Pre-Transplant
Meeting Carolyn, the love of my life, changed my perspective on life. We connected immediately, often staying up half the night talking about everything and sharing endless laughter. With this instant connection, we decided to get married and set our wedding date for November 9th. Feeling uplifted by this newfound love, I realized it was time to revisit the specialist regarding my heart condition. I underwent a stress test at McKay-Dee Hospital, where the doctor recommended I return to Intermountain Medical Center to consult with heart failure specialists experienced in treating my condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. On March 13, 2024, I met with these specialists and learned that I would likely need a heart transplant. Despite this, I was feeling relatively well with the help of adjusted medications. The news was shocking, as I had been feeling better, though I still experienced days of fatigue. Carolyn and I shared the news with our family. Around this time, I also began experiencing issues with my gallbladder. Doctors suggested removing it to prevent complications during a future transplant. On April 2nd, I had a pre-surgery consultation with the surgeon. The plan was to admit me to the ICU to "tune up" my heart using medication and a Swan-Ganz catheter to monitor heart pressures. Once my condition was stable, they would proceed with the gallbladder removal. On April 15th, I was admitted to the hospital, and after three days of monitoring, the surgery to remove my gallbladder was successfully completed. I spent a week in the ICU for recovery. My next appointment with the heart failure doctors was on May 30, 2024, during which I underwent a pulmonary function test. At this appointment, I learned that my heart function was declining, prompting the start of the transplant screening process to rule out other serious conditions, including cancer. My diagnosis had also worsened to hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy with diastolic heart failure. The transplant coordinator arranged various tests, including CT scans, X-rays, bone density tests, and additional pulmonary function testing. They also drew thirty vials of blood to test for a range of conditions, including alcohol, drugs, nicotine, and HIV. It was a comprehensive screening process because receiving a donor heart means that someone else must lose their life, and the recipient must be in optimal health. Over the next two months, I completed all the required screening tests. On July 15th, I returned to the Heart Failure Clinic in Murray, Utah, to review the test results with my doctors and meet with the heart surgeon, the financial department, the dietary team, and a social worker. The doctor entered the room and said, "Your heart is very sick; you really needed a new heart yesterday." She planned for me to be admitted to the ICU again for a final test, a colonoscopy, before being placed on the heart transplant list. After years of not feeling well, I was eager to receive a new heart and hopefully feel much better, but I was also nervous. We agreed with the doctor's recommendation, and she began setting up my admission date for July 23, 2024. After meeting with the heart failure doctor, Carolyn and I proceeded with the other appointments, including consultations with the heart surgeon, financial department, dietary team, and social worker. Next, we met with the heart surgeon, who explained the entire procedure and answered all our questions and concerns. He explained that once I was on the transplant list, they would receive "offers" for donor hearts. The doctors would review the donor's medical history and heart imaging to determine if it was suitable. If the heart was deemed appropriate, a doctor would travel on an organ transport jet to harvest the heart. The surgeon explained that he would physically inspect the heart, and if it met all criteria, he would give the "green light," and preparations for my surgery would begin. I was amazed by the complexity and coordination required for this procedure, but it all made sense. After meeting with the surgeon and the rest of the team, everything was set, and my ICU admission was scheduled for July 23, 2024.