Wisconsin Man Celebrates 25th Anniversary Of Heart Transplant

[kookookachoo]

It amazes me how far medical science has progressed. I can still recall hearing about the first heart transplants..

McFARLAND, Wis. -- Heart transplants were experimental 25 years ago, and the life expectancy for those receiving transplants was short.

So when Wisconsin resident Jim Ryan went into a Minnesota hospital in 1983 to receive a heart transplant, his long-term odds for survival were bleak.

On Saturday afternoon, Ryan celebrated 25 years of beating those odds.

Jim Ryan was suffering from cardiomyopothy, a disease that causes the heart muscle to become inflamed. His only chance of survival was a new procedure then deemed very risky.

He celebrated with those who helped him survive for the last 25 years.

more > Wisconsin Man Celebrates 25th Anniversary Of Heart Transplant - Madison News Story - WISC Madison

[pk]

On Saturday afternoon, Ryan celebrated 25 years of beating those odds.

Always great to read a story like this.

[kookookachoo]

I agree.. you know I once thought to start a thread on another forum of nothing but good news I found around the Net.. found I couldn't find enough to keep the thread going. Guess this would have qualified!

Originally Posted by pk

Always great to read a story like this.

[pk]

Seems like we started a thread in one of the sections with good stories?? Maybe in the break room?

Could be I was just thinking about it and did not do it?

I know we have a section for tidbits with short stories which are always kinda fun. I think I last added one about the 33 year old that stole her daughter's ID and went back to high school. lol Sometimes you just have to sit back and shake you head at some of the things people will do. lol

But good human interest stories, stories with happy endings. Love to read them. They make you think the whole world isn't always falling apart.

[pk]

found I couldn't find enough to keep the thread going

Sometimes it's not the quantity but the quality that keeps it going. It's always good to read a few than none at all. If we don't have it already, a thread may be something to interest members.

[CarolsCritterCare]

that is wonderful news.

My dad waited 2 years for a new liver. His was destroyed by hemochromotosis...we didn't even know what it was until my dad was on his death bed. The docs were great and pulled him back many times over the 2 years awaiting his new liver.

My dad received one of the livers from that Church shooting that happened in Brookfiled a few years back.

He was a 4 yr liver transplant survior .... and passed away August 4, 2008
YouTube - My Dad

Don't take your organs and tissues to Heaven ~ Heaven knows we need them here!

[kookookachoo]

I think donating organs is a wonderful idea if you can... I'd be all for it but I'm afraid most of mine are shot already!

[CarolsCritterCare]

Dont let these 10 Myths Confuse you about Organ Donations

Myth No. 1. If I agree to donate my organs, my doctor or the emergency room staff won't work as hard to save my life. They'll remove my organs as soon as possible to save somebody else.

Reality ~ When you go to the hospital for treatment, doctors focus on saving your life — not somebody else's. You'll be seen by a doctor whose specialty most closely matches your particular emergency. The doctor in charge of your care has nothing to do with transplantation.

Myth No. 2. Maybe I won't really be dead when they sign my death certificate. It'll be too late for me if they've taken my organs for transplantation. I might have otherwise recovered.

Reality ~ Although it's a popular topic in the tabloids, in reality, people don't start to wiggle a toe after they're declared dead. In fact, people who have agreed to organ donation are given more tests to determine that they are truly dead than are those who haven't agreed to organ donation.

Myth No. 3. Organ donation is against my religion.

Reality ~ Organ donation is consistent with the beliefs of most religions. This includes Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam and most branches of Judaism. If you're unsure of or uncomfortable with your faith's position on donation, ask a member of your clergy. Another option is to check the federal Web site OrganDonor.gov, which provides religious views on organ donation and transplantation by denomination.

Myth No. 4. I'm under age 18. I'm too young to make this decision.

Reality ~That's true, in a legal sense. But your parents can authorize this decision. You can express to your parents your wish to donate, and your parents can give their consent knowing that it's what you wanted. Children, too, are in need of organ transplants, and they usually need organs smaller than those an adult can provide.

Myth No. 5. I want my loved one to have an open-casket funeral. That can't happen if his or her organs or tissues have been donated.

