Brian's ongoing care routine consists of
taking long walks, eating a healthy diet,
and attending follow-up appointments
to monitor his progression. "Everything
has been going fantastic and I've had
no rejection whatsoever," he says. "I
couldn't ask for a better outcome."
While Brian is now going longer
periods between checkups, he will
remain connected to the care team at
Providence Spokane Heart Institute.
"We follow patients from the time
they develop advanced failure, to
implantation of a mechanical heart
and ultimately to transplantation,"
adds Dr. Coletti. "Following a
patient's heart transplant, we are their
primary transplant care provider."
Brian was recently reunited with
his transplant team as well as other
transplant recipients at Providence
Spokane Heart Institute during the
Walk of Gratitude in early 2020. "It was
amazing to see how many of us there
were," he says. "That was the biggest
surprise. It was also an incredible
experience for me as a patient going
back to say, 'here's what your care did.'"
Brian hopes that sharing his personal
success story will impact people in
two ways. First, by reducing anxiety
for those headed towards a transplant,
and second, by inspiring more
people to become organ donors.
"I've always been an organ donor and
I will continue to be a donor," Brian
says. "It's one of the greatest gifts
that can be given and received." ■
Providence Spokane
Heart Institute is the
only program between
Seattle and Minneapolis
to offer comprehensive
transplant services
that includes kidney,
pancreas, heart and
ventricular assist
devices.
Celebrating its 30th
anniversary, the
transplant program is
recognized as one of
the most leading-edge
programs in terms of
bringing mechanical
technology to patients.
This recognition brings
mechanical support
research and clinical
trials to Spokane.
The goal of the
transplant program at
Providence is to make
sure patients are able
to go home and be
supported in their
community.
Dr. Coletti adds that this relationship
is radically different than the
relationship patients have with any
other doctor. "It requires you to really
know your patients well.
As medicine continues to get more
impersonal, we're going the opposite
direction. We are the Marcus
Welby of specialized medicine."
"For such an extraordinary situation,
you couldn't ask for a better patient
experience," says Brian. "The nurses,
doctors, floor managers and other
staff involved, they got to know me
personally and were constantly there
to make sure my stay was pleasant.
Everyone on that team—they
were just fantastic and caring."
Getting Back to Living
Today, nearly a year since his procedure,
Brian describes his outlook in life as
"fantastic." "It's huge. I get to watch
my granddaughter grow up. My son and
daughter-in-law continue to be great
parents. Getting to see my son grow
up with a wonderful life, it's just very
joyous. And I'm able to get back to living,
which I haven't done in a few years."
"It's one of the
greatest gifts that
can be given and
received."
12 HEART BEAT SUMMER & FALL 2020
Brian shares more about his journey and his outlook on life in a
video story created by KSPS Public Television.
To see a video of the Walk of Gratitude event that reunited
transplant recipients with their care team,
visit the "Providence Spokane" channel on YouTube.
