We have gotten several inquiries asking how Jackie Koncz is doing after her recent heart transplant so we thought we would share periodic updates on her progress!
For those who may not know, Jackie is a mom of three who lives in Norton. In November 2023, she felt chest and arm pain and was taken to Barberton Hospital. While there, doctors performed what should have been a routine heart catheterization, but damaged her heart, tearing a major artery. There was too much blood loss so an attempted stent was unsuccessful and Jackie was life-flighted to Summa-Akron City Hospital where she underwent open heart surgery for a double bypass.
In early February 2025, Jackie was placed on a heart transplant list at two out of state hospitals. Her antibodies were too high (a high number of antibodies would fight the new heart as a foreign object, making her too high risk for the centers in Ohio) so medical facilities in New York and Tennessee were the only two options.
Feb. 20: Jackie got the call from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee that the “perfect heart” was ready for her. She previously arranged a private flight for when that call would come and on Feb. 21 she underwent a 7-hour heart transplant surgery!
Feb. 22: Jackie was able to squeeze her husband’s hand and answer some questions. Doctors said her vital signs look good so far.
Feb. 25: It was a day filled with incredible news! Jackie was able to walk four times farther than she did the day before! Her family reports nurses and doctors are watching the fluid around her lungs/heart closely with chest x-rays every morning. The medicine seems to be doing its job. One is breaking up the phlegm accumulated from surgery and lying in bed. Another medication is allowing her heart and lungs to work better together.
Something really neat happened for Jackie! A nurse was able to allow Jackie to hear her pulse for the first time in over a year! For those who do not know, when you have an LVAD (the device Jackie carried for the last year working her heart), often times you do not have a pulse. She now has one with the new heart doing its job. What a great thing to hear!
Her family said the surgeon was in reporting her heart is strong and things are going great! The rest of the chest tubes should come out soon, which will make Jackie feel a whole lot more comfortable.
Doctors also started Jackie on a medication for her antibodies. She developed high antibody counts from receiving many necessary blood products due to the events of her initial heart catheterization procedure. If you have too high of antibodies, it can fight off or reject a transplanted organ.
“Vanderbilt was prepared and ready, not too concerned with the higher antibodies from the get-go, which is why we are here,” her family posted on their CaringBridge website. “They had the confidence that Jackie and her newfound heart would find each other. Vanderbilt is able to work with them and is now giving her a medication to help prevent signs of rejection to her newfound heart. She is NOT showing signs of rejection at this time, and we do not anticipate this, but per protocol they are giving is to be proactive and give the best outcome,” her family explained.
The road to recovery will be months-long for Jackie so her family could use all the continued prayers and positive vibes!
