Jason's Heart & Liver Transplant Journey

01/29/2026

Interesting!

The government has proposed new rules for the nation's transplant system that aim to increase use of certain donated organs and set additional safety standards for donor groups.

01/28/2026

01/16/2026

Why Is Everyone Offended?
Somewhere between getting a new heart and figuring out which pill does what, I missed the memo that everyone is now offended by everything.
I didn’t get the update. I was a little busy not dying.
Heart transplant life does that to you. It recalibrates your offense meter. Things that used to bother me don’t even register anymore. Someone cuts me off in traffic? Fine. The grocery store is out of the one thing I went there for? I’ll survive. Literally. I already proved that.
But say the wrong word. Use the wrong tone. Make the wrong joke. Suddenly the room tightens up like I just announced I microwave fish at work.
Here’s the thing. When you’ve had your chest cracked open, your heart stopped, and a total stranger’s heart sewn into your body, your tolerance for nonsense changes. Dramatically.
I’ve had nurses apologize because they woke me up to take vitals. I’ve had doctors say “sorry” before asking how I feel. I want to grab them by the stethoscope and say, please, if I’m asleep, that means things are going well.
Post transplant, you spend a lot of time being poked, prodded, scanned, biopsied, and asked deeply personal questions by people you met five minutes ago. There is no room left for being offended. That storage unit is full.
Someone once said to me, “Wow, you look great for someone who had a heart transplant.” I think that was supposed to be offensive. Maybe. I just heard, “You’re still here and upright.” I’ll take it.
Another person said, “You’re so lucky.” That one makes people nervous. Are we allowed to say lucky? Blessed? Fortunate? I don’t care what word you use. I’m alive. Use Comic Sans if you want.
When you live with a donor heart, you learn fast that intent matters more than wording. If someone is awkward, curious, clumsy, or says the wrong thing, so what. They’re talking to someone who cheated death. That’s a weird conversation for anyone.
I’ve noticed the most offended people are usually the healthiest ones. No pill organizers. No medical alert bracelets. No calendar reminders titled “Try Not to Die Today.” They’ve got the luxury of outrage. Good for them.
Meanwhile, transplant folks are over here laughing at things we probably shouldn’t. Hospital humor is dark, inappropriate, and necessary. You don’t get through ICU without learning to laugh at absurdity. If you can’t laugh, you cry. And crying messes up your vitals.
I’ve joked about my donor. I’ve joked about my scars. I’ve joked about the shakes, the meds, the side effects, and the fact that I now travel with more prescriptions than a small pharmacy. If that offends someone, that’s their problem. This is my coping mechanism and it’s working just fine.
Here’s what a heart transplant gives you. Perspective. Gratitude. And a very short list of things worth being offended over.
Someone trying to be kind but saying it wrong isn’t on that list.
Life is fragile. Hearts wear out. Time is borrowed. If you’ve been given a second chance, you don’t waste it being mad about phrasing.
So if I joke, laugh, or brush things off, it’s not because I don’t care. It’s because I care a lot. About being here. About waking up. About the donor who made this possible.
If that offends someone, well, I’ve got a brand new heart. It’s not fragile.
Frederick M. Hueston, Author, My Heart Journey Book Series

01/15/2026

01/15/2026

Thanks for being a top engager and making it on to my weekly engagement list! 🎉

Sherry Kelly, Christopher Williams, Cheri Andresen, Julia Celano

01/09/2026

Follow up to yesterday’s ER visit, the doctor is treating me for a sinus infection. Also she started me back on gabapentin and much to my surprise a muscle relaxer. Needless to say, I slept better last night than I have in a while. Today I finally feel like I can push through the pain. Jen picked up a XXL heating pad (which covers my entire back) I’m excited to use it tonight!

01/09/2026

Pain still means you’re alive…Right?

Let me explain, for the past 3 weeks I have been in excruciating pain throughout my body. Some days it effects my wrist, some days it effects my knees or my feet or forearms but every day it has been effecting my left shoulder. Also I have been having upper respiratory and sinus problems for the better part of 2 weeks.
Today took the cake with my pain and after consulting with my transplant team I went into my local ER. Needless to say I am negative for Flu A & B as well as COVID. They are gonna treat me for a sinus infection but cannot explain the pain.
So what is the pain? I’m not sure if it is arthritis or possibly undiagnosed autoimmune issues. I will need to follow up. Unfortunately Tylenol is not working for me and that’s all they really want to give me. The pain reminds me of the pain in my legs when I had to learn how to walk again after transplant. Hot showers soothe but do not take away the pain. I have never experienced this kind of pain that moves continuously. It has kept me up at nights.
I am frustrated I cannot get relief from the pain however I still feel blessed to be able to experience it. (Sounds weird huh?)
I have been working despite the pain but today I couldn’t take anymore and had to leave work early. I have been so fortunate my transplant has gone so well for me thus far. This is just another reminder that as a transplant recipient things hit differently. More time to heal and the severity of any illness is always a factor as we are immunocompromised.
Quiet a lengthy post but I haven’t given a real update in a while.

12/22/2025

I love my new Christmas shirt my wife got me! Thank you Jenifer😍

12/18/2025

The experimental surgery I had at 6 years old.

12/08/2025

Living the best life I can. Today was date day with my wife. We went to Nevada City, CA to enjoy their Victorian Christmas. While there we caught the “Live radio play of Its A Wonderful Life” 2nd year in a row we enjoyed “It’s a wonderful life” for Christmas. Afterwards, dinner at a French cafe. Beautiful way to spend Sunday.
Thanks to my donor and I got to!