By Jennifer F.
“I was diagnosed at age 37 with dilated cardiomyopathy and systolic heart failure. A normal ejection fraction is between 55-70%. My ejection fraction (ef) was 30%. I got an ICD implanted and went on meds, but it never stopped me from doing anything. I worked, took care of my family, traveled, and exercised 5 times a week. I did Zumba, body pump, weight lifting, yoga, and walked. I was always healthy, never smoked, and rarely drank.
Fourteen years later I started retaining fluid in my legs. I attributed it to the cruise I had just been on with my sister in August and the salty food. I managed to get the water off with Lasix, but it kept on returning, even back on my regular diet. I knew something was wrong. My last echo in May showed some worsening leaking valves in my right heart. My doctor had me repeat an echo and my ef was down to 15%. Now my mitral and tricuspid valves were severely leaking. He had me go in for my first-ever right heart catheter in September. We thought I needed a valve repair.
When I woke up from the procedure imagine the shock being told I was not going home. I was not getting a valve replacement. My heart was beyond damaged, and I would need a transplant. My life turned upside down. I was just at the Penn State football game visiting my son, walking the campus, and walked flights of stairs to our seats. How could this even be possible?
Two days later I had an Impella device put in as a bridge to transplant. I had to undergo a lot of testing to get listed. I also have a genetic disorder called A1AD which affects the liver and lungs. I had just found out about it that summer by fluke! I had a liver biopsy done and luckily it was healthy enough to get on the list. I found out I was the universal recipient blood type with no antibodies which was in my favor. This was 10 days after my initial hospitalization.
Just 8 days later I had an offer on a heart. There were mixed emotions of relief and guilt that someone else’s family had just lost a loved one. I was elated yet petrified of what to come, and it made me shake and cry. I facetimed my family to tell them.
My surgery was the next morning. It went very well. As much as the first week was terrible with pain, chest tubes, a partial collapsed lung, and some kidney injury, everyone told me how good I was doing. It was a very dark week for me, but then I turned a corner. I walked a half a lap around the unit with a walker and an oxygen tank. Two days later I walked a full lap on my own. Then I started doing 2 laps a day, then 3! I was allowed to shower! I was eating full meals! At two weeks post-transplant I was released home. What a feeling!
I was only in the hospital a total of 5 weeks, but in that time, I lost muscle and strength. I am getting physical therapy in home to work on building it back. I walked the neighborhood at a snail’s pace but increased my distance each day.
I am slowly returning to a semi-normal life. Just a lot more pills, monitoring of vitals and doctor’s appointments, plus covid-like restrictions. But I AM ALIVE! My heart beats so steady, before I had premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). My blood pressure is finally normal. My fingers and toes are warm! I no longer have nighttime leg cramps!
There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of how lucky I am and how grateful I am to my donor. It is overwhelming and I am overcome with emotion at times. But I am here. LIFE IS WHY! ORGAN DONATION SAVES LIVES!”
YOU can save the life of someone like Jennifer.