Tara’s Journey Heart and Liver Transplant

There are moments in life when you realize just how precious life can be. I’m sharing a story of Tara’s Journey in her words. Please consider donating to help her family get through the medical expenses to come and toll that has already been for them..

 

Tara’s journey

 

So, I am still waiting to hear the grand plan. I'm not sad to still be at home though! I figured it take a minute to give a little info and background to how I got here.

I was born without my right ventricle and I had a year to live. Well, I blew that out of the water. I had a cardiac banding done which I honestly I have zero idea what it did except it kept me going until I was 17ish years old. At that point, I was significantly ill. I was blue and purple in color, had awful migraines and had to take a nap every day after managing a day in high school. So as a senior, in January of 1995 I had my Fontan. It was not an easy surgery and a really rough recovery. I had 3 chest tubes placed while awake in the ICU (I kicked a Dr when they said I needed the 3rd). I spent weeks in the ICU, passed out when the nurse walked me down the hall, needed my chest pounded a zillion times a day because I had fluid retention in my lungs. I was in the hospital for a pretty significant amount of time. When I got home, I had a tutor for school but I continued to pass out randomly. I did eventually make it back to school and went away to college. In my my first college class ever, I vomited and passed out! Way to make an impression! After some time figuring out how to better care for myself, I was able to do most everything I wanted to do for so long. I really had no limits. I graduated, got married, adopted the 2 most amazing kids anyone could ask for. About 10 years ago, things got a little wonky but nothing I couldn't handle until my liver decided to involve itself. A Fontan anatomy has its own internal pressure and when that pressure increases, it causes leaks and a back up of blood into the liver which eventually causes cirrhosis. So about 6 years ago, I was in bad shape, went to the hospital leaving my family in Florida on vacation and found out I was in heart failure and my liver was failing. Lots of med changes helped a great deal and I seemed back on track although not as strong or energetic. Everything got harder. As years passed, my energy went down, my weight went up, and I was definitely working harder but couldn't do half of my normal. The last 2 years have been worse. Everything seemed to go south at once. Heart failure got worse, liver got worse and my ability to function disappeared.

My current situation: The pressure in my Fontan is high and I can feel it in my chest and that's what's causing my veins to break and bleed in my legs and now arms. I'm medicated to the max and there isn't anything that meds can fix now. Nothing will improve so tranplant is the only option. I am incredibly lucky that I am a candidate because not all have this opportunity♡