Heartfelt: A Candid Account of My Wife's Heart Transplant from the Eyes of a Husband, Turned Caregiver

“Your wife needs a heart transplant and will not get better without one.” This shocking statement was directed towards me behind closed doors in a well-used but sterile hospital exam room. Such huge words and unknown issues. What do you do with this news? This is so far beyond “Take these pills and call me in the morning!” We are just a normal couple from the Midwest; what do we know about transplants? This is the story and timeline of our medical crisis and our journey.
Caregivers are an integral participant in the process of transplantation. While they can’t leap tall buildings in a single bound, they do need some super-human traits. They need to be brave and fearless in the face of adversity. The ability to calmly take action when “the offer” comes. They need to maintain and manage a mountain of information and accurately answer questions from family and friends. They need unbridled faith, extreme patience, and never-ending hope.
Follow our story from transplant through recovery, as we overcome the crisis with the help of a world-class medical community and the support of family, friends, and neighbors.