Mirackes Do Happen

will begin my story by telling you a bit of my health history. It all started with a heart attack sometime in my 40’s and then years later July 08, 2008 I had to have a quadruple bypass with a mitral valve repair. One year later January 2009 I had a pacemaker, defibrillator implanted.

December 15, 2014 with my wife standing by my side I suddenly became dizzy and fell unconscious to the floor. I saw a white beautiful soft light coming toward me. My wife witnessed my defibrillator go off and it brought me back. A reading pacemaker defibrillator showed I was in V-Fib. After this it was downhill all the way. I was in and out of the hospital constantly with congestive heart failure. We saw many Doctors and had multiple tests. I became progressively worse and could not walk more than 40 feet without having to stop and rest and get my breath.

Then by the grace of God I ended up at Vanderbilt Medical center June 2015. The Doctors explained to me that there was a small window of opportunity to be able to surgically place an LVAD (left ventricular assist device) in my heart. I was in that window and without the device I could not live much longer.

I came back from surgery for the LVAD and within a short period of time developed a bleeder and had to go back to surgery. Then I became septic and was gravely ill. During all this my kidneys failed and I ended up on dialysis. Within a few days I developed a cardiac tamponade and had to go back to surgery. I spent months in the hospital and then had to go to Stallworth Rehabilitation Center for Several weeks.

I finally got to go home around October 15, 2015. It was extremely difficult dealing with dialysis, the LVAD, and infections. I had no quality of life. Then in February 2016 while I was in the hospital for an infection one of the Doctors ask me if I had ever thought of having a dual transplant. I told him I thought about it but now I was past the age for a transplant. My wife and I begged them to take a chance on me and after many meetings of the heart and kidney transplant teams they agreed.

April 12, 2016 I received my heart and in a matter of hours April 13, 2016 I received my kidney. By the third day I felt great and told them I was ready to go home.

I was doing extremely well but then a contracted a fungus in my lungs and became very ill. On October 2016 I was admitted to the hospital and was told I had two different fungi that could be deadly. October 2017 my CAT scan showed that the fungi were completely resolved.

So, you see there has not been just one miracle during all my illness but multiple miracles. First of all thank you and praise you to my Lord Jesus Christ! Next, Vanderbilt Hospital is an amazing hospital because of its quality, efficient, dedicated staff. Thank you so very much to all of you. Thanks so much for all the friends, relatives and churches that