A Little Firefighter and Best Friends Journey for new hearts

Chapter 2

Hot shot was in Texas Children's hospital waiting to get a heart transplant. Hot shot was a little nervous and scared. Hot shot was hooked up to a drip of medicine to help hold him off until he could get his heart transplant. Hot shot had a few new friends in the hospital. Hot shot was looking forward spending time with them.

They were all on drips of medicine to help hold them until their transplants. Hot shot was wondering what his first day as an inpatient at the hospital was going to be like.

Hot shot soon found out that the nurses would sometimes wake you up at night. Hot shot didn't like that too much. Hot shot wanted to sleep at that time. But he was told he would get used to it.

The next morning Hot shot woke up. A couple of nurses came in to check on Hot shot. "Morning," Hot shot said.

"Good morning," Quickshadow told him.

"Good morning to you," one of the nurses said. Then the nurses went right to work. They checked all of Hot shot's vitals. They checked his heartbeat, breathing, pulse, temperature, and blood pressure. One nurse said was going to take some blood.

"I have to take some blood for a test Hot shot," the nurse said.

"Why? I had blood taken yesterday," Hot shot said.

"Well when you are waiting for a heart transplant, we have take and test blood on a regular basis," the nurse explained.

"Oh," Hot shot said. The nurse took some blood from Hot shot. It wasn't too bad. Hot shot was glad it was over.

Hot shot was wondering what else was going to happen. The doctors and nurses ran many tests on Hot shot.

Hot shot was soon hooked up to a few machines. "This machine will read what your heart is doing, so we can keep an eye on you," a nurse told him.

Hot shot was able to explore his room. He was able to meet other patients on the CICU heart failure floor. Hot shot also saw his new friends. Hot shot was even able to socialize with them. He even got to know some of the other kids.

Hot shot was wondering when he was going to get his new heart. "When am I going to get my new heart?" Hot shot asked.

"Hard to say Hot shot," Dr. Pierson answered. "It could be days, weeks, months or even a year," he said. "A lot of factors go into finding the right donor," he told him.

"Oh," Hot shot said. "Is there things I need to do after my transplant?" He asked.

"You need to take medicine everyday for the rest of your life, you need to be active, get enough sleep, and eat healthy as possible," Dr.Pierson said.

"Okay," Hot shot said.

A bit later Penny the child life specialist came to his room. "Penny I have a question," Hot shot said.

"Oh what is it?" Penny asked.

"I feel kind of guilty about needing a heart transplant, why do I get to live and someone else has to die?" Hot shot asked.

"That is a normal thing to feel Hot shot and it is okay to feel that way too," Penny told him. "But just remember the family of the donor chose to give you the heart, they chose to give the gift of life," she told him.

"Okay," Hot shot said. "I am kind of scared too how do I stay alive when they take my heart out?" He asked.

"Doctors use a special machine for that to help," Penny answered.

"Oh," Hot shot said. "Will be I be the same afterwards?" He asked.

"You will have a scar, but you will still be Hot shot," Penny told him.

"Okay," Hot shot said.

"Is possible to meet the donor family when I am better from when it happens?" Hot shot asked.

"Yes it is possible, many donor families and recipients meet," Penny said. "Many of them become very close." She told him.

"Wow," Hot shot said.

Hot shot felt better after talking to Penny. He was hoping for his new heart to come soon.

Hot shot was still getting many tests done during the next several days. Other than that things were pretty boring for him. It was hard to find anything to do when there were no tests or checks to do.

But Hot shot's parents brought a few of his things to help with that. Hot shot was able to keep himself busy while waiting. Hot shot was told chances were he might need more intervention while waiting for his new heart. That made Hot shot kind of nervous and he was worried about that.

The team of doctors regularly saw him to make sure he was doing alright.

Hot shot was told he qualified for a wish from make a wish. He was referred by Penny and someone came to talk to him. The lady talked to Hot shot about a few things. To see what he liked to do, liked to have, who he would like to meet, what he would like to be, and where he would like to go. Hot shot thought a lot about his wish. "I want a build a bear to bring awareness to organ transplants," Hot shot said. "Many kids like me are waiting for a new heart or some other type of organ, I think there should be a build a bear for it," he said.

"I am sure the build a bear people will be willing to help," the lady said.

"Oh boy," Hot shot said. He was very excited. One thing Hot shot loved as much as sports was going to build a bear. He loved making the stuffed animals and having a lot of fun making the toy unique to him. It was really fun.

Hot shot was soon showing signs of getting worse a few days later. It had only been two weeks since entering the hospital and he was continuing to decline. So his doctors decided now it was time for the Berlin heart. So Hot shot was taken into the OR. Then he was put on the Berlin heart.

Now Hot shot was back in the CICU. Hot shot woke up from the procedure. He felt a bit better from it. But Hot shot was a bit scared at first seeing it. But his nurse told him it was helping him.

Hot shot now had to wait for his heart.