A nurse adopted a 27-year-old man with autism so he could get a heart transplant, and she saved his life.
When 57-year-old Lori Wood, a Georgia nurse, was assigned to Jonathan Pinkard’s case at Piedmont Newnan Hospital, he didn’t have long to live.
Jonathan’s only chance to survive is to get a heart transplant. However, he wasn’t eligible to be on the list as the requirements include that recipients should have someone to look after them after surgery.
In an interview with TODAY Health, Wood said: “Jonathan was very sick, but he wasn’t eligible for a transplant because he didn’t have a support system.”
He had been in and out of the hospital for months, and whenever he was not in the hospital, he was staying in a shelter.
Wood have only known Jonathan for two days but she already decided to become his legal guardian and gave him the needed support to quality for the heart transplant list.
“I had to help him. It was a no-brainer,” Wood expressed. “He would have died without the transplant.”
Because of the large number of patients waiting for donated organs, non-profit agencies and government have a thorough process for vetting recipients.
People on waiting lists are evaluated to make sure they will receive care after the surgery to lessen the risk of a valuable donor organ being wasted.
Anne Paschke, a spokesperson for the American non-profit United Network for Organ Sharing, said to TODAY: “They’re going to look at things like: “Do you show up for appointments and follow doctors orders?”
“If you get a transplant and don’t take your immunosuppressive drugs, you’re going to lose it.”
Wood said that she didn’t know anything about Pinkard when she decided to be his guardian. She also invited the 27-year-old to move into her home.
The two quickly bonded over Family Feud and football. Pinkard now calls the nurse ‘Mama.’
“Jonathan has his chair, and I have my chair,” Wood shared. “We like game shows and high five back and forth if we get an answer right. He is very loving.”
Speaking about his mother, Jonathan said: “She treats me like one of her sons. I am truly thankful for that.”
“It’s been a joy having Jonathan here with us,” Wood said. “I knew this is what I was supposed to do.”
Wood is definitely an angel sent from above! More blessings to come for this family.
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