Last Friday we started the process to be evaluated for a heart transplant for Teresa. Yes, just a heart transplant, not a heart/lung transplant. To even be considered for a heart transplant is a miracle all by itself. I still can not believe that Dr. Hanna feels she is at this point after being told for almost two years it would NEVER happen.
To say the process was stressful is an understatement. I knew a little about what would be involved but we were not fully prepared for the enormous amount of information that was presented . There is just so much to learn, plan for and consider.
We first met with the transplant coordinator. She discussed the whole process from pre transplant to post transplant. We learned Teresa could be matched with a heart from a donor 80% her size to twice her size. Her wait time to receive a heart depends on her wait list status. 1A status are patients who are the most critical and are in the hospital. 1B status and then 2 status. Teresa would be a 2 status because she is waiting at home . She will be tested for Panel reactive Antibodies. High PRAs lessen the chance of receiving an organ that will not be rejected. Rejection occurs when the body tries to destroy a transplanted organ . Almost all transplants are rejected at some point with the average heart lasting 10-15 years before she would require another transplant.
This is usually a surprise to most parents but 10 years sounds wonderful to me considering what the alternative is right now for Teresa.
Next we met with the Psychologists . I think she wanted to see if we would be mentally stable enough to go through this process . I think we fooled her because she seemed to be very content with all of our answers . (I wouldn't say Ed and I are mentally stable right now considering the past week ) but if she thinks we are, we're going with it. Her last question was "How are we handling all the stress ?". I don't know what answer she was looking for or what is considered the correct answer. I could see Ed was going to answer that question with , "How do you think we are handling the stress? We have 9 kids , 5 special needs daughters, one daughter gets a blood transfusion every 3 weeks another is in heart failure, another is getting ready for surgery, our insurance may drop us in July , I am self employed and losing money because I had to take off today to come up here and answer this ... question ". BUT luckily I intercepted the question first and told her why we had chosen to adopt Teresa and how we rely fully on GOD to help us with the stress . We take one day at a time .
The pharmacist was the next stop. We had a "test" on all of Teresa's current medicines . After she felt comfortable that we were not missing any doses and we would be capable of giving her the new meds. post transplant she allowed us to move on to our next stop.
Blood tests- 14 vials of blood !!!! The phlebotomist was unsure if she would be able to walk after losing so much blood , but she did great . She didn't even cry .
The day ended with us speaking to one of the transplant Cardiologists. He was in the process of reviewing all of Teresa's medical history and was unsure yet what his decision would be. He did say he had never seen a child survive a heart transplant with lungs in the condition Teresa's are. We definitely did not want hear this . But yesterday we met with Dr. Hanna and he is the expert on Pulmonary Hypertension and he feels she would survive the transplant but it would be VERY high risk and she could struggle for a few weeks.
Yesterday we also met with the nutritionist . Her main concern is Teresa's weight . She has plateaued at 29 pounds and needs to gain more weight . She gave us a lot of helpful advice on how to add calories to all of her foods.
After another echo. , 6 minute stress test, EKG and more blood work we were done!
We arrived home last night totally exhausted from the whole process.
We are now trying to figure out (should their answer be "Yes") , how we will juggle everything. (mostly life at home while i am gone with Teresa). Another major concern is if our insurance will cover the transplant and if so how much of it . Since Ed is self employed we purchase our own insurance. For the past five years our insurance premium has doubled every year because of all the girls medical requirements. This past July, after having Teresa on it for one year our insurance once again doubled and stated the increase from "over usage". I can only imagine what it will be this year especially after seeing Heart Transplant Evaluation on the statement this week. The insurance department of the transplant team suggested that most families do fundraising to cover what insurances do not .The estimated U.S. average first year heart transplant fee is -$787,700 . O.K.....just for ONE YEAR !
Trying to wrap my head around all of this information has left me feeling in complete panic. When I think of it all , I just don't know how it will all happen . But then again a year ago we did not think a heart transplant would happen and here we are being evaluated . So obviously God is in complete control and moving things in the direction of His Will.
Should Gods will be a heart transplant - we are praying for peace and to trust that God will work out all of the what ifs...
Should Gods Will not be a transplant - we are praying for the same thing.
Sometimes, if God doesn't give you the Miracle , you will be the Miracle for someone else...
