Greg Holaway

On Tuesday, October 25th, Greg received the phone call we honestly never thought we would get...."we have a heart for you".  Bittersweet words indeed - not only knowing the most likely sudden, tragic loss that led to this and the terrifying journey we are all about to embark on.  On Wednesday, October 26th, we arrived at University of Minnesota hospital at 4:00 a.m. 6 hours  of pre-op tests and conversations and very scary consent forms, we said our good-byes and good lucks and see you later.  8 LOOOONG hours later, the heart was in and all was well.  He moved to ICU about 9:00 p.m.  Mom, Brett and I saw him about 10:00 p.m., talked to his nurse who said we would only hear from them IF something went wrong.   When the phone rang at 1:30 a.m., we know it was not good news.  He was experiencing primary graft rejection and they were going to have to go back in.  By 3:15 he was placed on an ECMO heart and lung machine.  From what we understand this happens in 10 to 15% of heart transplants and this therapy of "resting" the new heart has an 80% success rate.  We are very hopeful and so VERY scared.  So now we wait, wait for him to show signs of improvement, wait for the new heart to accept it's new home and wait for him to come back to us.