Despite all the blows of fate, I live very happily
Tamara, heart transplant since 1992 at the age of seven
My name is Tamara Maier and I was born on November 8, 1984 in Zagreb, Croatia. It became apparent quite early on that I would not always have an easy life. My diagnosis was dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). To this day, nobody knows where this form of heart failure came from.
At the age of four, I had my first heart operation (surgery) and received an artificial heart valve in Ljubljana, but it didn't help. When I was five and a half, I had my next heart operation in Graz, which didn't help either. At some point, unfortunately, I was in such bad shape that the physicians said it wouldn't help, she would need a new heart at some point.
We lived in Carinthia (Austria) at the time. However, I was treated at the University Hospital Munich/Großhadern because there was no suitable Clinical Department in our area.
I had to go home again. That was a shock!
When I was seven years old, it had to happen quickly because I was very, very weak. The physicians didn't give me much longer to live...
At some point, I got a call that a heart was there. The ambulance came and picked me up - the bag was always ready for use. Unfortunately, in the middle of the journey to the hospital, the child's parents canceled again. I had to go home again. That was a real shock!
Out of the blue came THE CALL
Further examinations followed and in the end the physicians said I only had a maximum of seven days left, I wouldn't be able to manage any more. I was to spend this time at home. On the fourth of these days - in March 1992 - we were celebrating my mother's birthday and out of the blue came THE CALL - A HEART IS THERE!
I had to relearn everything
I was immediately taken by ambulance to the University Hospital in Munich/Großhadern. There I was prepared for the transplant and everything was set in motion.
Unfortunately, I have almost no recollection of this time in hospital. I was also given a pacemaker (HMS) because the surgeons unfortunately damaged the sinus node of my heart during the operation.
After the successful transplant, I was in hospital for weeks because I had to relearn everything: walking, talking, eating, drinking, everything! It was a difficult time for all those affected.
Everything you do as a child - but with restrictions
But I got better and better. I was able to go back to school, meet friends and do everything you do as a child. But all with restrictions, of course. Everyone always had to disinfect their hands when they came to visit. Overall, we kept everything very sterile. Today everything is much easier, but of course I still have to go to Munich/Großhadern twice a year for a check-up.
Our daughter made our happiness perfect ...
I met my husband in 2001 when I was 16. We got married on July 7, 2007 and our happiness was made perfect by the birth of our little daughter Alessia Cataleya. She was born safe and sound on December 12, 2012 in Munich/Großhadern. We live in Carinthia in our house, which we also built together in 2007.
... but it didn't remain completely undisturbed
Apparently, however, our happiness was not to be completely undisturbed. On Holy Saturday in March 2016, I suffered a serious heart attack. I fell over at home and went into cardiac arrest. My husband resuscitated me and called the ambulance immediately. It took the physicians 45 minutes to get me "fit to fly". It was terrible for everyone. I only know everything from my husband's stories. The rescue helicopter took me to hospital. There I suffered another cardiac arrest. At the last second, a stent was inserted via a cardiac catheter. I then spent a week in an artificial deep sleep and another two weeks on a normal ward. Here I had to "learn" everything again: walking, swallowing, eating - it was sooo hard for me to bear. I was aware of everything and I could have just screamed.
I wouldn't let it get me down
Well, thank goodness I survived that too. I soon returned home and four weeks later I started rehabilitation (REHA). After the four weeks of rehabilitation, I was doing really well.
Despite everything, I'm very happy with all my strokes of fate and don't let them get me down.