Moments of Being Scared and Great Relief.

     The wild adventure of heart failure and the ups and downs of waiting for a new heart all these long years finally came to an end. In May 2021 I was admitted to the hospital after a routine right heart catheter because my EF and heart output was dangerously low. I was informed that I would not be able to leave the hospital until I received a new heart.

     On June 12th, I got the word from my nurse that day to go NPO and a heart is on its way and will be in surgery that night. I was scared, excited and relieved all at the same time. The procedure went well and waking up in the ICU, I did not fully know where I was and how I felt yet.

     The first week in the hospital I was recovering very well, I became known as the star wars guy, because my family bought me several legos and I proceeded to build them 2 days out, 4 days out and 7 days out from transplant. I was discharged from the hospital 10 days after initial surgery and was extremely sore but felt like a new man.

     The initial moment I knew that my heart was running well was on the Sunday after transplant and they took me fully off the medications that kept my new heart from not collapsing my artery's and veins, I had sooo much energy that day and felt like I did prior to heart attack in 2014.

     Immediately from coming home, I felt like I wanted to go walk everyday but soon found out that my body still needed to heal not ready to push too far. Taking medications and getting used to the effects of them was a new experience but luckily I did not have too many issues with the side effects.

     During this time I could not see my beautiful 5 year old daughter and still had to do face-time because I was still critical in terms of catching an infection, one day she showed up with her mom and was in the in the backyard. I was able to be on the balcony and see her in person and give her reassurance that daddy was going to be ok, it was a beautiful moment.

     The first month back I was getting used to having this new heart, every night I would meditate and talk to the heart accepting it and wishing it to continue its journey with me and be prepared to go on many adventures! It was still difficult to move around with my chest feeling like an axe went through it and the many doctors visits and by this time had 2 routine heart cath’s and biopsy to check for rejection. Thankfully there was none to be seen!