heart transplant.”
First, her doctor tried another far less invasive procedure. It wasn’t successful. A transplant was her only option. She became so sick that a machine pumped her blood as she waited for a match.
Shannon, a high school senior playing sports and working on college applications, wanted to quit her teams to be with her mom.
“No,” Alicia told her. “Your life still has to continue.”
You May Also Like
Shannon began going from track practice to the hospital for a few hours. She slept in Alicia’s room on the weekends.
RELATED: This New Technology Can Predict Heart Failure
A new birthday
After a month on the waiting list, Alicia was told she’d be receiving a heart from a 19-year-old.
Before the transplant, nurses sang “Happy birthday.” Not because it was Alicia’s birthday but because she was receiving a new birthday.
Weeks later, Alicia went home in time for Thanksgiving. Her next big goal was to get healthy enough to
