Heart Transplantation-sc69sam!

[Xplantdad]

Sam,

Here is a picture of my daughter when she was about 3 years old. She is standing next to Shannon Millen (who is Rod Millen's ex wife...now) and her son Connor. Both Holly and Connor had heart transplants within 6 months of each other at Loma Linda Hospital, in Loma Linda, California.

Rod Millen's site Rod Millen's Web Page (http://www.rodmillen.com/Rodmillen.htm)

Holly was 5 1/2 months old at the time of her transplant, and Connor was about a month old. Holly is 14 years old now!

Notice the sweatshirt that Holly is wearing...it's a copy of our California license plate. It translates to new heart kid. The transplant kids that were invited to this race were also in a video that was shown before the start of the race...too cool!

This picture was taken at the "Mickey Thompson Stadium Off Road Grand Prix" in Anaheim, California, a few years before Mickey Thompson was gunned down by two %*sholes hired by Ron Goodwin.

Holly has also met and has a few posters signed by Carroll Shelby http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif, who also had a heart transplant in June 1990, one month after Holly did!

Sam, I know that you realize how lucky we both are. Next time you see your son, tell him that he's included in our prayers every night!

Bruce

[JoeG]

http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[DarrenX33]

Very, very, very, very cool! I like stories like this. My brother experienced kidney failure a few years ago. He was fortunate enough to receive an transplant. I wasn't the match but have taken the steps to become a organ donor since his ordeal.

Next to voting I highly recommend it!

Cheers, http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Mr70]

Yes,I filled out the back of my License also.Full Donor here. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/flag.gif

[Salvatore]

You guys here are all great! I appreciate the feelings I am getting from all. My son is 22 and doing real well. He spent 7.5 months in the hospital waiting for a heart. He was never sick till at 15 he contacted cardo myopathe. A viral infection to the heart. Had his transplant on Christmas Eve 1998. He is attending Temple University in Philly and has 1.5 years left. You would never know it. Truly a gift from God! I feel very sorry, my wife and I about the person who donated her complete body to help save other lives. Our prayers are with those families and also our thanks and prayers are always with the support we get from guys like you and people around our area. C.H.O.P. in Philadelphia is truly inspired and blessed by Our Lord. Thanks for sharing. Sam

[DarrenX33]

The advancments in medicine over the years is just outstanding. My son was born with a esophagus defect that prevented him from eating (TEF). By no means the seriousness of a heart transplant but just another example of how advanced in medicine we are. He had surgery for it and was in the hospital for a month before we got him home. Like you say Sam, you would never know.

Cheers to the Doctors, Donors and patients of all ages!
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Salvatore]

AMEN brother! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worship.gif Sam

[Xplantdad]

Darren, Joe, MR 70, and most of all Sam,

I realize how lucky our family is to have had a donor available when my daughter needed it most! I'm glad that people at least think about and discuss signing their donor cards on their licenses.

I can appreciate if people don't want to do it either. It's a very personal decision. We are grateful that the donor family made their decision in 1990. I can't imagine my daughter not being here...

I may never be "lucky" enough to own a supercar, but my lucky day was November 15th, 1990. That was the day that my daughter was transplanted.

I'm happy that she's into cars and music. They're two of my big passions. She wants to get a 62-64 Chevy truck, and have fun with dad restoring it. When it's done, she wants flames on it. I'll see what I can do to accomodate her. I'm sure that Sam knows how many $$$ insurance eats up per year for necessary 'protocol' testing. It adds up quickly!

Anyways, thanks all for your kind words!

I hope that everyone treasures their kids as much as I do my daughter http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

[Xplantdad]

Here is a picture of one of the posters that Carroll Shelby signed for my daughter Holly. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggthumpup.gif

I forgot that we even had this...Now we have to get it framed!

[Salvatore]

Nice poster! Do get it framed. http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Sam

[All American Racer]

I don't know how people can work in children's hospitals. I would spend my day bawling in the broom closet. But I'm damn glad they do! http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beers.gif

[Xplantdad]

I know exactly how you feel. While we were at CHOC (Childrens Hospital of Orance County)waiting to see what would happen with our daughter, there was a child who returned TWICE as a victim of child abuse. This baby was all of 9 months old and had numerous "old" injuries. The parents were 19(dad) and 17(mom) years old.

I asked the charge nurse how they could even deal with the parents on a repetitive basis. Most of them won't. They will appoint another person to be in charge while the abusive parents are there.

I remember sitting there thinking...how stupid can someone be? My child is dying right in front of my eyes...through no fault of her own, and these rearholes are trying to kill their child!

It took a good long talk with our priest before I was even able to talk to these "parents"....

Sorry to post such a "DOWNER" post...but I had to get it out!

To all people who abuse children: http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/Charley.gif

[Mr70]

What sad story.
I have no Tolerance for parents(kids)like that.

[All American Racer]

It's amazing that I need a license to drive, fly, fish, hunt, marry, and on and on. But to have a kid all I need is a willing woman. Kids and animals - both look to us for love and attention; and because some of us have defects that don't allow us to give those things both suffer. My son just finished Fall Little League. I was floored by the amount of parents who never watched ONE game. I watched one of the smaller kids on the team whack a double down the left-field line and stood on second trying to get his mom's attention as she sat in her SUV about 200 yards away talking on the cell phone like she did every game. Damn