Heart Transplant Provides the Gift of Time

Steve's blood clot was resolved with the medicine he received, but he remained in critical care at The University of Kansas Health System for 1 month while his heart got stronger. During this time, his heart care team found another hurdle: Steve was born with a congenital heart defect called a bicuspid aortic valve. This condition had caused the main valve between the heart and body, the aortic valve, to break down over time and fail.

"The valve failure led to the heart failure," the cardiologist says. "We needed to replace the valve, but he also needed mechanical support to keep him from dying of the complications associated with his valve failure."

The mechanical support the cardiologist was referring to is called a left ventricular assist device, or LVAD. An LVAD is a surgically implanted mechanical pump that helps the heart get blood to the body. It can be used to help heart failure patients survive until they are able to receive a heart transplant. Or it can remain in the body for several years – improving a person's quality of life. In Steve's case, the LVAD was a temporary solution until a new heart became available.

With his LVAD, Steve was able to return home and live a mostly normal life. His heart failure symptoms and quality of life greatly improved. He was doing so well, in fact, that when he was offered to be put on the waiting list for a heart transplant, he declined.

"I had just started a new job, I didn't want to disappear right away," he says.

But within 3-4 months, Steve was waitlisted for a new heart. Then, while watching the movie Dunkirk at the theatre with his family, he got the call that a new heart was waiting for him.

"I jumped out of my seat and ran outside to answer it," he says. "I wasn't expecting it. I was excited and sad at the same time. I knew someone had lost their life."

The surgeon performed Steve's heart transplant surgery. The surgery took about 9 hours, and when Steve awoke, he got good news.

"The surgeon gave me a big smile and said the surgery went well," he says.

Steve remained at the hospital for about a month to heal, but he was up and moving quickly. Within 8 weeks, he was back at his job as a software manager for Garmin. He also completed a 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program to help him regain strength and learn strategies for a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Today, Steve is mostly back to his old self but with a few restrictions.

"I can't have sushi anymore because of the medication I'm on, and I'm a huge sushi fan," Steve says. "But being alive is a better gig. It's a very small tradeoff."

Since his surgery, Steve has been able to get back to one of his favorite hobbies – woodworking. He makes custom furniture using hand tools and is currently working on a potting bench for his wife, something he would not have had the energy to do before his transplant. He also enjoys spending time with his family doing what he calls "normal family stuff" like playing board games and shuttling his 2 sons from place to place.

"The gift of a new heart is the opportunity to save a life," he says. "It's the gift of time – time with my family and friends that I would not have had. Hopefully, I get time to see my kids grow up and have kids of their own."

Steve says he thinks about all he went through and feels grateful to his care team at The University of Kansas Health System. Of course, he thinks about another unforgettable hero – his donor.

"My donor gave me their heart; they've given me everything. Without them, I wouldn't be sitting here today," he says. "I'm forever grateful that their sacrifice allowed me to live, and I can only hope I live up to the potential of the loved one who was lost."