Heart and Soul: one woman s journey through a heart transplant
Welcome to the weekly blog of a Donate Life Northwest volunteer who has graciously offered to tell the story of her journey through the organ transplant process. She will post to this blog every Wednesday so you can ride this bumpy road with her. You too will have the opportunity to share your own story with others in our “Share Your Story” Facebook tab next week.
May, 2010
And so IT begins. It’s not that IT’s unexpected, IT’s been in the back of my mind for the last eight years. But now IT’s becoming more textured, more tangible. IT’s a pretty big deal, for me, for my family, for my friends. IT’s the beginning of the organ transplant process. You see – I need a new heart. I need a new heart (sometimes you have to say it repeatedly for it to sink in, at least I do) I need a new heart because my original one, the one I was born with is failing.
And it’s so unfortunate that IT’s not new to me, this whole process. I went through it with my brother. He died. I can’t. I have a teenage son who needs me; a husband and close friends as well. And so my outcome has to and will be different.
Nationally there are 3,144 people waiting for a heart and in Oregon, there are 13 people waiting for a heart – so you can see the magnitude of my situation.
And so this is my story about the journey of receiving an organ transplant. It is a story of not only my old heart and hopefully my new one, but is it also the story of my soul, my being, my feelings and thoughts as I go through this incredible process.
*disclaimer*
The author is a heart failure patient going through the transplant listing process. She also is a nurse and former hospital administrator. She would like to thank Donate Life Northwest for permitting her to post her observations on the Donate Life Northwest website. She also wants to emphasize that all opinions and views stated in the posts are her own and not those of Donate Life Northwest.
Tags: heart transplant, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, organ donation
July 8th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Hi
Thanks for sharing. I believe your willingness to share your experience will provide comfort and hope to other heart failure patients and their families and friends.
More than 30 years ago, at the age of 23, I was a reluctant participant, with my sister and brother, in my mother’s dealings with progress heart failure due to pulmonary hypertension. Her journey ended in 1981, the year the first successful heart-lung transplant was performed at Stanford University.
At the age of 54, although she would have met all of the criteria currently used to be considered a recipient for heart-lung transplantation; it was not a consideration at the time. There was no hope, little comfort, and no outlet to share.
With your story, you are giving hope, providing comfort, and giving those faced with the needed for organ transplantation an outlet for sharing.
July 9th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
I remember when my doctor came into my hospital room and told me I needed a new heart. It’s a good thing I was already lying down, that way I couldn’t fall over in disbelief. I was so blindsided that I couldn’t think of anything to say or ask about what was about to happen next.
July 20th, 2010 at 10:33 pm
I came across your story on Facebook and wanted to tell you to be strong….like I am sure you have heard 100 times. My daughter who is almost 2 received a heart transplant when she was almost 4 months old! It is the journey you never thought you would take…but with strength and family…you will also get through it! I look forward to reading your blogs!