Woman Thankful For New Heart On Thanksgiving
MIAMI (CBS4) – This Thanksgiving will be one of true thanks for Rosa Perdomo, she's out of the hospital and with her family after under going a heart transplant.
When Perdomo was 41-years old she was diagnosed with breast cancer in her left breast. She underwent chemotherapy, a mastectomy on her left breast, was cancer free for 13 years.
In 2005, she developed breast cancer in her right breast and had chemotherapy. The treatment damaged her heart and led to congestive heart failure leaving her with 20% heart function. She was discharged home with medication.
In December 2010, she started to feel very ill. Doctors told her that even with medication her heart function had decreased to just 8% and that she was dying. Perdomo needed a heart transplant before her organs shut down. That year she spent Christmas and New Years in the hospital, kept alive by drip medication.
On January 7, 2011, she was transferred to the University of Miami Hospital where she qualified the transplant list and mechanical heart called a left ventricular assist device or LVAD. In February she was transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital where she had the LVAD implanted. When she was released from the hospital nine days later Perdomo weighed only 90 pounds.
Perdomo continued to recover and her weight went up to 142 pounds. On the Friday before Eater she received a call that a possible heart had been found. Unfortunately, it was not a good match and had a high rate of rejection.
On November 11th a second heart became available. The following day Perdomo underwent a heart transplant. Ten days later, on the eve of Thanksgiving, Perdomo left the hospital in time to spend Thanksgiving Day with her family, thankful for a new lease on life and more time with those she loves.
