When your heart’s on fire, yeah.
That’s the only time your soul runs free.
When your heart’s on fire, runnin’ on the edge.
Do you know what I mean?
Whoa, Oh.
Heart’s on fire.
~ Hearts On Fire, 38 Special
Yesterday was my 38th “official” visit (since my heart transplant about 11-1/2 years ago) with my transplant team to get all things heart related checked. Overall, the day itself was quite normal in terms of hospitals, nurses, doctors and technicians (all were FABULOUS).
My preliminary results looked VERY good. Cholesterol was 146, my heart’s “Ejection Fraction” (How well my heart is pumping) is an outstanding 65% and even my kidney function (my biggest worry these days) improved slightly. So, all-in-all, maybe my heart is “ON FIRE”?
I had a somewhat lengthy wait between a couple of appointments, during which time I again prayed and gave thanks for all my blessings. The heart that I was given by my hero Benny Keith, is filled with gratitude and goodness. This journey with Benny Keith has left me in awe daily.
There were two small, yet interesting events that were noteworthy ……… Six months ago, during my last heart checkup, I got in line behind a lady from Michigan, that I had met right after her heart transplant a few years ago while I volunteering and we had a nice chat …….. yesterday, I’m in lab behind the same woman, same place and we had another “reunion”. Quite the coincidence.
Later, while I was checking in for one of my appointments, I was waiting to pay a “co-pay” …….. and I turned and looked out the massive windows to the north and there was a waterspout, out over Lake Erie. It was an amazing sight. I had only seen pictures of them.
In gratitude to God, Benny Keith and my amazing transplant team ……. my Heart is on FIRE!
My2ndHeartBeat 
Congratulations! Not just on your medical success, a real reason to celebrate, but also for your very positive outlook on life. As someone mentioned recently to me, life is not just what happens to you, but rather how you react to life. Your reaction will continue to attract good things/people to you with that outlook. Believe me when I tell you that as I enter my 25th year with this gift of a heart, the best lies yet before you in the next dozen and more years even as you deal with the normal challenges that come with advancing age. Keep up the good work and enjoy every day for the gift it is made possible by someone’s decision to pass along their used heart when they no longer needed it.