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 Unexpectedly in late October 2007, two days past Lee Reynolds’ 20th birthday, it became apparent that active and fit Lee was having health issues. It started with a visit to the doctor for a stomach ache and shortly after a local hospital emergency room visit. Three days later, the local staff determined that Lee had a cardiac condition. Lee and his family were stunned! A week earlier, Lee was active at the gym training his young fit body with heavy weights and machines showing no signs of any health related issues. The medical staff had transferred Lee to the cardiac wing of the Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) in Portland for additional testing.The regression of his heart was fast. In retrospect, the speed of his heart degeneration probably saved his other organs. Over the following six months, hospital stays with a few very brief periods at home were the norm for Lee. His parents Gil and Carmen along with his sister Linzie tag teamed so that someone was always their with Lee during waking hours. On a brief visit home from the hospital for Christmas, a new puppy was promised. It gave Lee an alternate focus for his thoughts beyond his current health crisis. Lee’s determination, sense of humor, and love for music supported the family during the ordeal but also gave the family a means to comfort and console Lee during the deepest moments of crisis. Other forms of comfort included watching movies and, when able, good food. Hospital food is appalling to a health conscious 20 year old and with good reason. Critical crisis occurred in January when, previously strong and healthy, Lee was close to death. Although on the donor organ list since Thanksgiving, a donor heart didn’t come quick enough. On January 13th the doctors realized that the meds were no longer working and they performed open heart surgery to install an external heart pump called a VAD. This small refrigerator size machine was cumbersome but later was replaced with a smaller suitcase size model. After a month in the Surgical ICU he was moved onto a recovery floor on February 13. Being a recipient of an artificial heart put Lee at the top of the list for a donor heart, 1A…for 30 days. On March 31st it looked like April Fools Day would come and go. But at 11PM on the 31st, only a week before his high ranking status ran out, the message came to Lee that a new heart was on the way. At 5 AM, April 1, they took Lee down to the OR and prepped him for the transplant. He had a lot of scare tissue build up from his last procedures and things took a bit longer than they had originally thought but the new heart beat strong. The surgery was a success.  The immediate post surgery recovery cheerleading team consisted of only Linzie. Carmen and Gil came down with the flu. With Gil and Carmen unable to see Lee for nearly a week because of the germs that could be passed, loving and caring Linzie took all the shifts needed to support Lee emotionally. What a sister! Recovery continued the next week with a complete cheerleading squad. Lee came home April 17th once a thorough scrubbing and decontaminating occurred to an already clean room and home.It didn’t take long. Lee wasn’t even home 24 hours before Linzie and Lee went puppy shopping. The sibling bond between the two tightened during the crisis and so it continued. Home came two canine brothers that couldn’t be broken up, one for Lee and one for Linzie. In Linzie’s words, “I didn’t want Preston to be lonely.” The puppies are half miniature Beagle and half Lab. They were found not too far from home and ironically they were born on Valentine’s Day. But an even greater coincidence, both are black… but Preston…has a white heart on his chest. Lee is progressing well with no rejection. He is conscientious about the necessary daily routine set by the doctors that includes taking 50+ pills, very light gym workouts, and monitoring of vitals 4 times a day. The family is thankful for the support of family and friends and would like to show their appreciation by promoting the cause of “Donor Organ” Awareness through a partial donation of funds from the Heartbeat Auction to OHSU Cardiac Transplant Patient Support Fund.  |
| 2008 Lee Reynolds' Heartbeat Benefit Glass Auction |