Today, Jake was in St Louis for another cath and the results gave us so much to be thankful for. In true Jacob fashion, as they were wheeling him to the Cath lab, Jacob decided the walk was a little lackluster and started playing music. The lyrics: “it’s a trap, it’s too late to turn back.” Even the Dr. couldn’t help but crack a smile at that one! His sense of humor is still as evident as ever.
The results from the cath were very reassuring. The pressure in his heart is exactly where it has been. In the world of transplant recovery, “no change” is great news because it means he is stable. His BNP (a marker that measures stress on the heart) has dropped significantly, and his bloodwork shows his immune system & vitamin levels are right where they want them. The team was very happy and isn’t changing a thing. Jacob just needs to continue to heal and gain strength.
He hit the “double-digits” milestone completing his 10th heart cath in the past 5 months. If everything stays on track, he’ll only need 3 more over the next 7 months! Jake also officially “graduated” from PAWS care. The wound on his lower back is completely healed. His chest and stomach scar is softening up much faster than expected, which is a rare but fantastic. We will no longer need to follow with the wound team but are so grateful for the amazing care they gave to Jacob.
As we head into April, our hearts are especially full. April is National Donate Life Month, and for our family, it carries something that words can never express. The theme for 2026 is “Leave a Legacy,” which uses a tree as a symbol of life. We often think of Jacob’s donor and their family as the deep roots that allowed him to grow. Jacob is standing tall today because of the beautiful gift his donor gave him. Every stable report and every healed scar is the legacy of his donor hero.
As we honor the life that Jacob’s donor gave him, you can celebrate too. If you want celebrate with Jacob, tomorrow is National Donate Life Blue & Green Day! We’ll be wearing these colors to celebrate the gift of life and the heroes who give it. We would love to see you wearing them too.
If you want to be a donor , you can register at RegisterMe.org.
To the donor family who saved our Jacob, we carry your loved one’s legacy in our hearts every day. To our community, thank you for being the “forest” that surrounds us with so much love and keeps us standing. We are so incredibly blessed.