Jason

Vaccine injury leads to a heart transplant

Jason

Vaccine injury leads to a heart transplant

Before the pandemic Jason was living with atrial fibrillation and congestive heart failure.  Subsequently he had an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) in his chest. An ICD is a device that can detect a life threatening heartbeat, an arrhythmia, and will then shock the heart back into a normal cardiac rhythm.  In addition an ICD also checks for high levels of fluid retention around the patient’s heart- a sign that a patient with congestive heart failure needs to see their cardiologist immediately.

When we first interviewed Jason his diagnoses sounded overwhelming and very scary.  However, Jason will tell you that he lived a, “pretty normal life”.  He walked each and every day, could bike 5 miles without any negative cardiac event and enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.  Jason told us that his heart was “stable” and he was “making improvements”.  He only needed to check in with his cardiologist every 6 months.

In February of 2021 both Jason’s primary doctor and cardiologist encouraged him to receive the vaccine given his existing cardiac conditions.  Jason was very nervous to get vaccinated.  He wasn’t sure if people like him had been part of the vaccine trials; and wanted to know more before making the decision.  Unfortunately, due to societal pressure Jason decided to get vaccinated.

After the first vaccine Jason felt like he had the flu and wasn’t worried.

In the spring of 2021 Jason had has second Pfizer shot and had a very terrible reaction. Within days he felt absolutely awful.  He was struggling to make it up two flights of stairs without stopping to rest.  His ICD fluid chart showed a very elevated jump in fluid retention right after the second shot.  This was very alarming.  His fluid levels had never been this high before the pandemic.

Slowly over the summer Jason started to feel a little better.  His energy levels were returning and his fluid levels were dropping.  

In October of 2021 Jason got Covid.  He actually didn’t know he had Covid until he couldn’t smell his coffee or the gas at the gas station.  He had no other symptoms.  Jason called his primary doctor to inform him he tested positive and his doctor encouraged him to get a booster in two weeks.

Again, Jason was nervous based on what happened in the spring, but assumed his doctor was making the right call.

Within 48 hours of his booster Jason felt, “like garbage”.  His ICD fluid levels skyrocketed.  His legs filled up with fluid, his heart rate was very irregular and he struggled with overwhelming fatigue.  

By the winter of 2022 Jason could not get out of bed.  His cardiologist continued to ignore his symptoms and prescribe him additional diuretics hoping to bring the fluid levels downs.  Nothing was helping.  Jason was terrified.  He had never felt like this.

In the spring of 2022 Jason fired his cardiologist and went to the emergency room at a different hospital.  His new doctors were completely shocked at how mismanaged his care had been for the last few years.  They told him absolutely “no more Covid shots” and moved him into the cardiac ICU and put him on the heart transplant list.  At this point the right side of his heart had failed and his left ventricular ejection fraction was only at 5%. Jason’s doctor noted in his medical chart:  “severe allergic reaction to Covid shot”.

On July 30th of 2022 Jason received a new heart.

Today Jason is doing very well.  He is walking and biking again and enjoying time with his son and wife.

Jason feels incredibly lucky and grateful that he trusted his instincts and sought out a new cardiologist.  He tries not to think about the “what if’s” and the fear he felt before being put on the transplant list. He is focusing on the positives in his life.

In the middle of all of his health scares Jason decided to change jobs.  He wanted to work for a company that was doing more meaningful work and something that related to his situation.  He felt like it was too late to go to medical school so he sought out companies in the medical device field.  Jason is now working for a company that sells a wearable product that measures a patient's cardiac rhythms and electronically downloads this data to the patient’s cardiologist.  Many of us in Team Humanity have used this product and feel like it is truly life saving, and are so grateful for Jason and his coworkers. 

Jason truly wears his heart on his sleeve.  He is the most giving person.  He feels so much compassion for others who have struggled like he did that he continues to connect with people on the Facebook congestive heart failure and heart transplant groups.  He offers them hope and most importantly listens to their stories.  

Team Humanity feels very fortunate to have Jason on our team.  He is incredibly compassionate.  He personally knows what it feels like to feel weak, vulnerable, and scared; and can lean into those emotions when helping others.  

Thank you Jason for sharing your story and for helping others.  You truly exemplify our mission.

Team Humanity Mission:

We acknowledge that the Covid vaccine injured are real people.  Real people who had a life filled with travel, work, friends, and loved ones before they were injured.  A life that existed outside of their house, their bed and their pain.

This is why Team Humanity is sharing these stories.  

Somehow in the midst of all that has happened in the last few years people who have been injured have become “acceptable collateral damage.” When did this become ok?  How is this ok?

Team Humanity believes that we are called to speak for the voiceless.  We are called to tell our stories, gather those who are struggling, and offer them hope and help.  We are called to pull those who are stuck in the shadows and darkness into the light.