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| Journal photo by Tim HyndsDonor heart recipient Steve Stille of Storm Lake is shown in a trauma room at Mercy Medical Center-Sioux City Wednesday, March 30, 2011. Stille was twice flown to Mercy after having heart attacks. He received a donor heart at University Hospitals in Iowa City. Sioux City Journal photo by Tim Hynds |
Steve Stille of Storm Lake, Iowa, is an imposing presence, but no match for a seven-pound organ in his body.
The 6’6” graduate of Storm Lake High School played center and later forward at the University of South Dakota. He even scrimmaged with pals in a basketball league.
When he awoke in the middle of the night with flu-like symptoms in March 1997 – over the Easter weekend – he tolerated his bad health until Monday. When he didn’t seem to be recovering, his wife suggested a visit to the doctor.
“They drew blood and, I use this term literally, came tearing back into the office,” he said. “They told me I was going to the hospital. I was having a heart attack.”
Health care providers sent Stille’s EKG to Mercy (then Marian Health Center) Medical Center – Sioux City.
“My sister (Deb Trizila) worked in cardiac care at the time and later told me her ears perked up when she heard an EKG coming in from Storm Lake,” he said. “She later told me when she saw the results, she was convinced I was never going to make it.”
Stille’s left anterior descended artery – “Among health care providers they call it the widow maker,” he quipped – was badly damaged.
“The doctor didn’t mince words on how serious the situation was,” Stille said. “He said they considered putting stents in my heart, but figured that would kill me.”
Hindsight being better than foresight, Stille admitted he had some clues. His dad was 49 and died from a heart attack. Stille had Type 2 diabetes.
“But I didn’t know genetics were such an important component in heart disease,” he said. “And diabetes tends to mask heart attack symptoms. I had no chest pain. No pain anywhere. Just those flu symptoms.”
After spending a dozen days at Mercy, Stille was sent home to begin cardiac rehabilitation.
“A normal person’s heart runs about 65 percent capacity; mine was at 9 percent when I had the heart attack,” he said.
In November 2008, Stille was taken to Iowa City for further examination. His energy level had decreased. The decision was made to put Stille on the list for a heart transplant. The call came within four months.
“I had my bags packed. So did my wife (Becky) and daughter (Sarah),” he recalled. “But my wife was at the beauty shop getting her nails done and we couldn’t wait, so we called her and took off. She later told me, she threw a $50 bill down, yelled, ‘My husband’s getting a heart transplant; I’ll settle up with you later!’ and ran out the door.”
On the four-hour drive, Stille and his daughter chatted about fun things.
“I was excited, yet apprehensive,” he recalled. “I tried to remain positive about what was going to happen and not put doubts in my mind. Most important, I thought about the donor.”
Stille was able to see Becky, Sarah and other daughter Meredith prior to becoming the 256th heart recipient at the University of Iowa hospital in March 2009.
“I remember laying in the operating room and, on my left, never seeing so many instruments in my life. And there were more at my feet and more on my right,” he said. “I asked the nurse if they were going to use all of them and she replied, ‘Only if they need to.’”
The surgery went well. Stille walked 50 feet the next day and ate a full lunch.
“There was some discomfort, but I had prepared for the worst,” he said. “I would have gone home after six days – the fastest recuperative time they ever had for a transplant – but I developed some fluid in my chest that seemed to have some bacteria in it, so I remained there for almost three weeks.”
Since then, Stille has had 17 heart biopsies. He’s scheduled for another next week at Mercy, to ensure there’s been no rejection of the new heart, which came from an unknown individual.
“They can’t tell me gender, age, race, anything,” he said. “I’ve written two letters and plan to write a third, which is forwarded to the donor family. I want them to know about me and how thankful I am for this gift of life.
He continued, “I think about the donor every day and the family. I say a prayer for them. It’s humbling to realize the sacrifice somebody made for me.”
A somewhat private person, Stille shares his story when he thinks it might make a difference.
“I only hope when others hear my story, a family or individual, when they have a difficult choice (organ donation) to make, they are willing to make that choice,” he said.
In fact, explaining his gratitude leaves the 63-year-old Stille at a loss for words.
“This was such a life-changing event for me,” he said thoughtfully. “I just want to reassure the family or individual who made this sacrifice for me that I am taking good care of their gift.”
Stille paused, reflected and said, “I just feel so blessed.”
FAQs
April is National Donate Life Month, encouraging individuals to consider the gift of organ donation. However, people still harbor some misunderstandings about the process. Here are some Frequently Asked Questions and Answers.Q: I carry a donor card and it is in my will that I want to be a donor, so do I still have to tell my family?
A: Even with first person consent/donor designation, it is still recommended that you inform your family of your wishes to donate so there are no surprises at the time of your death. Some states do require consent from your legal next-of-kin for donation to occur.
Q: Won't donation cost my family a lot of money?
A: There is no cost to the donor's family for organ donation. All costs related to donation are paid for by the organ procurement organization.
Q: Can I still have an open casket funeral?
A: It is extremely unlikely that the process will disfigure the body or change the way it looks in a casket.
Q: Will anyone really want my organs if I'm elderly?
A: Anyone, regardless of age, can be considered for organ donation.
Q: Can organs be given to different racial groups or individuals of the opposite sex?
A: In most cases, race and gender are not a factor. However, organ size is critical to match a donor heart, lung or liver with a recipient.
Q: Can the donor family meet the recipients?
A: The identity of all parties is kept confidential. The donor family and the transplant recipient may receive information such as age, sex, occupation and general location. Individually, the recipient may be told the circumstances of death and the donor's family may be informed of the transplants that were performed and receive information about the health status of the recipients. Donor families and recipients are encouraged to communicate with each other through the organ procurement organization. While the initial contact is anonymous, families and recipients may decide to communicate openly after a period of time and if both parties are interested, they may meet.
-- Iowa Donor Network website
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