In early February, Edwin Arce, 49, became the fortunate recipient of the first
heart transplant performed in Central
Florida. The
transplant was performed at Florida Hospital (pictured below) after the
hospital's staff spent four years finalizing the necessary paperwork and planning needed for their first such surgery.
Arce spent seven weeks waiting for a heart to become available for him. He had battled
heart disease for several years and had been in the hospital since
Christmas. According to Arce, prior to his transplant his life consisted of "... walking from the bed to the couch." Unfortunately, his condition sounds eerily familiar.
Arce's doctors say his transplant went "flawlessly" and that he is doing "well." His heart transplant may have been the first at Florida Hospital, but it won't be the last, and that's great news for other patients in Central Florida in need of heart transplants. Until Florida Hospital opened it's heart transplant program, people in the area needing heart transplants had to travel several hours away from home in order to have one. Oftentimes, the distance made it difficult, if not impossible, for friends and family to visit the patient in the hospital. I can testify to the fact that having your family and friends, your support system, near you during your recovery is vitally important to a successful one. There will be times when you need them to encourage you, laugh with you, and even cry with you. Sometimes you just need them to be there whether they do anything or not. This world's a tough place to survive alone. Take it from me - a transplant's even tougher.
Therefore, I want to take this opportunity to say "Thank You," once again, to every one that was there for me five years ago. You know who you are. I wouldn't have made it without you.
Source : MyFoxOrlando.com story titled Florida Hospital Performs Area's First Heart Transplant
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