Our Brave Little Firefighter Hot shot and BFFS Heart Journey

Chapter 4

Hot shot was in the part of legacy tower used for patients with heart failure. Hot shot knew his friends were there too. Hot shot's heart was failing due to his defects and all the stuff that had been done to help his heart. But now his heart couldn't take much more and was failing. Hot shot's only option now was a heart transplant. He needed a new heart.

Hot shot met a lot more people who were going to help him during the transplant process. Hot shot met a transplant child life specialist. He met Dr. Dreyer too. He meet a transplant coordinator as well. Some of the people Hot shot already knew were apart of his care team currently. His cardiac child life specialist. His nurses, Dr. Riley his pediatric cardiologist. His cardiac surgeon Dr. Adachi. He also had his social worker too. 

All of these people were going to help Hot shot during the transplant process and after transplant too.

Hot shot had a lot of questions about heart transplants and was wanting answers. This morning Dr. Dreyer was checking on him.

"Dr. Dreyer I have some questions," Hot shot said.

"I will try my best to answer them," Dr. Dreyer said.

"Why does someone else have to die so I can live?" Hot shot asked.

"Many transplant patients ask that question Hot shot," Dr. Dreyer said. "It is a sad thing, but remember many donors or the family of donors chose to give their organs to help others," he said. "It is a selfless thing to do," he said.

"Oh okay," Hot shot said. "Is it normal to feel guilty about needing a transplant?" he asked.

"Yes completely normal," Dr. Dreyer said. "Even adults who need organ transplants from someone who has died feel guilty too," he said.

"How long will I have to wait to get my heart transplant?" Hot shot asked.

"Hard to say," Dr. Dreyer said. "It can be a few days, or a few weeks, or few months, or even year or longer," he said. "It depends on a lot of things, such as blood type, distance, and size," he said. "The donor must be the same blood type as you and closest to your size," he said. "The donor also can't be too far away because there is a narrow window of time after the organ is removed when it can be put inside the patient before it is no longer good," he said. "But doctors like us have ways now to make the time window longer now for some patients," he said. 

"Oh okay," Hot shot said. "Will I need to take medicine?" he asked.

"Yes you will need to take medicine before and after your transplant," Dr. Dreyer said. "A lot of the medicine you take after transplant you will need to take for a the rest of your life," he said. "it will keep your body from rejecting the new heart," he said. 

"Oh okay," Hot shot said. "Can I spend time with friends, go to school, visit family, and go places like the zoo?" he asked.

"Yes going to school will have wait until you are 3 months post transplant," Dr. Dreyer said. "But spending time with friends, going to see family, and going fun places you can go and do, but you need to wear a mask for the first six months post transplant." he said. "But the first three months you can't do things out too far you need to stay in a three hour driving area for the first three months after transplant so we can help you if needed," he said.

"Will my new heart last forever?" Hot shot asked.

"No Hot shot, most heart transplants last at least 10 years, but others it lasts longer if well taken care of," Dr. Dreyer said. "Most people especially kids will need another heart transplant later in life, some sooner rather than later, but some need one much later in life, it depends on a lot of things, some need another transplant shortly after the first, it depends on many things," he said. "But hopefully yours will last a long time," he said.

"What if my body starts to reject the new heart?" Hot shot asked.

"Then you will come to the hospital first we will give a lot of medicine to stop the rejection and probably change medication and see if that helps. If that works we will send you home after a few days see you for a while close together after that to make you are doing okay after what happened. If that doesn't work we will try more than on medicine over the course of several weeks until we find the one that is best for you," Dr. Dreyer said. "If that doesn't work you will be put back on the transplant list and we will keep giving you antirejection medicine until another heart is found and remove the current donor heart and replace it with a new one," he said. 

"Mummy says I need to avoid sick people why?" Hot shot asked.

"Because transplant patients can get sick more easily." Dr. Dreyer said. "They are more likely to get very sick from a minor illness because the antirejection medicines weak the immune system to keep it from attacking the new organ because it thinks it is dangerous." he said. "So sick people must be avoided," he said. "You also can't get certain immunization shots because they have live germs in them an that is not good," he said. "Other shots you can get," he said. "But some you will never get," he said.

"Oh okay," Hot shot said. "Can I live a normal life with a transplant?" he asked.

"Yes you can," Dr. Dreyer said.

"Will I still need to see my cardiologist?" Hot shot asked.

"Yes and you will still need to see me to, so we can make you are doing well with your transplant," Dr. Dreyer said.

"Can I meet the donor family when I am recovered from transplant?' Hot shot asked.

"Yes you can," Dr. Dreyer said. "Many recipients and donor families met and become friends and keep in contact," he said. "Because it helps the donor families realize they did a good thing and that their loved one lives on through someone else," he said.

"I hope to mee them after I get it when the time comes," Hot shot said.

"We will do our best to make sure that happens," Dr. Dreyer said.

"I feel better now that my questions have been answered." Hot shot said.

"I am happy to hear that." Dr. Dreyer said.

Hot shot was hoping soon to have his new heart.