VENDOR WRITING

ORGAN DONATION SAVES LIVES

BY NORMA B.

Many of my regular Sunday customers know Larry. Some of you have even given him nicknames. (He’s used to that. For the longest time I didn’t know his name so I called him my “In Full Bloom guy“ because he delivered flowers for the In Full Bloom Flower Shop and the car was unmistakable.) Some of you referred to him as, “my paper runner“ because he would deliver the paper to those of you in traffic that I couldn’t get to before the light changed. (I often tell people I have two speeds: slow and slower.) Others called him, “my publicist” because he would encourage those who were hesitant to take the paper to read it because “it’s really good“ especially if I was in it. Afterward I would often ask, “How do you know that? You just got your paper, and you haven’t even read it yet.“ His reply? “I don’t have to, all your stories are good!“ I even had someone ask me if he was delivering customers when they saw that he brought someone with him to visit me. I said, “Well, sort of — that’s his wife, Dee.”

However, this year brought about an unexpected change and many of you noticed.

On January 18, 2021 I received an email from Dee saying, “Larry’s heart function had declined.” In short, his heart gave out — I guess that shouldn’t surprise me, he has such a BIG heart, and I knew he’d had issues in the past that included one severe heart attack in 1999 that required 5-bypass surgery after an unsuccessful angioplasty in the ER, then a stent that was also unsuccessful.

Around 2000, a defibrillator was implanted — the first of three in a 10 year period.

Ventricle Assist Device (LVAD) to do the work his heart could no longer do.

Clearly he had a decision to make, he could:

1.) Get a heart transplant but to do that he must meet their qualifications, then be approved by a committee 2.) Get an internal LVAD which would’ve been very limiting to his lifestyle, but it would’ve kept him alive 3.) Receive an artificial heart, but it would’ve had to be replaced each year-Yikes! 4.) Do nothing which would’ve meant certain death

You’d think with everything that was going on, there would be very little time to keep others besides immediate family informed about Larry‘s condition but nothing could be further from the truth. Though Larry was obviously incapacitated, Dee made sure that EVERYONE who wanted to know what was going on with him was well informed with detailed daily updates via email. Perhaps most impressive to me was her ability to put all that medical jargon into layman‘s terms that anyone could understand, which is no easy task.

I came to look forward to those daily updates just as I had all those lengthy Sunday visits with Larry on my corner — and if I didn’t get an email, I would worry that something happened, but they always came, often with an apology from Dee if she felt it took too long to get them out.

I must admit, I got to know a different side of her in this situation, she’s normally quiet and reserved, a woman of few words, but not when it came to this.

Equally impressive to me, is the fact that during this stressful time, their primary concern was not that Larry be OK (though that was the desired outcome), instead it was that God be glorified in all this. A true testament to their unwavering faith.

It didn’t take long for the team of doctors (and it really was a team, most from Ascension St. Thomas and some from Vanderbilt) to determine that his heart would no longer support him.Thankfully he agreed to a heart transplant.

he needed two such vital organs, and at his age (he was nearly 70 at the time). It seemed highly unlikely to me that they would find two compatible organs in time, much less that his body could endure the multiple complex procedures involved, but then again, “with God all things are possible!”

By January 22, a donor had been found, the transplants were completed, and the recovery process could begin.

As we approach the one year anniversary of the transplants, I’m happy to report that Larry not only survived the ordeal but he continues to thrive. He reached his doctors' 90 day goals for him in only 46-47 days, meaning he could be left alone, drive a car, etc., truly liberating Larry who has always been independent.

problems he’s experienced since the transplants Larry said, “I struggle with stamina, a lack of strength, and my blood pressure and glucose levels fluctuate more now than ever before." He also mentioned that he’s missed doing his own yard work, but added, “It’s an easy trade off when you consider everything I’ve gained.”

Yes, life is slowly but surely returning to normal, But it’s a "new normal," one filled with mundane reminders of multiple clinic appointments, taking anti-rejection medicine for the rest of his life, etc.

He’s even stopped by my corner a few times. Not for a long visit like before, just a quick drive-by now and then to check in, but even when he wasn’t able to come himself, I knew he didn’t forget about me. How?

He sent his daughter to visit in his place. What a nice surprise!

Through it all, they’ve never felt alone. As you might expect, their family came together — their daughter Keely from Mt. Juliet and son Joel from Houston, Texas came to help their Mom keep watch over Dad. Even Dee’s sister Deb, who is an RN came in from Ft. Wayne, Indiana to help take care of Larry, doing things Dee was unable to do.

A special thanks goes out to their extended family of faith who have said many prayers on their behalf. Many have called, and sent cards and letters of encouragement to Larry and Dee. All of which you can be certain were greatly appreciated!

A Few Facts About Organ

Donation: 1.) 41,354 transplants were performed in 2021 2.) About 107,000 are awaiting a transplant in the US 3.) Every donor can save 8 lives and can enhance 75 others 4.) Every 9 minutes another person is added to the wait list 5.) 17 people die each day awaiting a transplant