The Heart Transplant

Last night I witnessed a miracle. I watched as a heart transplant occurred, right in front of my very eyes. As the opened his chest, I was in awe. As they cut back slowly, the heart began to appear. Beating under the flesh. I was 5 feet away from a surgery that few people get to see.

As they slowly and patiently removed the bad heart, it was handed to a gentleman. "Grab some gloves," he said to me. As I put on gloves, the heart still warm out of the body, he handed it to me. I was suddenly holding a beating heart in my hands. Thump, thump. Thump, thump. In my hands. He snapped pictures. It was the most surreal moment I have ever had. Almost spiritual. It was something incredible. A miracle.

The new heart was placed in his chest cavity. After being sewn in and being shocked, the new heart pinked up and started to beat. It was like watching an act of God. Or an amazing gift of science. Either way, it was the most fabulous thing I've ever done and seen. I am so glad that I put myself out there and made my watching a transplant a possibility.

I am so very grateful today for the work I do. I understand it in a whole new way. The world looks different today. I am more calm. I am so very grateful for all the people I work with who do this every day.