DS's father might need a heart transplant - please talk to me.

[DoreensEatingHerSoreen]

That's it really, just found out this week and not really sure how to process it.

He suffers from Cardiomyopathy (Left ventricular non-compaction) and already has both a pace-maker and defibrillator fitted. His medication has not been working and although a transplant was always a possibility for the future, no-one was expecting anything this soon. (He is 24).

We are not together but are good friends and he is a loving doting father to our 3yo DS.

He has to have further tests in the next few weeks to confirm the seriousness of the deterioration but this week his Drs have been preparing him for the news that a transplant may be the only option.

I'm not sure what the future holds and really don't want this for him (the condition of course not the transplant).

Any words of wisdom?

I don't have experiences with adult heart transplant, but I knew a 14yr old girl who underwent a heart transplant- like your DS's father- because of cardiomypathy caused by chemotherapy and leukaemia weakening the heart muscles. I just want to say that, although it sounds very dangerous, heart transplants are routinely carried out, every hour or so, someone undergoes a heart transplant, and the surgeons will be more experienced than you could ever believe. The doctors will monitor his condition for quite a while after the transplant, to check that the heart is 'accepted' in the body, and that the immune system isn't trying to destroy it and will be able to give him drugs which will make it easier for this to all happen.

He will have to wait a while for the heart transplant possibly, depending on how severe it is compared to other people's conditions, so you will have time to discuss DS and the implications.

Sorry that he, you and DS has to be affected, it's hard for everyone involved, son, friend, parents, anyone.