Aryanna's Story

Aryanna Wiebke

My granddaughter Aryanna Wiebke was diagnosed with dialated cardiomyopathy when she was 7 months old, in December of 2003. She was immediately admitted to University of Iowa Childrens Hospital. A couple of weeks after admission she was placed on the list for heart transplants. She waited for a year and New Year's Eve 2004 she received her new heart. She was released from the hospital one month to the day from the day she was transplanted. She is 21 months old now and is as active as any toddler. :) Her prognosis before transplant was that she probably wouldn't live much past her second birthday, if she made it that far. The day she was released I took her hospital room phone number out of my speed dial. :)

This was taken in ICU. She was off the vent in less than 24 hours. Even looking at still photos the difference between pre and post transplant is like night and day.

Thank you,

Ella Poindexter,
Grandmother