SUNDERLAND: A successful surgery – and living with a power cord

Thanks to the tireless work of my medical team at Intermountain Medical Center, my surgery appears to have been successful.

Inside my body is an LVAD, which is pumping blood through my veins and arteries better than it has in months. Attached to my hip and never to leave my side is its battery and control pack.

One side of the device is wired through a strange-looking hole in my stomach up to my heart. The other side of the machine is equipped with what looks like a standard power cable.

Honestly, it’s a little surreal being able to plug yourself into the wall.

It’s also scary to know that if I treat the LVAD’s batteries like I do my cellphone battery — well, I won’t be around long in this world.

Some other observations about my new mechanical parts:

• I no longer have a discernible pulse. I don’t understand the science behind it – but the doctors assure me it’s fine.
• It’s cold, but also hot! Seriously – my hands and feet never warm up, but my ears are constantly on fire. Weird huh? Again, not sure why.
• The process of placing sterile bandages over my chest wires is very complicated. Every part is designed to minimize the chance of infection, because if the area were to become infected it would travel straight to my heart.
• I am apparently lucky, since I can’t feel the thing inside me. Smaller people can actually feel and some claim to be able to hear the device. If it weren’t for the external parts, I might forget it was there.

So what now?

I’ll likely be in the hospital for another week or so as my medical team attempts to stabilize me enough to be put on the transplant list and be discharged.

The evaluation for a heart transplant is intense – they do a massive amount of testing to see if you can handle a new heart.

Any number of things can make you ineligible for a heart – including your weight, family history, mental health and even financial inability to pay for medications.

Thankfully, my doctors are very hopeful about getting me on the list as soon as possible.

In the meantime, I’ll be living in Salt Lake City for at least a month as I participate in follow-up treatment from my LVAD surgery.

Thanks for the support!

I just want everyone to know how grateful I have been for all the kind words, thoughts and prayers.

Your kindness toward my family and myself has been amazing and I am so thankful to live in a part of the country where we help our neighbors.

In case anyone wants know more about the LVAD surgery – I am posting photos below. However, beware! The photos are graphic and somewhat gruesome.

RELATED CONTENT:

My heart failed, and today I become part machine