Ross Henkel receives heart transplant
An Ocean Grove dad has revealed how his life has been transformed after he recently received a donor heart.
Geelong
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Ocean Grove dad Ross Henkel feels “honoured” to have been granted a second chance at life by an organ donor.
About six years ago, Mr Henkel was diagnosed with idiopathic non-ischaemic dilated cardiomyopathy, which weakened his heart.
The condition makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body and can lead to heart failure.
In September, Mr Henkel received a heart transplant, after the disease caused his health to rapidly deteriorate.
The 55-year-old had been on the waitlist for about six weeks when he received the donor heart.
In the intermediary he had received a call in the middle of the night and travelled from Ocean Grove to Melbourne.
He was prepared for surgery, but was told at the last testing stage that the heart wasn’t suitable.
On the day of the successful transplant a few weeks later, Mr Henkel was contacted about 4am and was at the Alfred in Melbourne within two hours.
Feeling “really excited”, he was quickly “put under” before the procedure, which lasted four to five hours.
Mr Henkel was then in an induced coma for two days and woke up in the intensive care unit.
He was in ICU for several days before moving to a ward.
Walking just five metres would exhaust him.
Twelve days after the surgery Mr Henkel was released from hospital.
He is now attending frequent medical appointments to monitor his body’s response to the transplant organ, and so far, it has been adjusting well.
“I’m on anti rejection medicine for the rest of my life,” he said.
He is taking various medications and iscurrently on about 150 tablets a week – but it was 240 up until recently.
The father of two adult sons said while he had felt drained in the weeks after the transplant, he was honoured to have received the heart and was constantly thinking of the family behind the donation.
He now has the energy to stay up all day.
His health is “so much better” after the transplant and he said he was going downhill quickly before it.
“I’m just happy as Larry,” he said.
He said it had “definitely” given him a new lease on life and he had likely not had long left to live with his original heart.
On Sunday, organ and tissue recipients around Australia will express their gratitude by saying “thank you” to organ donors and their families as part of DonateLife Thank You Day.
Each year, thousands of Australian lives are saved and transformed through the generosity of deceased and living organ and tissue donors and their families.
DonateLife urges all Australians to have the discussion with their loved ones, and to register to become an organ and tissue donor, or check their registration, at donatelife.gov.au.
Originally published as Ross Henkel receives heart transplant
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