31 Year Old Father of Two Needs a Heart

[ouimetnick]

Interesting read and would be curious to hear everyone's side.

Boston hospital denies heart transplant to man who hasn't gotten COVID-19 vaccine

Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston is refusing to perform a heart transplant on a man who won't get vaccinated against COVID-19.

abcnews.go.com

Man in Need of Heart Transplant Denied Over COVID Vaccine Status, Family Says

David Ferguson needs a new heart, and he needs it badly. The 31-year-old father of two, with another on the way, is fighting for his life at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where he underwent an hours-long surgery Tuesday. Doctors are still working to stabilize his heart, but his family...

www.nbcboston.com

The 31-year-old father of two, with another on the way, is fighting for his life at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, where he underwent an hours-long surgery Tuesday. Doctors are still working to stabilize his heart, but his family said that's only a temporary solution, and he is in need of a heart transplant.

Yet he claims to have most of his vaccinations except covid.

"He is not an anti-vax person," Tracey said. "He has all of his vaccines, but there are some adverse reactions given his condition, and he is a man, he made his decision."

I'm not sure what his through process is here. It's really a simple choice (for me) If I had a wife and kids (or a kid on the way) I'd do anything to ensure I would be around for them. I myself am vaccinated against COVID, but not planning on a booster at this time. That being said if I had to chose between being dead and getting a organ transplant (but getting a booster shot) it would be a pretty easy pick for me. This man seems incredibly selfish to put his own ego in front of his wife, children and unborn child.

Funny (actually sad and pathetic) to see some folks claim the hospital is "killing" people like him when the reality is he's killing himself (voluntarily). No one is ENTITLED to an organ transplant. Organs aren't candy, there's a limited number of organs (hence a waiting list) and the hospital isn't going to waste/risk it on someone with a poorer chance of survival than someone else. Organs are what most folks consider to be a gift. We don't take it for granted and are not entitled to a new organ. This man can take it or leave it (and his wife/kids)

What a stupid hill to die on.

 

[Eric]

Bottom line is if you don't care enough about your own body to get the vaccine, why would they give you a heart? Sorry but I have no pity for this one, give it to someone who cares about their health enough to take basic precautions in order to protect themselves.

If this guy dies on the vine it's 100% his choice.

 

[User.45]

Interesting read and would be curious to hear everyone's side.

Boston hospital denies heart transplant to man who hasn't gotten COVID-19 vaccine

Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston is refusing to perform a heart transplant on a man who won't get vaccinated against COVID-19.

abcnews.go.com

Man in Need of Heart Transplant Denied Over COVID Vaccine Status, Family Says

David Ferguson needs a new heart, and he needs it badly. The 31-year-old father of two, with another on the way, is fighting for his life at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where he underwent an hours-long surgery Tuesday. Doctors are still working to stabilize his heart, but his family...

www.nbcboston.com

Yet he claims to have most of his vaccinations except covid.


I'm not sure what his through process is here. It's really a simple choice (for me) If I had a wife and kids (or a kid on the way) I'd do anything to ensure I would be around for them. I myself am vaccinated against COVID, but not planning on a booster at this time. That being said if I had to chose between being dead and getting a organ transplant (but getting a booster shot) it would be a pretty easy pick for me. This man seems incredibly selfish to put his own ego in front of his wife, children and unborn child.

Funny (actually sad and pathetic) to see some folks claim the hospital is "killing" people like him when the reality is he's killing himself (voluntarily). No one is ENTITLED to an organ transplant. Organs aren't candy, there's a limited number of organs (hence a waiting list) and the hospital isn't going to waste/risk it on someone with a poorer chance of survival than someone else. Organs are what most folks consider to be a gift. We don't take it for granted and are not entitled to a new organ. This man can take it or leave it (and his wife/kids)

What a stupid hill to die on.

Those with organ transplants receive life-long immunosuppression and are at very significant risk of dying due to an infection. Prior to a transplant, it is made sure that one received all the vaccinations they can get while they can still mount an immune response. Additionally, having a heart transplant means lifelong close working with doctors and nurses, and consistent non-compliance with their advice means almost certain death. A demoralized/non-compliant transplantee is a nightmare and very tough to manage (our intpatient palliative care consults were mainly these patients when I rotated there as a resident).

So no, there's nothing new or exceptional here. If someone trusts a cardiothoracic surgeon to take his pumping heart out and replace it with another one but can't trust a prophylactic treatment successfully given to a billion people, well, fine.

The heart will go to someone who will respect and value the donor's ultimate sacrifice to gift someone else Life.

