- E
To those of you reading, thank you. My husband of 17 years, Walt Taylor (age 43), was born with a congenital heart defect that caused him to have open heart surgery when he was 5 years old. The defect was corrected, but not without long term consequences. He was left with a constricted heart valve and lungs exposed to very high pulmonary pressures. Through the years, Walt has had multiple surgeries including atrial ablation, ventricular ablation, several pacemakers replaced, and an ICD device inserted into his chest. In his 30s, Walt was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure. Nine years ago, Walt was officially diagnosed with Arterial Pulmonary Hypertension, a fatal lung disease with no known cure.
All medical options have now been exhausted; Walt is on 2 sustaining continuous IVs, and was recommended to have a heart/double lung transplant both by Mayo and University of Nebraska Medical Center. We were referred to Duke University in Durham, NC, as very few places do this double organ transplant. Walt & I, along with our 9 year old son, Nicholas, have fully-relocated to Durham, NC. Walt completes physical therapy & classes every day in anticipation of receiving the transplants he needs to survive.
The cost of our relocation, lost income for the majority of 2014-2015 and foreseeable future have been tremendous. Walt's team of doctors have indicated he should be officially listed on the transplant list within the next week, and is expected to have a long recovery, as a heart/double lung transplant is extremely traumatic on the body.
To ask for support has been such a personal, humbling decision. We don't want anyone to feel obligated or pressured. However, should you want to contribute, Walt and I would be beyond grateful for your act of kindness in our time of need. Thank you so incredibly much for your love, support, encouragement, and contribution to this fight.
We’ll be posting updates on this page on Walt’s physical therapy and journey toward getting his new heart and lungs. Walt would love to hear from you, so please feel free to leave comments for him on this page!
All medical options have now been exhausted; Walt is on 2 sustaining continuous IVs, and was recommended to have a heart/double lung transplant both by Mayo and University of Nebraska Medical Center. We were referred to Duke University in Durham, NC, as very few places do this double organ transplant. Walt & I, along with our 9 year old son, Nicholas, have fully-relocated to Durham, NC. Walt completes physical therapy & classes every day in anticipation of receiving the transplants he needs to survive.
The cost of our relocation, lost income for the majority of 2014-2015 and foreseeable future have been tremendous. Walt's team of doctors have indicated he should be officially listed on the transplant list within the next week, and is expected to have a long recovery, as a heart/double lung transplant is extremely traumatic on the body.
To ask for support has been such a personal, humbling decision. We don't want anyone to feel obligated or pressured. However, should you want to contribute, Walt and I would be beyond grateful for your act of kindness in our time of need. Thank you so incredibly much for your love, support, encouragement, and contribution to this fight.
We’ll be posting updates on this page on Walt’s physical therapy and journey toward getting his new heart and lungs. Walt would love to hear from you, so please feel free to leave comments for him on this page!