PRAYING FOR A MIRACLE; IN NEED OF A HEART

Looking at Gary and Yvonne Lossing and their four well-behaved offspring, it's tough to believe their lives would be anything but perfect. They're the all-American family, complete with dog, cat and color television.

But despite the smiles, the Lossings cope with some tough issues. About six years ago, their 12-year-old son, Kevin, was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. Two weeks ago, the disease finally got to his heart, and now Kevin needs a transplant.

The family moved to Cape Girardeau from Caruthersville more than six years ago, and all the children received checkups simply to establish them with a doctor. All the checkups were fine, except Kevin's.

Dr. Jesse Ramsey noticed he had exceptionally large calf muscles, developed from walking on his toes. Tests showed Kevin had muscular dystrophy, but his parents decided to keep the diagnosis to themselves and let him live as normal a life as possible.

"We decided we wanted to keep Kevin as positive and active as we could," Gary Lossing said. "He continued to do anything he wanted to do."

Kevin spent the summers swimming and playing basketball like anyone else, only a little slower. He finally asked about his diagnosis a year ago. He said he wasn't shocked by the answer. He made a decision.

"I just know I have to live with it; it's going to be like this for the rest of my life," Kevin said. "But there have been some times I just wanted to have the strength to run."

Medication kept things in check until nearly three weeks ago, when Kevin was in class at Schultz School. He went to nurse Pam Stovall complaining of a stomachache. On a hunch, she checked his pulse and found it was racing. Kevin was rushed to the emergency room and later went to Children's Hospital in St. Louis.

The doctors there decided Kevin needed a new heart, but the problem was his muscular dystrophy. There are more than 40 types of the disease, and some would make a new heart worthless.

Now the experts are 95 percent sure he has Beckers, a type not as devastating as the others. They put him on the transplant list, and soon the Lossings will be wearing beepers 24 hours a day.

When the beepers go off, they will have to call Children's Hospital to find out if there's enough time to drive Kevin up to St. Louis or if the hospital is sending an airplane.

When news about the proposed transplant spread through Cape Girardeau and Caruthersville, the communities came together to support the Lossings. While medical insurance will pay most of the bills, there are deductibles and miscellaneous expenses to worry about.

For example, Kevin was fitted with splints for his legs on Thursday. The splints will force his heel down so he can stop walking on his toes. The cost: $3,000.

On top of everything else, Gary Lossing has been out of work for a few months and will start a new job on Tuesday. In the meantime, the family relies on Yvonne Lossing's income.

Cape Bible Chapel, the Lossings' church, and several other churches have raised money for the family. Both JCPenney and Jefferson School, two places where Yvonne is employed, donated to the family, along with hundreds of other businesses and individuals.

"The support of the people, their prayers and thoughts -- it has been so uplifting," Gary Lossing said. "Our first night up at Children's Hospital was so bad; Kevin had had three bouts with his heart. Then we started to get phone calls and people came to see us, and we started to feel more positive."

Yvonne Lossing said the family is looking for a miracle from God to save Kevin's heart, but they're thankful for the option of the transplant. It may be up to a year before a suitable heart becomes available.

In the meantime, she wears two guardian angel pins on her lapel. Kevin wears his St. Louis Rams clothing, plays the drums, watches television, goes to school a couple days a week, and tries to make his life as normal as possible.

"Kevin has always wanted to play basketball and football, and his body won't allow him to do it," his father said. "The kids who have healthy bodies should take every opportunity they have."