Grandma and Grandpa Clinker: Artifical Heart Reunion

My Dad and My Daughter at the Artificial Heart Reunion

It has been 6 years now since my Dad's artificial heart and heart transplant. The artificial heart was a Left Ventrical Assist Device (LVAD). We went to the reunion for the artificial heart recipients this year. It was so good to see the Doctors and Nurses that took such great care of my Dad. For those who don't know or remember, my Dad was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure in June 2001, he received his artificial heart - LVAD on July 25, 2002. He really struggled recovering from the surgery. He had a hard time with his blood pressure dropping and his vitals staying stable. After a little more than a week, they finally started to take him out of sedation. It was really something else getting use to the sound of the artificial heart. Every now and then I would quit listening to conversations and listen to the heart work, wanting to gain the security that the heart actually was working. I should have had the faith in it, the alarm is so loud when the batteries are low or if the heart malfunctions and quits. Anyway... had he not been lucky enough to have the LVAD, I don't think he would have been healthy enough to survive a transplant surgery. At the time he did get the LVAD, they had only given him 24 hours to live with the LVAD. He regained his strength and did receive a heart transplant on September 16-17. We are always thankful for the donor and his family and their generosity in giving so many people second chances and better lives. Although we were celebrated the second life that my dad was given, we did mourn for the loss that the donors family would be experiencing. I hope that they are proud of the son that they raised to be so unselfish and to think so much of other people, in his life and in his passing.