Hello folks! My name is Mark Plombon and I am on the waiting list for a heart transplant that is scheduled for sometime soon after May 10th 2023 as soon as a heart becomes available. I am 51 years old and live in Buhl MN. I've been a member of the Ironworkers Local 512 out of Duluth for nearly 20 years. I live by myself, never been married and have no children. I've been unable to do ironwork for 2 years now because of advanced congestive heart failure that began when I was about 35 years old. My heart only functions now at less than 10% efficiency.

I was considered to be a heart transplant candidate about two years ago when my healh started to really go downhill, I was hospitalized and near death because of my condition at that time. After spending over a week at St. Mary's hospital in Duluth I was prescribed medications, a strict diet, frequent follow up appointments and heart monitoring and able to go home.

At this time I was eligible for a heart transplant but declined to be put on the transplant list. I was just planning to "ride out" the rest of my days through medications and by taking care of myself. Mainly because I was feeling much better and I felt that, since I had no children, spouse, or anyone that was "dependent" on me, that I was much more "expendable" and that a donor heart would be much more valuable and necessary for someone else who had children or family that "depended" on them. Plus, I wasn't very "health conscience" throughout my younger years and probably should've taken better care of myself.... And, as most of us know... "Ya think you're gonna live forever" when you're young.

About a year later (a year ago... March 2022), I started rapidly going downhill again and ending up in the hospital for typically at least one week out of every month. I knew and "accepted" then that my time was coming to an end soon.

Then, on April 15th 2022 I unexpectedly and suddenly lost my sister. She was 46 and has 2 teenage boys. She died in her sleep one night from what the medical examiner concluded was "natural causes". I was devistated...we were very close.... But seeing how devistated my mother was and still is from my sister's untimely passing is unbearable to me. As such, I can't just let my health fail, die and leave my mother to go through again what she's already going through now emotionally, as a result of my sisters' death, by losing another child. (My mother is also physically disabled and confined to a wheelchair, suffering from a rare muscle disorder.)

That being said, I've since reconsidered my decision to get on the heart transplant list and accept the terms, proceed with all of the pre-transplant procedures and requirements and now finally, after several months, I have a "green light" for a heart transplant after May 10th.

Over the past several months I've been "kept alive" thus far through home infusion IV meds, a dozen other oral meds, following doctors' orders and taking good care of myself. I also wear a heart monitor/defibrillator vest 24hrs a day and am closely monitored by doctors from the UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA where the transplant will be done.

I've responded well to the medications (some experimental) but they only work temporarily as the body gets immune to them. They also don't "reverse" any damage to my heart, just help ease the strain on it, hopefully buying me some time before a heart becomes available to me. Which will be, as I've mentioned, sometime soon after May 10th 2023

Unfortunately, I have no income at the present time other than food stamps and a couple hundred bucks a month from GA. I have recently applied for social security benefits but, as you all know, those results don't come very quickly.

My mother will be helping me out as much as she can, with paying the wages for a home health nurse and an apartment near the University of Minnesota Hospital that is required for my after care following the transplant. However, it's still not going to be nearly enough financial help for everything I'll need during my recovery.

I have always worked hard to try and make a decent living for myself. I've enjoyed my life, have few regrets and and feel that I certainly haven't been "cheated out of any living". I would certainly be willing to "accept" my fate without going through with this heart transplant... But I'm not going to let all those folks down that have prayed for, helped and supported me this far and I absolutely CAN'T put my mother through another living nightmare of losing another one of her children. I AM going to get through this ordeal no matter how hard I have to fight to succeed!

I would love nothing more than for this transplant to be a great success and go back to doing ironwork for a few more years until I'm eligible for retirement. And also reimburse my mother, whatever I can, for her financial help to me through all of this.

Until or if that time ever comes, or at least until I recover from the surgery and I'm healthy enough to go out and make some money by other means, any financial help for me would be appreciated beyond my capabilities of me expressing it.

I'm not one to ask for "handouts" but in this situation I'm making an exception. And like so many of you genuine and generous souls out there, I too feel good when I can help someone who is truly in need of it... and always do when I can... I see my journey and my will to keep on fighting to live another day as not just for my own sake... But also for my dear, loving, mothers sake, mental and physical wellness as well as for all of my loving friends and extended family. I hate seeing anyone "bumbed out" especially if I'm the reason for it... that's why I'm not giving up...I still have many more smiles to put on people's faces. And those that know me, know that I do that well and often... whenever I can... whether it's playing them a song on my guitar, my quick witted humor, stupid jokes, giving them a hand with something or just being there with them!.... I LOVE being a "people person" and entertaining them... And there's more to come if I have any say in the matter! LOVE YA ALL!

THANK YOU in advance and God bless you all for your generous donation to my GoFundMe page. ....... Love, Mark :)