Originally Posted By Autopia Deb Cool! "PHILADELPHIA - A 46-year-old man whose body was powered by three separate hearts in the span of a month walked out of the hospital Thursday and said he felt like competing in a triathlon. "I feel like a million dollars, actually," said patient Gary Onufer. "I feel like a whole new person." ADVERTISEMENT Accompanied by his wife and hospital staff, Onufer took slow steps out of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania as a donor heart beat in his thin frame. The organ replaced a temporary "Total Artificial Heart," a mechanical device that doctors said Onufer was the first person to receive in the Northeast. "I feel like I could do a triathlon right now," said Onufer, an insurance agent from Ambler. Onufer was "deathly ill" when he arrived at the Penn hospital on Feb. 1, said Dr. Michael Acker, one of his surgeons. Though doctors still aren't sure why, the seemingly healthy and active man was suffering from congestive heart failure and needed a new organ. Most patients in that situation would have a device implanted in their ailing hearts to keep them alive until a donor can be found, health officials said. But doctors thought Onufer's heart, even with artificial help, was too weak to last the two months Acker said is normally needed to find a donor. So they asked Onufer if he wanted to be a pioneer of sorts by undergoing the region's first implant of the Total Artificial Heart, made by Arizona-based SynCardia Systems. Onufer said yes. "My choices were very limited," he said Thursday. "I would have slowly died."
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb Oh yeah I pulled this off Yahoo! news. The article was written by KATHY MATHESON, Associated Press Writer
Originally Posted By Tinkerbell819 I just read that article in my morning paper! (Phila. Inquirer) Of course, I had no idea it was Lulu's cousin! Now, I feel a connection...two degrees of separation! I wish him the best of health!
Originally Posted By LuLu My SIL emailed that link to me last night! I understood what my cousin Joan meant about needing to keep Gary down when I read that he felt like doing a triathlon, LOL! Here's the CBS link: (same story as Deb posted) <a href="http://cbs3.com/local/local_story_081203815.html" target="_blank">http://cbs3.com/local/local_st ory_081203815.html</a> Thanks Deb!
Originally Posted By 999HAUNTS What a great story with a wonderful outlook! I am so glad that all is well!
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb You're welcome LuLu. I'm just happy to read his recovery is going so well.
Originally Posted By LacyBelle Great story! It's fantastic to read how well your cousin is doing, LuLu.
Originally Posted By Mary Poppins I'm still amazed that they have an artificial heart they can put in and keep you going and mobile. This story turned out well, Lulu. They are blessed!
