Heart transplant survivor shares story
Gets married two months after surgery

Source: WANE TV, Ft Wayne, Indiana

AUBURN, Ind. (WANE) - Bryan Dickman of Auburn, IN said he has a lot to be thankful for today.

He received a heart transplant less than two months ago and walked down the aisle to marry his girlfriend of nearly four years Saturday afternoon.

Bryan got sick in the summer of 2009. At first, he thought he had the flu.

After several tests, doctors soon discovered the problem.

“The doctor read to me that I had congestive heart failure. I needed to go to the hospital right away,” Dickman said. “So I went to Parkview and it was a big struggle for about twelve weeks.”

He was just 28 years old at the time.

Doctors at IU Health Methodist in Indianapolis eventually implanted a device called an LVAD into his body.

It's a mechanical pump that helps with blood flow.

“It's a life support machine, but it allows you to be mobile and get stronger,” Dickman said.

But in March of 2010, Bryan's heart stopped beating.

“I didn't feel any pain or anything. I just kind of blacked out,” he said. “The next thing I know, it was a couple of weeks later.”

Bryan said he died. He was revived after being in cardiac arrest for ten minutes, but would need a heart transplant.

While recover in the hospital he proposed to his girlfriend Kristie Chittenden. She said yes.

Bryan was placed on the transplant list in August of 2010 and finally received good news on April 21, 2011. Doctors had a new heart for him.

“You just hurry up to wait. You hurry up to get down there, “he said. “They check you in and they know you're there. Then you wait until they're ready.”

Bryan received his new heart on Good Friday during a 12-hour surgery.

“I woke up and didn't know for about five days that I even had a heart transplant,” he said.

Nearly two months later, he walked down the aisle with his new bride Kristie.

Bryan and Kristie wanted to share their story and encourage others to become organ donors.

“The guy who donated his heart to me saved six lives,” he said. “And that's a good person to me.”