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5 Heart and the List

 The last couple days have been frustrating, exhusting and long...but so good at the same time! 

After waiting a day and a couple pushed back surgery times Mike got an Impella Heart Pump placed on 8.7.24. This is the world's smallest heart pump and it helps to maintain blood flow and pump his heart. So far it is pumping triple the output that he was doing on his own. He will have this in until he gets his new heart. With help from a nurse he will be able to do laps around the unit floor and keep up his muscle tone, physical therapy is scheduled for everyday at 11am. Mike is thankful to be able to work from the hospital until he gets a heart so he can keep his mind busy. We hope to settle into a better rountine and schedule by the end of this week/beginning of next week. Of course I am sure we will be thrown curve balls, but at least all the tests and inital visits for the transplant list is over. 

Mike's first walk after getting the Impella:



Mike has been moved to a different part of the hospital and is now in the Meijer Heart Center on an ICU floor - 5 Heart. He will remain here until heart day! He has a nice big comfy room tucked into the corner of the hospital, lots of natural light and his amazon fire stick is all ready for football season! We are making it more like home each day. Sadly Mike cannot accept gifts of flowers, plants, food, or latex balloons while he is here. 

On August 8th he was offically listed as a level 2 on the Heart Transplant List! We are excited and extremely nervous for this next chapter. It is weird to pray for a heart...someone has to die for that heart...a family has to grieve for that heart. A nurse the other day I think said it best. Don't think of it as someone has to die, people are going to die anyway. Think of it as someone who is already going to die and something good is coming out it. This not only helps us, but also the grieving family, knowing that their loved one is living on and helping others. 

I do have to warn everyone about the dry run. A dry run is when we get the call that we have a heart. They prep Mike for surgery and the heart gets to the hospital. From here Dr. Hooker will need to examine the heart and be sure it is the right fit for Mike and his body. Mike requires a big heart, no suprise there as we all know Mike is a big guy 6 foot 5 inches! He also requires an O+ blood type heart as well. It may take a bit longer to find this, however it could happen any day. If the heart is not a good fit they will pass on the heart and Mike will stay on the list. This is called a dry run. 

All in all he is settling in to his new room and recouping after surgery. We are so thankful that he had that appointment on August 1st and we didn't go to Alpena for the long weekend. Each day in this past week his heart has declined and got weaker. God stopped us in our tracks and put us where Mike needed to be...His perfect timing! We still can't believe that this is all happening...but it is and we will adapt and grow with it. 

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