy said. The nurse explained that Jakeís sutures had ruptured because of a softness in his heartís tissue. The doctors havenít figured out why the softness was there, but Peggy said they guessed it could have been from a simple infection.
Three hours later, the nurse returned to say their son was okay, but they couldnít guarantee that Jake didnít suffer brain damage from the loss of blood. ìIt was so scary,î Peggy said. His parents could barely make it through the night before returning back to see Jake the next day. When they found out Jake was awake, it was a huge relief. ìWhen we came in and he could nod his head and answer us, that was great,î Ed said. Following the surgery, Anderson had a long road to recovery ahead. At first, he was unable to walk because his feet had sustained nerve damage as a result of the surgery. ìI had to relearn how to walk,î Anderson said. ìI didnít think Iíd even be able to play sports again.î Slowly, everything started coming back to Anderson and after only four days in the hospital, he returned home.
Physical therapy continued for the next eight weeks of his recovery period, including two times a week working with a physical therapist and working with the help of his father, Ed each night at home. The therapy was more of a challenge for his parents than for Jake. ìHe worked his butt off as soon as the doctors said it was okay for him to exercise,î Ed said. ìHe worked 5 to 7 times a day to get his arm strength back.î Anderson said he lost about 45 pounds during this time, but the physical therapy helped him get his strength back. ìI needed it to get back in shape,î he said. When the football season began last August, Andersonís doctors told him he could play, but was prohibited from any contact during the opening weeks of practice. By the start of the season, Anderson was ready to resume his position working both defense and offense and was able to drop the now once-a-week physical therapy sessions. Peggy said the doctors assured them that Jake was ready to play football, so they werenít concerned. She was more concerned when the basketball season started. ìI was concerned because of all the cardio stress, the running,î Peggy said. Jake excelled on the football field, earning all-conference for his efforts. He also excelled in the classroom, earning a spot on the honor roll and achieving a Spotlight on Scholarship award through the Minnesota State High School League.
In November, Anderson moved on to basketball. He said basketball has come with different challenges than football. ìIt was hard at first because itís so much running,î Anderson said. ìI get more fatigued and itís frustrating that I canít go as hard as I did last year.î Anderson said the coaching staff, led by Head Coach Bill Baumann, realized his limitations. ìHe knew about it, so he didnít push me as hard,î Anderson said. He continued working hard and has not missed starting a game this season. He still isnít able to run as hard as he used to and Anderson knows he becomes tired faster during games. Off the court, he is limited to a light workout in the high school weight room, but those are his only limitations. With the surgery and physical therapy behind him, Anderson said his heart condition is not something he dwells on. He is reminded each day when he is taking two different pills ñ one to control his blood pressure and the other to take stress off of his heart. ìI still think about it, but not when Iím playing,î Anderson said. He also knows that his doctors have told him that he will have to undergo another surgery in his lifetime. ìTheyíll put in a mechanical valve next time,î he said. Ed and Peggy are hopeful that the implanted valve will function properly for 15 years or more. With Jakeís decision to not play football at Southwest State University next year, Peggy said the valve could last even longer. A mechanical valve would most likely mean the end to strenuous sports activity for Jake, Ed said. Although Jake still has slight mobility problems in his toes and feet, Ed and Peggy are relieved that he is back to normal. Anderson said he is thankful that he has had the support of his entire family throughout this time, including his parents Peggy and Ed, two brothers and three step-sisters. Baumann went through his junior year on the basketball squad feeling fatigued all the time. ìI was getting tired in basketball games a lot,î he said. A trip to the doctorís office last February discovered Graveís disease, or overactivity of the thyroid gland. Also called hyperthyroidism, the disease causes a general speeding up of all chemical reactions in the body. It leads to symptoms including tiredness but unable to sleep, anxiousness, shakiness and irregular or fast heartbeat. For Baumann, weight loss was also a symptom. His parents Carol and Bill were concerned, he said. ìI lost 35 pounds really fast,î Baumann said. Baumann started treatment last May at the same hospital where Anderson had surgery. The initial treatment involved ingesting a radioactive iodine pill that concentrates on the glandular tissue to slow down the chemical reactions throughout the body. ìI missed school because I had to stay away from people for three days because of the radiation,î Baumann said.
When doctors knew the treatment was successful, Baumann was put on a daily regimen of antithyroid medication that he will continue for the rest of his life. He also had a blood draw every two weeks during the first few months of treatment until his doctors found the correct dosage to control hormones in his thyroid.
Just when he started feeling back to normal, Baumann suffered another medical setback. During a summer basketball tournament in June he tore his ACL in his right knee. Surgery to repair the torn ligament was scheduled on the same date as Andersonís was originally scheduled. Andersons surgery was postponed, but both surgeries were still performed at the U of M hospital. Baumann also underwent months of physical therapy to regain full use of his knee. ìIt took about two months to start kicking with it again,î Baumann said. ìThree weeks later I could start running, and four months later I could play basketball.î The physical therapy was decreased from three times a week to once a week and now Baumann needs no regular physical therapy. He said the treatment for the Graveís disease and the physical therapy on his knee have made him feel much better. ìI feel way better than I did last year,î Baumann said. ìMy knee feels good, just a little sore after games.î In the fall, Baumann was able to return to his starting position on the football squad, and helped lead the team to a very successful season. He also set the team record for most career field goals and earned both all-conference and a spot on the Associated Press all-state team. Baumann was recently recognized for his achievements by the North Branch School Board, receiving a student recognition award. He maintains a successful academic career as well with a 3.9 GPA and a consistent spot on the A honor roll. Neither Baumann nor Anderson are the type of people who seem comfortable talking about themselves, particularly when it comes to talking about how well they play sports. Both said they donít see any specific challenges from their illnesses when playing basketball and they are just pleased that the team is doing so well. ìWhen you look at this team and how many guys are injured, itís pretty cool that weíre playing well,î Anderson said. ìWe were expected to do well, but we needed to just get out there and put everything together, and I just wanted to get out there and win games.î ìItís pretty cool,î Baumann said. For coach Baumann, the difficult aspect through Brittís illness was not coaching him on the basketball team.
ìThe toughest part was dealing with it and seeing him struggle,î Baumann said. ìWe couldnít figure out what was wrong with him ñ I just thought he wasnít trying hard.î Baumann said it definitely affected the team last year because Britt was only able to play for a few minutes at a time before becoming fatigued and coming out of the game. When the diagnosis finally came back as Graveís disease, Baumann said it was a relief. ìWe knew it was curable and heíd be able to come back and play again,î he said. This season has been a complete turnaround as far as his sonís ability to stay on the court, Baumann said, even after the ACL surgery. ìAt the beginning of the season we worried about his knee, but everythingís been great,î he said. ìItís great to see him back at 100 percent again.î Baumann said both Britt and Jake have maintained positive attitudes throughout their medical setbacks ñ something that he believes has been a key factor in their recoveries.
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