 

[fooferdoggie]

What a stupid hill to die on.

you stole that line from me. I want royalties.

 

[fooferdoggie]

I wonder if they think they will win the battle and still get a heart?

 

[SuperMatt]

I wonder if they think they will win the battle and still get a heart?

He could get a pig’s heart maybe. I could swear I saw something in the news about that recently.

 

[Joe]

I saw a conservative on TikTok last night say she took herself off the organ donor registry because of this. I'm sure there are plenty of vaccinated conservatives waiting for an organ transplant. People are dumb.

 

[Yoused]

I have an old car that I can spare the oil pump out of. He can have that. They can make it work, I know they can. It worked for Barney Clark, all those years ago.

 

[ouimetnick]

Bottom line is if you don't care enough about your own body to get the vaccine, why would they give you a heart? Sorry but I have no pity for this one, give it to someone who cares about their health enough to take basic precautions in order to protect themselves.

If this guy dies on the vine it's 100% his choice.

I agree with you 97%. Before I started going to church, I also wouldn't have any pity for him, but I do keep him, his wife, and children in my prayers. I pray that he comes to the realization about how selfish and entitled he's acting. Imagine losing a spouse or father because they were being stubborn with their own health matters. That's not something I wish on to others.

 

[ouimetnick]

Those with organ transplants receive life-long immunosuppression and are at very significant risk of dying due to an infection. Prior to a transplant, it is made sure that one received all the vaccinations they can get while they can still mount an immune response. Additionally, having a heart transplant means lifelong close working with doctors and nurses, and consistent non-compliance with their advice means almost certain death. A demoralized/non-compliant transplantee is a nightmare and very tough to manage (our intpatient palliative care consults were mainly these patients when I rotated there as a resident).

So no, there's nothing new or exceptional here. If someone trusts a cardiothoracic surgeon to take his pumping heart out and replace it with another one but can't trust a prophylactic treatment successfully given to a billion people, well, fine.

The heart will go to someone who will respect and value the donor's ultimate sacrifice to gift someone else Life.

Bolded the immunosuppression part. My best friend had a heart valve replacement in 2017 (endocarditis). He was only 21 at that time. (his father died of a heart attack a year later.. strong hearts in that family) The medications he was initially on weakened his immune system so the body wouldn't reject the replacement valve. He still has to take blood thinners and get blood work done frequently. Same thing applies to this guy. His immune system (if not already in a weak state) will be substantially weaker after a heart transplant. I'm not sure if they could save the heart a second time and give it to another person in need, but why risk it? This man isn't entitled to a new heart, no one is entitled to an organ transplant tbh, it's a gift and something to be thankful for. I would be doing everything I can to make sure that the gift lasts me until it's my time to go.

 

[Eric]

I agree with you 97%. Before I started going to church, I also wouldn't have any pity for him, but I do keep him, his wife, and children in my prayers. I pray that he comes to the realization about how selfish and entitled he's acting. Imagine losing a spouse or father because they were being stubborn with their own health matters. That's not something I wish on to others.

We certainly feel for the family but it's like telling them he's going to jump out of a plane but doesn't believe in parachutes. Most decent people will have empathy but giving the heart to someone who will protect it is the only logical choice here.

This man will die and put his family through all of that for refusing to take a vaccine that has been administered 537 million times, he's a selfish and thoughtless human being in every way. Hopefully, they'll move on with lessons learned.

 

[fooferdoggie]

We certainly feel for the family but it's like telling them he's going to jump out of a plane but doesn't believe in parachutes. Most decent people will have empathy but giving the heart to someone who will protect it is the only logical choice here.

This man will die and put his family through all of that for refusing to take a vaccine that has been administered 537 million times, he's a selfish and thoughtless human being in every way. Hopefully, they'll move on with lessons learned.

almost 4 billion people are fully vaccinated. at this point your just choosing to be fooled.

 

[User.45]

Bolded the immunosuppression part. My best friend had a heart valve replacement in 2017 (endocarditis). He was only 21 at that time. (his father died of a heart attack a year later.. strong hearts in that family) The medications he was initially on weakened his immune system so the body wouldn't reject the replacement valve. He still has to take blood thinners and get blood work done frequently. Same thing applies to this guy. His immune system (if not already in a weak state) will be substantially weaker after a heart transplant. I'm not sure if they could save the heart a second time and give it to another person in need, but why risk it? This man isn't entitled to a new heart, no one is entitled to an organ transplant tbh, it's a gift and something to be thankful for. I would be doing everything I can to make sure that the gift lasts me until it's my time to go.

you can't reimplant the heart. most people who die with an implant die because the implant failed.