Heart-Transplant Anniversary, August 17, 1994 http://www.gmwp.org/vision2013/oda/
by Don Jones
I began my journey on July 1, 1992 at Vanderbilt University Hospital in Nashville Tennessee. Little did I know, that I would wait two(2)years 17 days for my new heart ? After a long wait, I received my call on the afternoon of August 17, 1994. Dr. Yeoh called and said " Com`on Don We`ve got you a heart" ! I thought during this two year wait, that when the call came, and I never doubted that it would. I could drive myself and my wife to Vanderbilt and get my new heart. I was wrong. My mind was racing at 100 miles per hour, my bags packed. My youngest son Rip, was home and said, "Dad, I`ll drive you"! He did and on our way to Nashville, my wife needed to use the bathroom. He stopped at a Quick Stop on I-40 and Hwy 641. As my wife and I went inside, he sat in the car and waited. When we arrived at the rest rooms, both were occupied. The lady`s room cleared out first. There was a young Dad, and his son waiting to use the men`s room. My wife said, "Don go ahead and use the lady`s room, I`ll watch the door". I said no, I`ll wait. My wife looked at the young man waiting to get in the men's room and told him what our mission was, that we were on the way to Vanderbilt to get my new heart. He said "Sir, please use the lady`s room and good luck"! I did, and to make a long story short, it should have been a omen. When I arrived at Vanderbilt, I received a female heart. I actually received my heart under the best of conditions. My Donor was in the next operating room. Her heart was not removed until I arrived. I later found out that this is highly improbable. Dr. Walter Merrill MD, was my surgeon, when I arrived, he assured me that I was going to be fine. Later, I called him "The Great Merrill"! and he was. That was what seems like a lifetime ago. 16 years is a longtime in a transplants life. In this writers opinion, I have been a complete success. Have there been set backs ? Certainly. Have the set backs been worth it ? You bet !Everyone does not get a second chance, I did ! I try to not waste my time and one way of giving back, is My/Our Organ/Donation Awareness Program with my beloved "Freemasons of Tennessee" ! The unsung hero in all of this is my Donor and her Donor family ! She was killed in a traffic accident and had the forsight to have signed her drivers license and talked it over with her family. She gave me "The Gift of Life"! You can now go on-line and become an Organ Donor > Just click on the link > http://www.tndonorregistry.org/index.aspx <
http://www.gmwp.org/vision2013/oda/ <
My bible says that all knowledge comes from God ! It just seems to this transplant, that he gave more knowledge to Vanderbilt than their share ! The forgotten person in all of this is my wife. My wife, nurse, caregiver, pardner, lover, and Mother of my two Sons. She is my rock. I could not have made this incredible journey without her. I am/was Heart-Transplant #189 at Vandy. Today they are well over 600 heart-transplants. I thank God and Vanderbilt for this modern miracle ! Just recently, Dr. Mark Wigger MD, Heart-Transplant Director and my Dr. Saved my bacon again. I had pneumonia, he put me in Vandy three days and I`m well once more. "Thank You" Dr. Wigger and Sherri, my Transplant Nurse ! Just click on the link below to see our Organ/Donor Awareness Masonic Program !
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