Patrick Holland, 56 years old, has suffered from congestive heart disease for most of his life. However, he believes he is too young to die.
He said, “I had my first cardiac arrest at the age of 29.” It was a sudden death for my dad. My uncle, his brother, also died from it at 48. My family has been suffering for a while.”
Holland was told by doctors three years ago that he required a transplant. His heart is twice as big as it should be. He is home, however, after missing his heart transplant.
It took months for me to be eligible for a transplant. I had to fly to Seattle multiple times to take dozens of tests at the University of Washington Medical Center.
They checked my lungs and my kidneys. He said that they had placed gauges in my neck to measure the pressure of my heart. “My mind was like, “Man, I hope that I can get through all of this testing before my death.”
Holland lost his job as a personal assistant for seniors with disabilities because of his illness. Holland’s wife, Joanne, has been sharing their experiences since 2019, saying that it helps her to cope.
Holland’s family was considering a temporary move from Holland to Washington. But Patrick is well enough to fly the four-hour direct flight to Seattle.
Holland was called by a transplant coordinator on December 22 to inform him that he had a match for his heart. He would have to travel to the University of Washington Heart Institute in one day. His brother and he booked an evening flight from Seattle to meet their family. They arrived at the airport amid a holiday crowd, which was made more difficult by the stormy weather.
“I jumped straight to the front line and apologized to everyone. I stated, “Ma’am. I’m looking for a heart transplant. My plane board in 30 minutes.” She pulled me over to the side and started to look at me. Then she said, “Oh no, your flight was canceled.” I was shocked that everything had left my body.
The runways at Seattle’s Tacoma International Airport were briefly closed by freezing rain, but Holland claims that agents from Alaska Airlines managed to fly them to Seattle in the early hours of the morning.
“I felt happy, excited, and comfortable. He said that most of the fear had disappeared.
He looked as if he would find his new heart.
He said, “I felt the landing gear drop.” “I heard the pilot saying, ‘welcome, Anchorage’.” I looked at my brother, and we laughed. It was about 3:30 in the morning. I just figured that now we’d been in the air for four hours. It doesn’t take four hours to reach Anchorage.
The plane was forced to return to Anchorage by an ice storm in Seattle. Holland was unable to receive a heart transplant at the time.
He said, “I just lost.” “I felt like life was leaving my body. It was wonderful. I felt so full of emotion, ups and down roller coasters.
He packs up his family and leaves North Pole with his four children. Two weeks later, he moves to Seattle to find a new heart.
He said, “I don’t want to ever miss another opportunity.” It’s not going to happen.
He advises anyone who wishes him well that they should be grateful for all that they have and to register to donate organs.
