Dying Teen Is Being Denied A Heart Transplant Because He’s Had Trouble With The Law

[Aerows]

80. It's VERY likely

that he has shown an inability to take his medication and go to his doctor's appointments. You need a strong support system to undergo a heart transplant. It's not like getting your tires changed and boom, all is well.

It's a lifelong commitment to taking medication on a very strict regimen, needing to go to the doctor frequently, and there is a host of complications that you have to watch out for due to the anti-rejection medications. By design they lower the immune system, so any little cold that is going around a transplant patient is probably going to get if you aren't extremely clean with their surroundings.

Then there is diet. None of this is simple, but if the person has a strong support system like my uncle had, they get a new lease on life. But it isn't the same life they had before - radical changes are necessary.