Reality ~ Organ and tissue donation doesn't interfere with having an open-casket funeral. The donor's body is clothed for burial, so there are no visible signs of organ or tissue donation. For eye donation, an artificial eye is inserted, the lids are closed, and no one can tell any difference. For bone donation, a rod is inserted where bone is removed. With skin donation, a very thin layer of skin similar to a sunburn peel is taken from the donor's back. Because the donor is clothed and lying on his or her back in the casket, no one can see any difference.

Myth No. 6. I'm too old to donate. Nobody would want my organs.

Reality ~ There's no defined cutoff age for donating organs. Organs have been successfully transplanted from donors in their 70s and 80s. The decision to use your organs is based on strict medical criteria, not age. Don't disqualify yourself prematurely. Let the doctors decide at your time of death whether your organs and tissues are suitable for transplantation.

Myth No. 7. I'm not in the greatest health, and my eyesight is poor. Nobody would want my organs or tissues.

Reality ~ Very few medical conditions automatically disqualify you from donating organs. The decision to use an organ is based on strict medical criteria. It may turn out that certain organs are not suitable for transplantation, but other organs and tissues may be fine. Don't disqualify yourself prematurely. Only medical professionals at the time of your death can determine whether your organs are suitable for transplantation.

Myth No. 8. I would like to donate one of my kidneys now, rather than wait until my death. But I hear you can't do that unless you're a close family member of someone in need.

Reality ~ While that used to be the case, it isn't any longer. Whether it's a distant family member, friend or complete stranger you want to help, you can donate a kidney through certain transplant centers.

If you decide to become a living donor, you will undergo extensive questioning to ensure that you are aware of the risks and make sure you're giving away your kidney out of pure goodwill and not in return for financial gain. You will also undergo testing to determine that your kidneys are in good shape and that you can live a healthy life with just one kidney.

You can also donate blood or bone marrow during your lifetime. Contact your local chapter of the American Red Cross for details on where you can donate or sign up.


Myth No. 9. Rich, famous and powerful people always seem to move to the front of the line when they need a donor organ. There's no way to ensure that my organs will go to those who've waited the longest or are the neediest.

Reality ~ The rich and famous aren't given priority when it comes to allocating organs. It may seem that way because of the amount of publicity generated when celebrities receive a transplant, but they are treated no differently from anyone else. In fact, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), the organization responsible for maintaining the national organ transplant network, subjects all celebrity transplants to an internal audit to make sure the organ allocation was appropriate.

Myth No. 10. My family will be charged if I donate my organs.

Reality ~ The organ donor's family is never charged for donating. The family is charged for the cost of all final efforts to save your life, and those costs are sometimes misinterpreted as costs related to organ donation. Costs for organ removal go to the transplant recipient.

[CarolsCritterCare]

How Do I Donate My Organs?

Signing a donor card or your driver's license does not guarantee that your organs will be donated. The best way to ensure that your wishes are carried out is to inform your family of your desire to donate. Doing this in writing ensures that your wishes will be considered. Hospitals seek consent of the next of kin before removing organs. If your family members know you wanted to be a donor, it makes it easier for them to give their consent.

If you have no next of kin or you doubt your family will agree to donate your organs, you can assign durable power of attorney to someone who you know will abide by your wishes. A lawyer can help you prepare this document.

[CarolsCritterCare]

Being an organ donor can make a big difference, and not just to one person. By donating your organs after you die, you can save or improve as many as 50 lives. And many families who have lost a loved one who became an organ donor say that knowing their loved one helped save other lives helps them cope with their loss.

It's especially important to consider becoming an organ donor if you belong to an ethnic minority. Minorities including African-Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, Native Americans and Hispanics are more likely than whites to have certain chronic conditions that affect the kidney, heart, lung, pancreas and liver. Certain blood types are more prevalent in ethnic minority populations. Because matching blood type is necessary for transplants, the need for minority donor organs is especially high.

[CarolsCritterCare]

Based on Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) data

Waiting list candidates 99,571 as of 09/16/2008

Transplants January - June 2008 13,813 as of 09/12/2008

Donors January - June 2008 6,986 as of 09/12/2008

[CarolsCritterCare]

Becoming an organ donor - Wisconsin Department of Transportation

Anyone can be a potent