Since my heart transplant, one of my big questions has been “What kind of life is possible with a transplanted heart?” When I asked my cardiac physicians, the response was always “What do you want it to be?”
To be candid, when I look around, most of the heart transplant patients I saw were older than I am. When you think of public figures who have had a heart transplant, can you name one? I can’t.
I was browsing the internet yesterday and I came across an article about a golfer who had a heart transplant. In fact, Erik Compton has had two transplants. He finished tied for 20th this weekend at the Charles Schwab Challenge with a score of 4 under par for the tournament.
Here’s the kicker, he’s 41 and has played golf at the PGA level for a number of years. To me, that was motivating. Was he a fluke?
I dug a little deeper and found another transplant patient who biked across America after getting his new heart. While both of these examples are younger than I am, it still gives me hope.
A heart transplant patient doesn’t have to just be here but is really limited by their own desire to achieve.
Although I still have some recovery to do, it’s time for me to get on with it. Not sure what my limit is, but it’s time to find out.
Chris