“You can get severely swollen legs or fluid in your lungs,” E.R. physician Dr. Travis Stork says. “Breathing becomes difficult. You can’t lie down at night. Walking a few feet is almost impossible.”
Every year, thousands of people suffer heart damage and are put on transplant waiting lists. In 2003, Andrea, now 41, began suffering from fatigue, loss of appetite and swollen legs, and was diagnosed with a virus. Three years later, her symptoms returned, she had trouble breathing and experienced an abnormally rapid heart rate. Doctors diagnosed her with an enlarged heart and said she needed a pacemaker. “I was shocked,” she says. “I’m healthy. I’m good. I’ve never been sick.”
Following an eight-hour procedure, Andrea was told that her heart was severely damaged and she needed a transplant. See how a breakthrough technology helped keep Andrea’s new heart beating while she waited for it. And, hear her powerful message to her donor.
Organ Donation
Four-thousand patients are added to the organ transplant list annually, and every day, 18 people will die waiting for a match. The Doctors debate whether the sale of organs should be legal. Where do you stand? Tell us!
• Learn how you can become an organ donor.• Waiting on a heart: How to save a life.
0 COMMENTS:
Post a Comment