COTA for Isaac

Our Story

We took Isaac to the ER in Danville for shortness of breath on Sunday evening, March 24th. There they found that he was in heart failure and sent us by ambulance to UK hospital. More tests were run, a blood clot was found in his right ventricle, and it was decided in under 12 hours that he needed to be transferred to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and placed in the care of the heart transplant team. We were flown by helicopter to Children’s on Monday morning, March 25th. Because of the blood clot and his heart failing, Isaac had surgery on Thursday, March 28^th, to give him a total artificial heart until a new heart was identified for him. The total artificial heart was an amazing machine that actually helped to heal the organs that had been damaged by heart failure. On Tuesday, April 2nd, we were told a heart had been identified for Isaac and surgery would take place the following morning. It turned out that was not the heart God had for Isaac. We waited another week and on April 10th Isaac had life-saving heart transplant surgery. His recovery has been phenomenal. We are in total awe of the gifts and talents God has given the nurses, doctors and staff here at Children’s and thanking Him for His mercy and care. I’ve had the thought that when God created Isaac’s new heart in his donor, He knew it would be Isaac’s heart, as well.

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) helps children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support. COTA is the nation’s only fundraising organization solely dedicated to raising life-saving dollars in honor of transplant-needy children and young adults. 100% of each contribution made to COTA in honor of our patients helps meet transplant-related expenses. COTA’s services are free to our families, and gifts to COTA are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.