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Fighting fit survival instructor, 35, is diagnosed with end-stage heart failure after a routine surgery and now relies on a mechanical heart to stay alive
Fighting fit survival instructor, 35, is diagnosed with end-stage heart failure after a routine surgery and now relies on a mechanical heart to stay alive
Wilderness survival instructor Jeremy White had climbed America’s highest mountain peaks, led scuba diving tours in Hawaii and even swam with sharks. But a routine knee surgery in June 2015 revealed he was in the final stages of congestive heart failure. Doctors tried to keep White, from Spokane, Washington, alive through medications and treatments but, when those failed and no heart donor was available, he was told his only option was a rechargeable mechanical heart. White, now 35, had the pump implanted one month later and is currently on the list for a heart transplant and says he hopes to inspire others to remain positive in the face of their own adversities. Jeremy White, 35, of Spokane, Washington, was a wilderness survival instructor who constantly traveled. He didn’t know that he was slowly experiencing congestive heart failure. Pictured: White hiking mountains in Seattle before his surgery, left, and his scars and the congestive heart failure cord that leads to his heart, right At age 31, White, who had just returned from racing camels in Egypt pictured, underwent minor knee surgery in June 2015 to rid him of his arthritis. During his time in college, White took several study abroad trips to fuel his love of travel and even tried winter survival courses. ‘My favorite adventure is hard to pick but scuba diving is one for sure,’ he said. ‘I also loved hiking, snowshoeing and airport roulette – it’s where to you go to an airport and you don’t know which flight you’re getting on until you board it.’ In his twenties, White climbed some of the highest mountain peaks in the nation including Mount Rainier, the highest point in Washington, and Mount Whitney, the highest point in the continental US. ‘Every chance I got to go on adventures I would, from studying abroad in Spain to winter survival courses and international business trips,’ he said. At age 31, White, who had just returned from racing camels in Egypt, underwent minor knee surgery in June 2015 to rid him of his arthritis. However, shortly after waking up from the procedure, he began experiencing chest pains and had difficulty breathing. ‘Doctors ran tests to detect foreign viruses since I’d been traveling so much but nothing showed,’ he said. ‘The doctors were so perplexed by my symptoms as they couldn’t determine why a young, healthy guy was experiencing these problems.’ After three days of running tests, doctors determined White was in end-stage heart failure. After the procedure, White experienced chest pains and had difficulty breathing for three days. Doctors finally determined White was in end-stage heart failure. Pictured: White in the hospital in July 2015 After numerous medications and treatments failed and with no donor heart available, doctors told White his only option was to have have a mechanical heart known as a left ventricle assist device LVAD implanted. Pictured: White in the hospital in July 2015 An LVAD is surgically implanted right under the heart. Blood flows from the heart into the pump and, once the pump is full, the blood passes into the aorta. Pictured: An X-ray showing White’s LVAD White said doctors believe a virus damaged his heart and that he’d been living with heart failure for up to three months prior to the knee surgery. ‘I was very fit and healthy, so my body was compensating for the weakness in my heart,’ he said. ‘Then I had the knee surgery, which added stress on my body and it was the tipping point for my heart condition to become symptomatic.’ After numerous medications and treatments failed and with no donor heart available, doctors told White his only option was to have have a mechanical heart known as a left ventricle assist device LVAD implanted. LVADs are only used in patients who have reached-end stage heart failure. They either have the pump implanted while waiting for a heart transplant or, if they are not eligible, use it as long-term treatment. An LVAD is surgically implanted right under the heart. One end is attached to the left ventricle – which pumps oxygenated blood to body tissue – and the other end is attached to the aorta – the body’s main artery that carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Blood flows from the heart into the pump and, once the pump is full, the blood passes into the aorta. Meanwhile, an external controller, a power pack and a reserve power pack remain outside the body. White spent nearly a month in the hospital before he was fitted with his LVAD during a nine-hour surgery in July 2015. White carries his battery pack with him in a bag. His pump has a battery life of 10 hours, which he plugs into the wall at night. Pictured: White in the hospital after surgery. He is currently on blood-thinning medication, which sometimes causes bruises and bleeding in his eyes pictured. He is currently on a waiting list for a heart transplant ‘The day after surgery I felt the immense pain and I felt like I’d been hit by a car when I woke up,’ he said. ‘As I lay in the hospital bed with incisions and tubes all over me, I began to think: “Is this worth it?” I just wanted the pain to end.’ However, White said his condition began to improve after a few days and – after a total of 42 days in the hospital – he was discharged. White carries his battery pack with him in a bag. His pump has a battery life of 10 hours, which he plugs into the wall at night. He is also required to take a blood-thinning medication to decrease his chance of getting a blood clot. White said this new change of pace was difficult for him to accept, and he even admitted he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after losing his previous lifestyle. ‘Instead of focusing on what I can’t do, I focus on what I can do. It’s hard because I once climbed mountains but now climbing a flight of stairs gets me out of breath,’ he said. ‘I have to take medication to thin my blood as required for an LVAD, so it can cause bruising and blood in my eyes. It’s usually nothing serious but it looks bad and I’m learning to deal with it.’ Despite the recent changes in his life, White says he tries to remain positive and look ahead to the future. ‘Bad things happen in the world and we can’t change that. However, we can change how we react and respond to them,’ he said. ‘When going through hard times it teaches you what you can make it through when you’re pushed to your limit. A huge part of not losing hope is to find something bigger than yourself to live for.’